The Washington herald., 1914-03-26

Johnson for the price of his rail-
road fare from the little Kansas
town where he lived to Hot
Springs, Ark, where the Pirates
were training.
Clarke hesitated and thereby lost out.
II the Pittsburgh club had picked up
Johnson. there is no telling how many
more championships Clarke might have
had to his credit. for the big blond
pitcher would certainly have changed the
looks Of that Smoky City team. In fact.
he would change the looks Of any big
league team.
While the Pirates were training at Hot
Springs in the spring Of 1907 an umpire
named Mcclure who had worked in vari-
Gus minor leagues. drifted into the Pitts
burEh camp to ask for some points about
the rules on which he was doubtful.
Clarke put several hypothetical problems
up to him. and MCGUIRE hesdtated in his
replies on the decisions.
That's no way to umpire, protested
Clarke. You can't stand out on a ball
field waiting to make up your mind. III
you pulled that stun in a game with al
manager like McGraw. you wouldn't last
a minute. Say something quick. no mat
ter whether II is right or wrong. II they
don't like the way you call the doubtful
one. let them protest to the league"
But 1 don't know which is right on
some Of those" protested the bush um-
pire.
That makes no difference" answered
Clarke. You're in charge of the game
and the field during a contest. aren't
your
This umpire stayed around the Pirates
camp for about two weeks getting point
ers on umpiring and then, as he was
about to leave. he said to Fred.
There's a young pitcher up near where
l live in Kansas that ! think might make
good for you. He would come down here
for a railroad ticket and show you what
he's got"
What's his name?" asked Clarke.
johnson" replied the bush umpire.
Walter johnson, and i saw him work
in some games last season. and there
was no touching him
We'll" said Clarke, who was skepti-
cal of the umpire's taste In pitchers,
I'll put his name down in my book and /
write to friend OF mine who lives up
that way to take a look at him. II
wouldn't be any use to bring him down
here now. because We pull out OF camp
get any chance to size him up
'All right" replied the umpire, and
went his way.
Along about June. Blankenship wasl
scouting for the Washington team. and |
he began to telegraph in excited mes |
sages about a fellow named johnson who |
was burning up his league. The Wash |
ington club signed him at once. and the |
team got the man / consider to be the |
agt in has hal NJ (.lar rLol
could actually have had him for the price |
OF railroad ticket, which. ! think, costs |
about $40 from Johnson's home town to |
Hot Springs, II he had sent one to the |
embryo star so he could have come on |
We'll. you can't blame Clarke for it,"
said McGraw the other night when some |
body was telling this story at the dinner |
table. All managers get lots of tips |
on bushers, and mighty few of them turn
out TO be Walter Johnsons, let me tell
you"
Larry Lajoie went to the PhiIadel-
phia club as a stroke of luck 4 scout |
Tor another team heard about a young |
fellow down in Fall River. Mass, who
was banging out two and three-baggers |
and home runs profusely. and he went
up to take look at him. The slugger
was an outflelder, and his hitting ap-
pealed to the scout so strongly that he
offered 800 for the player. that amount
rcins rated quite a piece of money for a
man in 1885. The Fall River management
refused the offer. and the big league club
did not deem it good finance to tear any
more than that of the bank roll for the
busher. so the scout returned home
empty-handed.
A short time after this, BILLY" Nash,
then the captain of the Philadelphia club,
hurt his leg and had to stay out of the
inflelder to take his place. so Nash went
down to Fall River to look at Phil Geier,
who had been working up in good style |
as an infielder. AS | have heard the
story. Nash offered 5000 for Geier. but
the minor league club wanted $3.50 for
him. Nash hesitated
Well. well throw in an outfielder
named Lajoic that we've got here" said
the bush league barSainers
He seems to have been hitting pretty
well up here in the bushes" replied
Nash The deal is accepted
That is how the marvellous Larry"
Lajoie came to the major leagues in 1895.
One of the greatest ball players of all
time was thrown in to help put a trade
And another big league team would not
offer more than $500 for him.
Johnny Evers went to the Cubs as
an e&tra package in a trade. being the
product of the Troy minor league team.
The story is that Evers, when he Joined
the Cubs rode to Philadelphia from his
home town. Troy. in an ordinary day
coach, although he made the journey at
night. AS ball players say, he rode a
Sullivan" There was considerable diff
ficulty in getting a uniform to fit Evers
when he did arrive, very dusty and
grimy.
Eddie Collins also was picked up by
luck, when Connie Mack heard Of him
through an old catcher. after having
been tipped of by Billie Lauder, the
former Giant third baseman who coached
the Columbia University team while Col
lins played there.
From these anecdotes, it appears that
the gathering in of a star by big
league club is often matter OF luck
II Walter johnson had received rail-
road ticket from Fred Clarke and had
reported at Hot Springs in 1907, the