Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1914-04-01

Boston Braves, and only last week
chosen to captain this team whose re-
lease from the managership of the Chi
cago Cubs brought about the retire
ment from baseball of Charles w. Muir
Thy, has an interesting history that
the incident into which he has been
forced recall.
One midsummer afternoon some do2-
en- years ago, so the story goes, a lean.
understood, pale-faced sign-painter, a
STRIPPING of 10 years, was devoting his
day off to watching ball game at
! Troy, N. Y, between his home team
and the old-tim7 colored Cuban Giants.
The Troy shortstop was taken sick
just prior to the game that day, the
story continues, and hearing he mana
ger bemoaning his loss, the young sign
painter vaulted out of the bleachers
touched his cap and said: Mister
manager, I'm ball player, and am
the man for the job today"
This is the manner in which roman
tic baseball history would have us be-
lieve that Johnny Evers, for years sec
or d baseman of the Chicago Cubs, later
their manager, and now signed for the
ranks of the Boston Braves, broke his
way into the national game. Certain
| it is, however, that he found his way
iGto the Troy ranks by the "back-lot
route, and that in less than one sea-
/ son he had shown enough to convince
Frank Selee that he was of the right
sort, 1t was we'll along in the 1902
season that Eyers got his chance st
Troy; in 1903 he joined the Cubs, and
he has been with them ever since.
Is Youthful Veteran.
Johnny Evers is a veteran ball play
erin years of service-but he is not
as an old man that he goes to help
bolster up the Braves, who having dis
carded their cellar habits under the
guidance of George Stallings in 1913
are going out after first division hon
ors in the big campaign that will open
soon. For Evers is only 80 years old,
still in his baseball prime, and if re-
cords count for anything, still showing
many signs of coming" and none of
going back.
There have been more picturesque
figures on the National league diamond
than Johnny Evers during the clever
seasons he has been a major. When
Frank Selee took him to Chicago from
Troy in 1908, shortly to put him into
the game as a regular to take Bobby
loves place, the old Boston manage
was severaly criticiser. Eyers was a
real Cub, if ever there was one, but
the youngster, then not 20 years Of
age, made good from the first. He be-
came the lie of the Chicago team, lust
as little Meanwhile has become the
life of the Braves.
Evers has been caller a Grab even
"The Crab" in fact; but in baseball
nowadays, the term hardly MAJ &c tax
en- to be one exactly of derision. A
crab in baseball is chap who cannot
any fun in having thingse break for the
ether fellow; he's a fighter, player
who works hand and heart for every
point; an aggressive, fearless Compel
| tor who thinks only baseball while III
the game, and who tolerates no mis-
takes either in himself or in his mates.
He's the sort of chap who would rather
go without a meal than lose game Of
ball-and his i'll temper and churlish-
ness need never appear far beyond the
limits of the diamond
Possibly Johnny got his aggressive
tendencies from his ancestors, for his
mother wa a cousin of Paddy Ryan,
the pugilitic champion, who lost his IT,
tie to John L. Sullivan.
Murphy's Tribute in 1913
Just now one reads much of Ever5'
recent imbroglio with Charley Muir
eli, 10 20