Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-08
BY JOHN II. GRUBER.

When arranging a list of the best
shortstops in base ball the name of Sam
Wise should not be omitted. Sam. a
burly chap. may be regarded as the pro-
totype of Hans Wagner. He was short
and squatty. with a suggestion of bow
legs and possessed of little more grace
than the awkward Pittsburgh hero. In
| 1881 Akron, o., had an Independent base
ball team second to none in the country.
and for this team in that year Sam played
on the infield.
In 1882 he was secured by the Boston
team of the National League and was
placed at short, position hallowed by
the presence during eight years Of George
Wright one of the great idols Of base
ball. George wandered away from Bos-
ton in 1879 to take charge Of the Provi-
dence team, which in that year won its
first championship. During his absence
| the position of shortstop on the Boston
team was occupied by Sadie Houck who
| was then what is now termed rookie
Houck lasted one season, when he was
shot to Detroit. and Ross Barnes, the old
second baseman, who had also wandered
away from the Hub some years previous
ly, was signed to play short.
Barnes. in 1882, made room for Sam
Wise, who was an instant success. He
filled the gap to perfection and never
left his post until 1889, a stretch of seven
years.
Was Terrific Hitter.
In 1887 Sam hit at tremendous rate,
getting an average of $50. being beaten
on his team only by Mike Kelly, who
hit 1874 in accomplishing the feat. This
vigorous work with the bat apparently
weakened his arm, for in 1888 his throw
ing was so feeble that he was not even
considered a fit candidate for the stepping
| off place at first base. That position was
filed by John Morrell who stepped off
the next year to make room for Dan
Brouthers, who in the following year
stepped off to allow Tom Tucker to wind
up notable career on the initial sack
OF the shortstops in the National
League the year Sam Wise broke into
fast company all except George Wright
were in harness in 1885. the last year Of
though several had shifted positions.
They were Tommy Burns with Chicago,
Jack Rowe with Buffalo, Jack Glasscock
with Cleveland, Arthur Whitney with
Arthur Irwin with Worcester In 1889
Burns was still with Chicago. but had
exchanged positions with Ed Williamson
and was on third base; Rowe was with
win with Philadelphia, Whitney was play
ing third for New York and Pfeffer sec
ond for Chicago.
In 1889 Wise was released by the Bos-
ton club and joined the Washington
team, helping John Irwin at third base
and Al Myers at second. Connie Mack
was the star catcher of the Washing
ton team, and in 1890. when Washing
ton resigned from the National League
and Joined the Atlantic League Con-
ME induced nearly the entire team to
| follow him in his jump to the Buffalo
Players League team. Sam was among
the jumpers; in fact nearly every play
er jumped to the brotherhood, all ex-
cept Arthur Irwin going to Buffalo.
Irwin Joined the Boston Players
League team, and Walter Wilmot went
to the Chicago National League team,
which that year acquired the name OF
Cubs
Dangerous on Paper.
On paper. Connie Macks Buffalos
were formidable appearing aggrega-
ton. In addition to the Washington
players. he obtained Jack Rowe and
Jim White. half of the. famous Big Four.
who were. with Pittsburgh in 1889.
Among his pitchers were Alex Person.
George Haddock, George W. Keefe and
Gus Krock. He did nearly all the work
behind the bat. being sparingly helped
by Owen Clark and sometimes by Bill
Halligan. His infielders were Jack
White and John Irwin. The outf1elders
were Halligan. Dummy Hoy. Ed Beecher
and Owen Clark However. this team
finished hcpelessly in last place. Bos-
ton winning the championship, with
Brooklyn coming in second.
After the close of the disastrous year
the Buffalo players scattered to the
four winds. Sam Wise joining the Bal
played second base. However, he was
let go in the middle of the season, his
poor throwing being the cause. He
began the season Of 1892 with the
being made captain, and playing at
second base and short. Early in Sep
TENDER he was released and finished
| the season with the Binghamton team
| release by Rochester was to reduce ex-
| penses. The Binghamton team was
| then managed by Herman Roescher,
| who had succeeded Frank Leonard in
June. Among the players on the team
| were Billy Keller, who had come from
the Plainfield. n. j., team. and whose
| work was SO brilliant that he was Sc
cured by the New York club before
the close of the National League sea-
| son, and Charley Bassett who was at
| the end of his string.
Played Second Base.
! In 1898 Wise was again with the
| Washington team. of which Jim
| O'Rourke. one of the grandest figures
! in base ball. was the manager. Sam
| began and finished the season at sec
| ond base Among the old-timers on
| the Washington team besides Wise
were Ted Larkin Joe Mulvey and Cub
Stricken. Now. this quartet of stars. in
1894, secured their releases and cast
their fortunes with a team of old
timers organized by King Kelly and
| backed by AL Johnson. Kelly placed
the team in Allentown. Pa. and Joined
the Pennsylvania State League. The
team was not the drawing card 1t
was hoped it would be and in August
was transferred to Yonkers, which city
had taken Binghamtons place in the
Eastern League.
In the Eastern League the old-timers
played twenty four games, of which
they won eight and lost sixteen. OF
the quartet of players who left Wash
ington. Wise and Mulvey remained with
Mike Kelly; Larkin did not go to
fonkers. having been released In May,
and Cub Stricken never renorfed to