Evening star., 1914-12-28
BY JOHN H. GRUBER.

Occasionally it has happened in base
ball history that the work of Il player
flashed WITH so much hrilliancy for an
instant that the reflection remained
long after the elements of splendor had
died out That WAS the case with Ros-
coe c. Miller, who in one season built
up a reputation that lasted until he
abruptly dropped into oblivion. He was
no doubt a promising pitcher when he
began playing bail. because lie was
never let go, each year remaining with
his team from start to finish of sea-
son. In fact, he was released only
twice in his life, once by the New
York Gaints- and again by the Pitts
burgh Pirates, his last release being
for good and all.
Miller. who was born in Coryden,
Ind, began playing ball with 1he
Washington. Ind, team in 1897. The
team was managed by Bart Howard.
who in 1898 was made manager of the
Mansfield team of the Interstate
League. He took Miller with him to
his new field Of action. In 1899. al
though Howard was succeeded by Dan
]. LoWney as the head of the team.
Miller was retained. and remained with
Mansfield to the close of the season:
In 1900, with the opening of the
twentith century. the American League
came into existence. The Western
League, at it's annual meeting. decided
to change it's name to the american
League" and so was born an institu-
ton which a few years later rivaled
the National Lacquer and finally pc
of the Western League, and auto
matically became charter member
of the new organization George
Stallings, the present Miracle Man,
was manager only in 1899. but in 1900
he and James D. Burns bought the
Detroit franchise for $4,000 from
George A. vanderbeck. whose divorced
wife was thus enabled to collect her
alimony Of $4,000.
Built Up New Club.
Stallings, although now an owner.
continued as manager Of the Detroits.
and built up almost an entirely new
team. OF his 1899 players. only Pitch
ers John Cronin and Bill CASTOR and
Catchers John B. Ryan and AL Shaw.
two pitchers and two catchers, were
on the list when the season of 1900
opened. Jack Cronin was drafted by
the Cincinnati club. and after the close
of the American League season OF 1899
he joined the Cincinnati team and
pitched five games for the Reds. win
ming two, losing two and tying one,
pitching against such cracks as al
orth, Clark Griffith, Jack Taylor and
John Powell But he was turned back
to Detroit in 1900 before the season
opened.
In 1900 the National League reduced its
circuit from twelve to eight clubs, and
this step naturally threw many players
out of work. Stallings filled his team with
players from Cleveland and Washington,
two OF the cities dropped, and then Sc
SILL 11H,a
and Pittsburgh, besides several from the
minor leagues Among those taken from
the minors was Miller. The other
pitchers of the team with whom Miller
worked that year besides Cronin and
CASTOR were ]. Emil Friske, from Gin
cinnati; Jack P. Fifield, from Washing
ton, and Frank Owen. an amateur. The
latter later made his mark in the
American League as pitcher for the
Chicago White Soy. During the season
StallingS acquired Joe feager, Edward
Sleeves and Bill HILL
All these pitchers, including Miller,
were with the Detroit team when the
season of 1901 opened. except Fifield
and Hill. Miller, too, was nearly
among the missing. The year 1901 was
distinguished in base ball history by
the jumps by players from the Ma
tional to the American League. Miller
took a notion to reverse the general
rule, and SO he jumped to the Brook
when the season of 1901 opened Miller
was found in line again with the De-
troits, having also signed a contract
with Stallings. This was Miller's only
successful season. He became one of
the brightest stars in the new league,
Detroit finishing in third place, a feat
it never surpassed until the Tigers
won the championship in 1907. Miller
was the premier pitcher of his team.
He won twenty-five out of thirty-efght
games. while the next best pitcher.
Sievers, won eighteen out Of thirty
two. Cronin won twelve out of
twenty seven. and Yeager twelve out
of thirty-four.