Evening star., 1915-01-14
BY JOHN P. GRUBER.


AS an illustration that perseverance
leads to success, James p. Archer stands
among ball players as a rare example
| Year after year he attempted to break
| into fast company without avail Three
times he was engaged by major league
clubs and each time he was baked IN
his ambition. Nevertheless he continued
| to assault the outworks OF the big
| leagues, and finally succeeded In break
| ing through, and is now classed among
| the best catchers of the game. There
was never any question about mis-
ability as a catcher. He has, ana al
ways did have, the uncommon accom-
plishment of being able to throw the
pail from any position, standing, Sit
ting or on his knees, and throw 1t with
speed and accuracy.
The cause of his long waiting at the
gate was that Archer was not a slug
ger" He never in any season, Whether
in the majors or minors, batted .S0O OF
near that mark except once. when. IN
the Iowa State League, he reached .29S.
1t is an unwritten law of base ball that
a catcher must be a hard-hitter or he
possesses no value. The same law ap-
plies to the first baseman and to the
three outfielders. Occupants OF second
base, third base and shortstop posi-
tons are not amenable to this code, and
the pitcher is outside its jurisdiction al
together. In fact. as far as batting is
concerned, the pitcher, in the majority
Of cases. Is regarded as nanolcap 70
was made to change the playing rules
so as to exempt a pitcher from taxing
his turn at bat, but this startling inno.
walton was never seriously conslooreo
by the rule makers.
Archer was born in Dublin. ireland.
May 13, 1888, and crossed the pond with
his people early in life. He began his
professional life with the Fargo team
following year he was with the Boone
team of the Iowa State League. 1t being
the first experience of that Hawkeye
town in organized base ball.
How Jimmy Broke In.
Near the close of the season of 1904
Archer was obtained by the Pittsburgh
club, and played seven games with the
Pirates. His initial entry into fast COM
pany was Of an unexceptional char
acter AS said, he took part in seven
games. but each was the second part OF
a double-header. Manager Clarke eVi-
!, IDENTIFY did not choose to risk him in
the first game. which always went the
full limit of nine innings. The second
game. in those days at least, seldom
lasted the full time. and. therefore.
new catcher, under the circumstances,
got fewer chances, and could hardly
complain of being overworked. An
other feature of these seven games was
that Pittsburgh won only one of them,
and in that game shut out the Chi
Cages, 5 to 0. OF the other six games,
1our were lost and two ended in a tie,
nearly all "bobtaii' affairs. In these
games Archer caught Deacon Philippe.
ertille and Pat Flaherty. Case pitched
the game in which the Chicagos were
| shut out.
archer transferred to. the Atlanta team
| of the Southern League for more sea-
soning He had failed to hold a place
IN the majors, but it was nevertheless
a long stride from Boone to Atlanta.
sides, the Pittsburgh club had
string" to him by which it could pull
MIN back at any time. With Heine
Peitz, who had just been obtained from
Phelps: Harry Smith and Fred Carisch
on the staff. the Pirates hardly had
room for another catcher.
There were two AMBITIOUS ,6ae young
catchers who that year, 1905. tried for
a place in the majors at Pittsburgh.
| one was Sidney Smith. whom the Pi-
| rates drafted from the Charleston team
of the Southern League. He was sent
| back to Charleston before the ink was
dry on the document that transferred
! MIN to Pittsburgh. Like Archer. Smith
F.! was knocking at the door of the big
league without profit. In 1906 the New
| York American club drafted him from
] Charleston. but Immediately turned
| him over to Atlanta, where he alter
mated with Archer behind the bat.
| There he remained until near the end
of the season of 1910. when Cleveland
obtained him. He caught for Cleveland
| in 1911 until September. when he was
| sent to Columbus. For Columbus he
played until the close of the season
last year, his services being then
bought by the Pittsburgh club, for
which he caught three games. and is
| It present on the reserve list WIZ