The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-15
YOUNG IN YEARS, OLD IN
 EXPERIENCE, IS TRAGRESSER
By ASA RouNrREE, JR.

Although still young in years, Walter Tragresser, who will succeed Walter Mayer as the Baron mainstay behind the bat during the coming season, has been well trained in the school of experience and appears fully capable of bearing suc- cessfully the burden that will be his dur ing the 1914 season.
 Tragresser, who came to the Barons from the Boston Braves, first entered professional company with the Green Bay club of the Wisconsin Illinois league toward the end of the 1910 season. His work during the short time he was with the Green Bay club stamped him as a receiver of much promise and he was accordingly summoned to Class A com- pany by the St. Paul club in the Amer ican association. '5
 Tragresser saw little actual service with the St. Paul club during the 1911 season. occupying the bench most of the time and occasionally serving as a relief catcher.
 Soon after the opening of the 1912 pen- nant chase Manager Kelly of St Paul released him to Zanesville, where he played during the remainder of the 1912 season and part of 1913. Near the middle of the latter eason the circuit to which Evansville belonged was unable to wealth CT the storm and became defunct. This did not inconvenience Tragresser as he was promptly grabbed by George Stall ings of the Boston Nationals.
 While with Zanesville during the 1918 season Tragesser walloped the horse hide for the healthy average of .305 in 65 games.
 Under the careful tutelage of the vet eran Boston leader, Tragresser served out his apprenticeship and corrected many of his old faults. Being well supplied with young backstopping talent this year
 
 was holiday at the school and all the girls went to the fiesta. When young man was brave and did not run from the bull everybody clapped hands, like tEis, for him and the girls pinned flow CTS and ribbons on him. And for three days we could talk to all the men we wanted.
 The first day of the big fiesta. heard a laugh and there was the big American from the engine. He came to me and wanted to talk. He talked Mexican. But I said No. You go in arena and show you brave. Then talk to you and pin flowers on you I said And smile at me" he ask. "Yes.' I say I smile at you too. And l smile at him then.
 Entered the Bull Ring
 Next day when the young men en- tered the ring to tease the bull big American was there. He was on horse just Ike Mexican young men. Nobody could throw lariat like him. Every body clap hands at him and he win big Iitze Then he come straight to me. He wont lool; at other girls. only at ne When they try pin flowers on him, and ribbons. he laugh and pass by them. But he come right at me
 He laughing when he find me. T want that flower now, he say. And I say, You want smile, too?' And he answered Yes, want smile more than flower l give him both. He stay with me all that day and at the dance that 'ght he dance with none but me- And dance with none but him.
 Next day he at fiesta again. And aga n he come to me and I see none but him One month later we marry"
 The big American locomotive engi- neer was Frank Wiggins. son of Van Wiggins of this place. After the we'd ding Wiggins and his bride settled down in Santa Barbara. For two years all was well. But a year ago the air oJi his locomotive refused to work and n's train came crashing down the mountain side. At a sharp curve it left the track and plunged into a canon Four days were required to recover the body of the American engineer from Inc mass of ore and debris which cov- cred it. Then the young wife went back to Sojocangen and the Villas.
 Frank W'ggins was born on an Iowa farm and raised up on a Kansas cattle |ranch. He was an expert horseman and used the lasso like a vaquero. When he got into the ring with the bulls, he was as much at home as though he had been a Mexican herder.