The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-15
HOW CLYDE MILAN
 BECAME CHAMPION.

Milan the Marvel" is the, title of an article in the May Baseball Mag azine,'' in which the heet-footed Washington star is called sHThe Flying Mercury of the Diamond, the man who shattered the American League record, the greatest base-runner of the decade.'' Milan who was born in Tennessee, rounds out that famous quartet of southern stars whose other members are Iris Speaker, Ty Cobb and Joe Jackson, a Big Four of outer gard deners, so the article states. who have no equal in either league.
 Milan whose real name is Jesse Clyde, was signed by the Washington Club in 1907 at the same time that Walter Johnson cast in his lot with the then 1owly Senators. Prospects have frightened up bit since that episode, but Johnson and Milan, the men mainly responsible for the suc- cess, have been inseparable pals ever since. Milan, so the story goes, when a small boy, didn't take very kindly to work, and when his father called his attention to this defect in his | character and the result 1t would have on his future prospects, J. Clyde promptly met the argument by saying that when he grew up he intended to become as big league ball player" " He must have changed his mind, however, on the work proposition, for l he has been going at record clip ever since he Joined forces with the big show.
 Clarke Grifath comes forward with these illuminating remarks: Clyde Milan is the greatest base stealer in the game His record l proves it. He deserves to be called the greatest, and I am glad to do what I can toward getting him the 1 title There was a time when Bes- l cher was the best in the business. He was 8 fine fellow and I was glad to see him have so much success. But Milan has beat him now at his own game; there is no doubt about it. Two years ago he broke the Amer 1 ican League record by stealing 8 8 ba- ses. He would have had n If one game in, St. Louis had not been
 thrown out on account of rain. Last year he didn't do quite as well, but
 he led both leagues If he could hit | as we'll as Cobb or; Collins and get to first as often. he would steal 100 ba- 1 ses
 l The following sage remarks of the 1 great base-runner labelled "Maxims i of Milan are gIeaned from the arr tfcle:
 l Base-stealing is far more of an art
 or science than most people imagine. However fast man may be, there 1 is always something for him to learn. l I am learning all the time and con- sfder myself still beginner + I in stealing base. First the lead. second the sprint and third the slide. The start is the most important of the I three. It isl this more than anything else l which shows whether or not player I has it in him to become great base | runner.
 l The baseastealer,- like the batter is always trying to outguess the pitcher
 Base-stealing is largely a game. oi I bluff on both sides I have often got I a comma nding lead and ssuccessfulIy I tended to do was to worry the pitcher Every pitcher has a bluff motion 1 in winding up before delivering g i ball to the batter.
 Many fast men are poor base steal
 Many good base-stealers are not fast.
 A good sprinter does not mean 9 1 good base-runner.
 The sprinter starts from crounh- ing position and at given signal. T The base-stealer starts from an up. fright position and has to time his owr I start to the fraction of a second. s Cobb is perhaps the most reckless
 base-stealer in the game, but he nev-
 CT gets injured
 I sprained both ankles myself learn. 1 ing the hook slide. but I. hayens sprained them since I learned it.
 always slide feet first.
 Il Sliding loses time but gives the run,
 ner chance to dodge being tagged by a basernan.
 Cobb will beat a slow man by 7
 stride on sheer speed between first an6
 second base
 Speed Is an advantage to any base
 stealer; a necessity to the top-notch. CT.
 At the same time speed alone vii
 - =. 1