The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-02-01

sftes entering the Rashlngtcn Irving
Prep School 1t Tarrytown- Here the
future second smoker of three woEidsa
championship teams was suppossd "a
groom himself for. Columbia College and
ultimately for the practice Of law. but
he, was such clever prep school product
that he soon was given . chance to play
summer baseball Collins was pitcher
then. with a curve that never amounted
to much. Maybe that was one reason
why the scouts who comb the high school
teams IN these times passed him up a.
lacking in any evidences Of future league
prowesx.
Made columbia Eleyen.
In course Of time Collins entered Column
bia College and at once went out with
the candidates for the ball team In the
spring. He had made good as football
player. grabbing on the position Of quar-
ter back on the Columbia eleven This
made 1t easier PERHAPS for him to qualify
as a ball player. but he very quickly
showed that he had the ability and In
his freshman year made his debut a.
shortstop on the Columbia nine
For two seasons he made no attempt
to play with any semi-professioual or
ganization. but SO many other college
players were making hay while the sun
shone that Collins at last decided to haul
down some Of the easy money himself.
In his Junior year he received an offer
to play with the Plattsburg. N. Y. team.
and while performing with his asErega-
ton he often played against Larry Card
ner. of the Red Sex, and other college
players. who were like him ultimately to
enter the big league ranks.
Team Broke Up.
At -Plattsburg Collins remained for
about six weeks, then the team disbanded
and the players went wherever they could
secure engagements. the Columbia man
finally locating at Rockport. Conn.,. where
he played during the remainder of the
summer
II was at Rockport that the major
league scouts first caught sight OF him.
One Saturday afternoon in September.
Collins was approached after the game
by a sun-burned. wiry Individual whom
he had noticed sitting in the grand stand
almost daily. This individual was not
obliged TO do any dickering with club
owners or managers. as Collins was only
semi-professionai player and therefore
had the right to go wherever he pleased.
He found opt that the man was scout
for the Philadelphia Athletic club. and
when he waa> offered a contract to play
with the Connie Mack aggregation he
could hardly believe that he heard Alright
Had Baseball Ambitions.
Although destined ostensibly for the
law, Collins had previously entertained
major league ambitions. and before join
ing the Rockport team had made a trip
to New York City, where he tried to
induce Johnnie McGraw to give him a
chance with the Giants. But McGraw
had troubles of his own Just then and
could not afford to bother with the young
collegian. He has probably regretted his
rejection of Collins services many times
since.
Collins left Rockport and went to Phila-
deiphia, but he did not make his debut
with the Mackmen just then. as he was
still ostensibly an amateur. and had been
previously elected to the captaincy of
the Columbia College team. The young
therefore sat upon the bench and
watched the current series between the
Athletics and the Washington team. On
the last Western trip of the Mackmen