Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-02


Yankees have secured one Of the games
athletes In the world to lead them dui
Ing this year. "wnd Bill" Donovan, c
this city. recently named leader of tn
Yanlbs, has always been noted for tha
quality, and the New York baseball fol
lowers are sure to witness some stirrin
times before "Blii'' is through with tn
game. He is one OF the shrewdest mel
In baseball today, and Colonel Ripper
and Captain Huston, the new owners
arc 10 De congratulated. Donovan
actual experiences with the Detroit Tiger
will stand him in good stead now. HI
knows men. He was considered one o.
the greatest pitchers ever developed
The story written by Malcolm w
Bngay, Detroit newspaper man, gives
some idea OF the esteem in which De.
troiters held "wid Bnl' when he was
turned loose In 1912:
We remember, Bill, when you first
came to the city, a lean. smiling giant
from Brooklyn What speed you had,
Bill How you moved them down. And
Bill, what rotten support you gotl We
remember how you lost game after game,
though you held the opposition to one,
Bill; you gave them the best that was in
you.
We remember Bill, those sensational
pitching duels with Rube Waddell, then
at his best. 1t was enough to announce
that you and the Rube were going to
battle-the park would be filled, And we
remember how, after the passing of the
lean years, you stepped forward to get
your just reward in l907-when you set a
world mark as winning pitcher.
What a year that was! Hey, Bill? Re-
member that seventeen-inning fight in
Philadelphia that year-the game that
broke the spirit of the Athletics and sent
the Tigers on to the flood tide of victory?
We do. We recall now how you stood
in the breach that day in the gloom of
the early evening with your smile as wide
as ever, encouraging tho boys to keep
AZ it.
Give me a one run lead boys" you
kept saying, Just one run, and they'll
never beat u.s.
we remember the excitement, too,
when you landed on Monte Cross Jaw
when Silk O'Loughlin had his back
turned. 1t was funny, Bill, to see Monte
sprawling on the ground with 10000 wild
eyed fans roaring for your life blood,
And there you stood smiling and serene.
Poor Claude Rossman! Silk though it
was he who hit Cross, and he firod him
from the game.
And, Bill, we remember how you
pitched the next year. Remember that
wonderful game you pitched against st.
Louis that Saturday afternoon lin Au-
gust. the game that started the Tigers
on their winning streak to the pennant?
Bill, we've watched baseball since early
childhood and we've seen the best there
Is in action. but never did a man pitch
rs you did ON that day.
And, Bill. we remember that day in
~ tIn1 1au 81 FIa Nf fhn lnaer rnD-
son, when with three teams-Cleveland
Chicago and Detroit-practically tied for
first place, you were the man of the
hour for us. Remember how telegrams
letters and telephone messages poured
into the hotel for you that night?
Detroit depends on you, BILL" was
the gist of them all.
And we who were on the inside remem-
Der, Bill the tragedy of that night You
we're there with your smile, telling the
,oys that you never felt better-and they
you. They did not know, Bill, of
low you writhed in agony from rheuma-
ism all that night with Trainer Tuthill |
md two rubbers working over you, Bill.
rhey were kneadinG your pain-racked |
,ody into shape for a battle tlfat meant |
he American League pennant. And by |
they had you in pretty good |
hape. You slept few hours and then |
old the Tigers that you could win i'm a |
Llone. Bnl, but you didn't want the boys |
o know, for fear it would affect their
laying.
And well do we remember that game,
Sill. We remember how, once you got
up, big Ira Thomas staggered
very time that ball shot into his big
nitt, SO terrific was your speed We can
ee YOU now with your ever-present grin,
gliding the fighting clan of Comiskey at
ay while the famous old Tiger scoring
Iachine drove big Ed Walsh from the
OK and declared themselves champions
I the league.
And we remember that night, while the
est of the boys were making merry, you
at alone. a man sickened by pain, but
till happy.
And now you're going to leave us, Bill
our arm may not be as strong as it was,
ut your eye is as clear, your wonderful
Id noodle is working as well and your
cart is as stout as ever.
You can bet, Bill, Wen remember you,
OF only for your deeds on the diamond,
ut as a man. gentle. kindly, thoughtful
I others and full of the humor that goes
make up true Irishman.
Wolgast Greatest Money Earner
.,Ad' Wolgast, who strove so valiantly
, regain his title from "Freddie" Welsh
| a recent pout, has earned more money
the ring than any other lightweight
! the history of the game. Adolph has
oured a mite over 100000 into his Golfers
nee he adopted boxing as a profession
sven years ago. OF this vast sum, Pro-
oter "Tom'' McCarey Clipped I'm more
ian $4,000 In the form OF purses. The
her coast promoter, Jim" Coffroth, con-
ibuted somewhat more than $4,000 in
lrses.
The largest lump sum wolgast ever re-
lived for one battle was $4,000, for his
,ht with Joe Rivers. at Vernon. Cal,
! July a. two years ago.
Wolgast has engaged in no less than ]
lights. in which the receipts aggre-
tied more than $4,000 Little "Ad'' has .