Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-04-05

ed nine called Dal nd hVe strikes,
and the game whose score did not
run into two figures was regarded
by the average fan as a disappoint-
ing proposition.
Players Used No Gloves.
The man who played ball with
glove was jeered at by the grand
stand as a weakling, and such pro-
lection as mask or a chest pad
would have been greeted with deri-
sion. Double as many catchers were
required as pitchers, owing to the
frequency Of manned hands. When
"Silver" Flint retired from behind the
bat every finger of both hands had
been broken at least once. and some
of them twice.
In the summer Of 1883 Arthur IT.
win. then playing as shortstop with
Providence, had the third and fourth
fingers Of his left hand broken by
fast ball. The condition OF the team
was such that his retirement would
have been a disaster, and Irwin con-
suited with a doctor, with whose help
a buckskin driving glove was roughly
padded as a protection for his hand.
The fact of his injury silenced the
eibes OF the bleachers and shortly
afterward John Montgomery Ward, OF
the New York team, boldly dared
convention by following his example.
One by one Other players rather
sheeplshly adopted the innovation,
until in the following season spe-
cial fielding glove was introduced by
an enterprising sporting goods firm.
With the gradual elimination OF the
prejudice against safeguards, caused
by the fielding gloves, the sporting
goods houses launched first a mask
and then a chest protector. As / look
back now I can realize that these in
novations played a very definite part
in the uplift of baseball. Prior to
this time the physical risks incident
to the game had served as a barrier
to hundreds Of men who felt that. as
a business proposition, the chances Of
being crippled were much too serious.
The introduction Of the safety de-
vices eliminated also many Of the
rougher, more brutal features of the
game. with a corresponding decrease
In the type Of old time staggering
ball player, who regarded the fact
that he played baseball as an evil
dence of his "tOughness" who
conducted himself accordingly. Base
ball became less an aggregation OF
"roughnecks" and more a profession
of gentlemen.
Billy Sunday Brings Tears.
Pop" Arson was the most stub
born, most human, most complex man
who ever played baseball. Also he
was the squarest. There are few men
who know the real Pop" Arson of
the old White Sox days when Chica-
go represented very nearly the SUI
preme pinnacle on the diamond, It
was at the funeral Of Frank Flint.
"Old Silver" the veteran catcher OF
Chicago. that a good many of US saw
for the first time the depths of An
sons nature.
Billy Sunday, the baseball evangel-
list, was preaching the sermon. Billy
got away from the beaten track OF
sermons, I guess From conventional
standards Il must have been most
unusual discourse for such time
STOPPING over the coffin. he finished
something like this:
THE last time | visited Frank he
said to me. I'm lasting a good while
Bill, but II amounts to nothing These
are Just fouls I'm hitting. Pretty soon
the umpire viii call the game on ac-
count of darkness
There was sort Of choking gasp
and then a sob from the corner of the
room It was Pop" Arson crying
like a baby. If a vote had been taken
or the one man in that room less
likely to tears the choice would have
been Pop!
Pop" Arson was without doubt the
gruffest. sharpest manager who ever
guided a team TO a worlds champion
shin Even toward those with whom
he was most familiar the mask was
seldom lifted. The stranger who saw
him in action would never have
guessed the inner nature Of the man
Arson Champion Kicker.
In the OLD days no one ever ques-
toned Anson's title OF the Champion
Kicker His encounters with the UNI
pire were proverbial An adverse de-
cision Of His Cmps' had much the
effect on Pop as n red flag on a bull
have in mind his first meeting with
the veteran umpire, Tim" Hurst. II
was in Philadelphia Hardly player
knew Hurst, who had Joined the staff
OF the National League only q short
lime before Arson was at the bat
Tor the first time in the game Al
though the second ball thrown him
skinned fairly over the plate. Arson
gazed at II without an effort TO make
connections.
'Strike!" called Hurst
Pop dropped his bat, turned and
YSth an expression Of supreme dis
gust, surveyed Hurst critically from
head to toes
who are you looking att" snapped
Hurst
YOU" sneered Arson.
Let me tell YOU. young man, It win
cost You so 10 look al mel" aung
back Hurst 81 would advise you In
future 70 keen your eves on the Pitch
err"
Young man" TO Pop Arson! He
turned hack in sort OF daze. raised
his bat-and struck out The shock
was too much