Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-20
COLLINS HAD ONLY ONE
EXPERIENCE WITH SCOUT
Even Then Eddie Refused to
Take Connie Mack's
Agent Seriously.
JACKSON WAS HOMESICK
Joe Never Content as a Men,
Der of Philadelphia
Athletics.
BY EDDIE COLLINS
(star Second Baseman of the Philadel phia
Athletics,)

tStar Second Buseman OF the PnlIauelpnla
Athleticsl
The baseball scout is Il person
about whom you hear little and see
less. A scout is an agent usually
commissioned by a major league
club, to obtain talent suitable for the
team. lie travels the country over
inspecting the minor leagues from
class "A down to the lowest of the
bushes" so-called, in search of ma
jor league material.
Seldom Is one afforded the oppor-
tunity of seeing q scout in action
because secrecy is one Of his most
necessary assets. The competition Is
great for all prospective major league
material; consequently the scout has
to work fast and with smoothness To
capture his quarry. and silently, Sc
as not to inform competitors of his
movements.
r-~13a}l players who have outlived
theirl usefulness for active service
and who have not aspired to and OBJ
taine0 team managerships, frequent
ly become scouts for some of the
teams. | Their experience in the game
better fits them for the job than any
one else available.
Eddie's First Experience.
I shall never forget the first, last
and only experience [ had with a
scout, the one who got me out OF
the wilds way up In Northern Yer
mont over my. services there never
was any competition Contrary to
the report that Griffith, then with
the Yankees, and McGraw both re-
jeSted me as unsatisfactory mater
rial" | never received but one big
league offer, and that was forthcom-
Ing from the man l now play for
Connie Mack.
Back in the summer of 1906, when
| was playing with the Rutland team
of the now defunct Northern outlaw
League, "a young fellow Of the name
of Jimmy Byrnes approached me one
evening when I was seated In the
hotel, made himself known, told me
whom he represented, and stated ms
mission. At first ] was very DOUBT
full of him. as had been playing bah
for money only about three months
and the offer he made me was SO
good that I said to myself, Some
body is playing "a joke on me; this
Isl too good to be true" Although ne
finally satisfied me that his PROPOSE
ton was genuine, / would not do any
business with him other than TO say
that I would keep his offer in mlnd
for ] had another year ahead Oh me
in college in order to get my de-
gree.
scout sticks TO Trail.
Byrnes, however. like every good
scout was not to be discouraged De-
cause of failure of the first attempt
TO land me. and he made second
try for me later during the same
, summer when ] was playing IN the
little town of Rockville, Conn., III
( his customary, quiet. unassulIllns
manner, he came into that burg
1 went to see the team of when Was
a member play in the afternoon, aua
+; Then singled me out that evening ana
talked shop even more inVitinelS
: thau when / had first met MIN. Al
though I again turned down his oiIer
= IN reality, he was then successtul IL
{ handing me in the sense that he ar
ranged for q meeting between mt
md the "boss" Connie Mack. whose
| responsiveness caused me TO sign d
contract for the club with Joe JACK
, son from Greenville. :. c.. in the fal
of 1908. And never was there Scout
more proud of his capture. 1t seems
chat Seybold was not connected WITH
fine discovery of jackson. but only
went out as the emissary OF tht
Athletics TO while Joe away from
! his southern home. Strange TO re-
late. the big league had less fascina'
tion for the Cleveland star than any
a one who ever broke In.
2 SeyboId Lands Joe Jackson.
After repeated written entreaties
telegrams. and even forwarded ran
} road ticket had failed to move JACK
| son, Connie Mack finally dispatchet
Seybold to bring Joe on to Philadel
i phia The tale that Socks told of tbs
In would fill a hook
! but let 1t suffice to say here tina
jackson was not out of Socks sigh
n minute from the time he laid eyes
on him until they made their granC
entrance into our clubhouse, jackson
leading, perfectly unconcerned, witt
Socks all smiles, carrying the grips
bringing up the rear.
Shortly afterward we started on
on a road trip, our first stop beint
Washington. whence we were seized
|; uled to jump to st. Louis. jackson
performed with our club in the Capt.
n tai City, but when IL came time Il
90 West the call of home and tn
Il sunny South was too strong for him
and so 1t happened that Jack Barry
G returning late to the hotel our las
night in washington, met Joe, witt
! his suitcase in hand, going out a sid
! entrance.
''Where are you bound, joe? BARR
asked.
"Oh. Just going out to get some
! thing to eat" casually replied Jack
I, son.
Must be pretty hungry whei
\ you're taking a grip to carry 1t al
. back in" Barry answered.
/ yep was all Joe said, and KEEP
Barry Immediately tried to fln'
!, Connie to acquaint him with joe
strange actions, knowing the latter
4 longing for home, but Connie was 10
Gated too late; Joe had already de
. parted South.
Next spring Connie again per
= suaded Joe TO take a whirl aroun'
> the circuit, and as long as we wer
on our training trip in the South h
I was contented. But when we begal