El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-02-23

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~ eraI leagues new club in Brook
Iyn does not make a go Of it"
the only conclusion to be drawn viii
have to be that 1T can't be done" One
of the wisest moves made to date by
the leaders Of the league is placing
John MONTGOMERY Ward in complete
CHARGE of affairs on the other side OF
the bridge In Ward they have chosen
a man who has to play second fiddle
to nobody in matters where brains
count in baseball. Moreover, they have
named one of the most popular figures
that ever adorned the game, which
surely will have some effect
The true situation in the new Brook
lyn club is rather confused IN the
mind of the average baseball fan
When it was announced that Robert Is.
Ward. head of the Ward Baking com
pany, would be president Of the club,
the Immersion naturally was conveyed
that he would be the court of last
resort in the clubs affairs. This
will be true in some cases, of course,
but the arrangement made really gives
almost absolute power to John NJ
who as announced before, is not rel
alive however distant, Of the other
Wards The reason John NJ. has been
lined I'D with the club, under his title
of business manager, is to get the ben
eft of his experience and judgment in
baseball affairs, and his opinions will
be practically the same as law.
What He VIII DO.
To John NJ. will be referred all such
problems as the engaging Of a mana
ger Of the team, players, an official
scorer of the club, gTOundkeeDer, tic
ket takers, clerks, etc. The selecting
of training camp and arrangement Of
exhibition games will be up to him.
Dealing with the railroads to adjust
things while the team is to be on the
road also will fall to his province, and
he likewise will name the hotels IN the
different cities where the players will
stay. Many other odds and ends Of
executive work will require his atten-
ton.
John NJ. Ward is one of the very few
men, who active as players quarter
of a century ago, have managed to
stay in the public eye constantly up to
this time. John K. Tener, president OF
the National league, is another Of the
exceptions Ward, one Of the greatest
shortstOps the game has known, and
who in general discussion OF DaSepalL
history, ranks with Honus wagner ana
George Wright as the premier IN that
position, had the pleasure Of being on
three worlds championship teams.
Wns Head Of brotherhood.
IN 1880 the famous brotherhood
something similar to the Players Fra
ternity Of today, with the exception
that the players ran q league them
selves-was formed. John NJ. Ward
was one of the big leaders of the
movement, fighting against many
abuses Of the players rights that had
been instituted by some magnates-yeS
some Of them were greedy then the
same as some of them are now. But
the Brotherhood did not succeed
Ward did not get into another world s
series until 1891 when the historic
Temple cup was battled for, the first
time it was up for competition, by the
New York and Baltimore clubs. And
again Wards team won Maybe this
habit of being with winner win stick
to Ward in his Federal league venture
Ward in 1894 had switched over to
playing second base, Fuller being the
shortstop on the New York club that
year
Ward Sensational Fielder.
John NJ. was known as one Of the
most sensational infielders the game
has produced. He covered such q ire
mendous amount of territory that
though conceded the best man Of his
time in fielding his position, he led
! the National league only once IN reid
ing percentage. That was IN 1So o
when he fieIded 919 in 129 games
The majority of followers Of the game
] who remember Ward as a great player
think of him almost entirely as Won
derful defensive performer. 1eI ne
was a consistent batsman too, hard
man in a pinch, and he is among the
comparatively few men who have
: batted over 300 for three seasons. IN
/ 1887 with the Giants, he hung up q
mark of 81, and in 1880, with the
Brotherhood. he sWatted the same
figure These are marks for even our
modern day clubbers to shoot at, and
not more than a select two or three
reach them even now, when the plUcn-
| ing distance is greater, which unoe-