Evening journal., 1914-03-03
WRICLEY IS
VETERAN OF
BIG GAME
Trenton Manager Played With
Jimmy Jackson In the
Majors

leke Nrigley, the veteran infielder /
who has just been appointed to boss 7
the Trenton Tristate League, has had \
an interesting career. both In the /
majors and minors.
Wrigley first came into prominence /
when he Joined the Washington team i
in 1896, which was the year In which ,
Lajoie had his fast-set christening.
On the Washington team then were /
players forgotten by many fans. Jim /
MCGUIRE, AL Selbach, Charley Abbey. /
Tom Brown and Win Mercer were |
among Wrigley's pals Pianolegs
Cartwright was another. Washington J
always had the nucelus OF good
team, but never was pennant factor, /
because the Wagner brothers. who
owned the club. had penchant for
selling their best players 10 other
clubs.
There are only four players in the
major league now who were up there
when / broke in" said Wrigley the
other day. "They are Laioie. Rhody
Wallace, Roger Bresnahan and Jimmy
Callahan, although the last named
does not call himself a regular
Il was rather amused to read where
Manager Branch Hickey. Of the
Browns, has decided TO assign Wallace
regularly to the shortstop position.
Wallace has been a utility player for
the last two seasons, but the club
must be tired of experimenting, for Il
has decided to restore Wallace's old
post to him.
Wallace Will go down in history
as one of the foremost inhelders I'm
the game. He wasn't an infielder
when I broke in though He was
pitching for the Cleveland team of
the National League. which was
managed by Patsey Tebcau.
"ln those days Tebeau had Chippy
McGarr, a veteran at third base. IN
the spring season, McGarr had diff
Guilty getting the kinks out Of his
arm and Tebeau generally had to put
an extra man at third until the wea-
ther became warm. Managers at that
I time didn't have the reserve material
they do now. For the most part,
there was only one utility man and
he had 70 look after both outfield
and infield roles.
Therefore Il was quite inconven-
tent If more than one man was In the
! hospital. One spring Tebeau decided
TO let Pitcher Wallace play third
while McGarr's arm was getting into
shape. The experiment was aston
ishing. Wallace hadn't played a half
dozen games until he demonstrated
that he was about the best third base
man IN the country McGarr never
resained his job at third and was la
ter released
Wallace Became Sensation.
wallace became the sensation OF
the country and a few years later Te-
beau switched him to shortstop, where
he was just as dazzling a performer
as he was at the hot corner. Iloolz
for the old boy to come back. As long
as he is able to hobble he will play
good ball.
Few fans know that Roger Bres-
nahan had his start in Washington.
He came there late in the year / join
ed the club. He was a pitcher then.
Bresnahan pitched four games and
won them all. He acquired extrava-
CANT financial ideas on the strength
Of his growing and demanded the
limit of $500 for the next season. a
demand that in those days appeared
prohibitive for a youngster. The
Washington owners wouldn't pay and
Bresnahan slipped to the minors 20
return few seasons later as a mem-
ber of the Baltimore team"
After his career in Washington Wrig-
ley went to the minors and served for
la long period with the Columbus team
of the American Association. Last sea-
son he managed the Hamilton, o., club,
l0f the Ohio League. When Wrigley re.
ported to Hamilton last season he found
the city stricken from the effects of a
devastating flood that swept through
the southeastern part OF Ohio and caused
losses reaching the millions.
The park had been washed away and
the citizens of Hamilton were devoted TO
the work Of rebuilding their city rather
than thinking of baseball.
Wrigley hoped into the relief work.
lie sent out letters from tho city relief
headquarters 70 all ball players asking
for aid. His appeal bore fruit. The first
20 respond was Christy Mathcwson, who
sent a check for S25. Josh Devore. now
with the Phils, was the second, and
money thereafter rolled in freely.
Wrigley and the Hamilton citizens
were game and after the rebuilding pro-
cess was in motion. thev directed their
attention 10 baseball. A new park was
laid out and Hamilton started and fin.
:, In his career at Columbus Wrigley
was a member of a team that won the
American Association pennant with au.
: tomato regularity. II is coincidence
that three members Of this famous team
are now bg figures in the Tri-State
League.
Besides Wrigley. they arc Jimmy
jackson, the bov who brought a pennant
to Wilmington last year, and Tom Wal
ker. the star of the Tri State umpire
staff. who will continue with the loagu,
unless he lands major berth. Quite
. by accident the other day the three met
, in tho Office Of President Graham. o.
. the Tri-State League. and there was a
tanning bee that lasted all afternoon.
WOODBURY. HIGH VS.. FRIENDS.
Friends will line-nD AGAINST Wood
bury High School this afternoon and
: from the way the Quakers played al
Friends Select last FRIDAY a good
game is expected. Friends have but