The Washington herald., 1914-02-15

feet and shoated. sHess yourx.
GriG. I weaidsr keep such q
'bose-heaa' On my ball cius o. 4
never WOE another game.
1 chirped: '.All right. Jim: just put that
down In writing and / will see you at
the hotel tonight to complete arrange
ments; but Anderson Is only worth about
$500 to me now. This morning i would
! have paid you a cool thousand for him.
You can have him. l don't ever want
to see him again. He's yours." snapped
the still wrathy McAleer.
AHder.o. Join. the Yanks.
The next day Anderson Joined us and
/ played him In center field during the re-
msinder of the season.
You can bet he never pulled any such
boneheaded base-running stunts on me.
for ] was always on the coaching lines
and did not give him a chance. In fact,
ANDERSON played good ball for my club.
Later ! sold him to Washington"
The writer has heard many interesting
tales OF big John Anderson, who Is now
living in Worcester, Mass, and who holds
down job as policeman
Anderson was not popular among ball
players for the reason that he was par
simonious, and most players hate a stingy
guy.
Bib John has safely tucked away the
first dollar he ever earned. He owns sew
erai houses and considerable valuable
land in his home city. purchased with
the money he made out Of baseball.
During tanning bee on the road with
the Nationals last summer, the writer
happened TO mention Anderson's name
10 several veteran players. one of whom
played on the same team with John.
II remember the player said, how
Anderson sailed away money provided
by the club, for meals, and during long
jump from St Louis to Boston, his break
fast, luncheon, and dinner consisted of a
basket of grapes.
Did HiS Own Washing.
Il have frequently entered Johns room
in the various hotels" he continued. Ito
find that he had strung a clothes line
from his bed post to the window, and
placed upon II handkerchiefs, soxs, and
other wearing apparel which he had him
self washed out thereby saving laundry
bills. As for tips, no waiter or bel
hop ever separated Anderson from a
dime or a nickel 1t was against his
principles to tip
Players who knew Anderson well. de-
clared that 1t was not his fault that he
was stingy, only the way he was brought
for their thriftiness, and living in the
heart of Ysnkeeland. how could big John
possibly be a spender?
Anderson's record with the Nationals
was not a brilliant one by any means.
He PLAYED in the outfield under Stahr,
and during Cantillion's first year, the big
chap was tried at first base.
Sam Edmonston. of local sand-lot fame.
who Joined the Washington club during
the fall OF 1906. has a good word to say
about Big John Anderson.
Il always liked Anderson" he vouch-
safed. lin fact. we were great friends
John was cordial toward me. aud we
went around together. although can
not remember that he ever spent money
with a lavish hand
Charley Hickman and John Anderson
both passed out Of Washington about the
same time. II was during the Cantilon
regime In 1851. One story IL told to the
effect that during row with Cantilon
Anderson became incensed at something
Joe had said, took couple of wallops
at the chubby manager, and, then packed
his trunk. leaving for his home in wor-
cester, Mass. This story has been denied
In some quarters.
Anderson was never much of a success
as first basemsn. but ranked well as an
outfieider In mechanical ability.
The subject of Grifith's fan tank
lext Sunday will be How Broke Into
Baseball. My First Big League Game.
And How l. Felt"
z b