Evening star., 1915-12-13

ST. LOUIS, December 11.-William
Joyce, better known as just plain
BILL" made the startling statement
recently that the ball players of today
do not try to learn base ball as they
should. We do not suspect for single
instant that there Is any one in st.
Louis who does not know Bill Joyce.
If, perchance, there should be some
few not entirely acquainted with the
gentleman, perhaps it Is best that
synopsis of his career be indented into
the story.
Bill Joyce is one of the real old
timers of the great national pastime.
He is quite old-so much so, In fact,
that we did not care to ask him his
age. He is white haired. but not by
any means feeble-perfectly capable
of three delightfully."- square meals each
and every day.
Biz Joyce, as before mentioned, is at
an age that the writer does not recall.
or, rather, is unable to recall. his early
history upon the ball field. Most likely
he started on the lots In North ST.
Louis and by slow degrees graduated
to the smaller leagues. Bill finally land :
ed in New York as manager and nrst
baseman of the Giants. One OF Bill
rJoyce's deepest sorrows. in base ball
way, came the day that Amos Rusle,
the speed ball king, was traded FOR
Christy Mathewson.
Bill knew Rusie. knew what he could
do when on the mound, knew his won
derful speed. He did not know a
thing about Christy Mathewson, save
that he was a promising youngSter
The trading of Rusie was the starting
point of the reor ganiZation of the once
famous team of Giants, and Bill re-
GREETED the passing of not only grand
pitcher, but also a dear friend
Joyce Of the Old School.
Bill Joyce played in the days when
the going was rough. No player hesi-
tated for a single moment at getting
away with anything that would help
bring about victory. Bill also played
in the days when large squads was
something unheard of. He played ball
when a pitcher worked one day on the
mound and the next in the outheld.
Since his retirement from active serv-
ice on the ball field Bill has become
scout for the st. Louis Federal
League ball club. His experience
helped considerably. in building up a
near pennant winner the past season
at Grand and Laclede avenues.
Getting back to what Bill Joyce said
about present-day players not trying
Veteran We @ first sacker is Of the Arm opin-
ion that the players of today. do not
care much what happens II they get
their base hits every afternoon and
the pay check regularly every 1st and
18th Of the month.
should be-" said Bill "The players do
not try to learn all the fine points of
the game as In the days of old. but
simply try to get by. They content
themselves II they get a couple of hits
every afternoon and play an errorless
game The first thing they do each
morning is to get the papers and look
see the hits they are happy; II they
don't see them some sport writer gets
a terrific panning, of which he never
hears.
when was playing ball there was
not a move made on the field that did
not cause every one on the opposing
team to mention something about 1t.
All were trying to figure why 1t had
been done and to watch and see what
the result would be. That same move
could never be pulled again without
every one on our bench knowing just
what was going to happen.
No Fight Nowadays.
II feel sure that the same conditions
do not prevail today. The boys go out
to the plate, take slam at the ball.
pray that they'll get a hit and just let
1t go at that. They are not fighting
as in the days Of old. Who ever heard
Of a gang Of ball players. after losing
a game, going into the clubhouse and
singing at the top of their voices?