Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-17
Home Run Hitter's Retire
ment From Baseball to
Live on His Farm Is
Chief Theme at Sporting
Writers Banquet.
Athletics Still Have Good
Chance for Pennant Despite
Loss of Stars, Speakers De-
clare-Bily Kopf May Get
Bakers Place in the Infeld.


back In the game"
That Is the way Larry LaJole, the
hope of the Athletics, put 1t last night at
the annual banquet Of the Philadelphia
sporting writer's at the Majestic.
Connie Mack made the eomewhat star
Ting announcement that Home Ran"
Baker had retired from baseball.
Usually the Diamond Wizard either
does not appear on such occasions or else
he utters a few chosen words which mean
nothing more than that he is a guest
OF the occasion and wishes everybody
well. Last night however, his attitude
was different Just as 1t has been different
since the close OF the season OF 1914 He
asked waivers on Plank, Bender and
| Coombs; sold Eddie Collins to the White
| Sex, and now announces that Baker has
| retired from baseball substituting the
plowshare for the bludgeon.
In other words, Baker will farm"
himself out instead of allowing a base
ball magnate TO do that for him. Baker
has wanted to do this for two years. but
apparently he has Just gotten the nerve
| TO do t..
While there can be no doubt In the
minds OF those who have followed the
| fortunes OF the Athletics closely that the
| absence of Baker will be felt, still, there
is a hope that Larry Lajoie will come
| to the front as he himself believes he
can and drive in enough runs for Mack
| to win another pennant in the American
\ League. and for the first time in Lajoie's
brilliant career allow him to take part
| tr n World Series.
KOPF FOR BAKERS PLACE?
Connie Mack gave out no statement
which could be construed into a forecast
| of his opinion about Bakers successor.
| But it appears that Billy Kopf, who was
! utility man for the Alackian inneld in
| 1914, will get the position. Kopf is a
| Young player, with all the assets of the
coming star. He hits either right or left
handed. depending, of course, on which
arm the opposing pitcher happens to be
| using. Furthermore. he Is a fielder of
wonderful ability. He fields, in fact far
| better than Baker, both in the matter of
| ground balls and touching a runner, the
latter art being one with which Baker
was totally unfamiliar, despite his years
| of experience.
According to, Mack, there has been no
| disagreement over salary, Baker having
signed a three-year contract last season,
and this contract is still in force For
the last three years Mack has had diff
| Guilty in obtaining Bakers signature to
| baseball contract because the home-run
| hitter desired to retire from the game
| and spend the remainder of his life on his
| farm at Trappe, Md. Last year when
Baker signed with tho Athletics Connls
Mack informed him that he was tired OF
| coaxing him to play ball every year, and
| insisted on the player signing for three
years.
On numerous occasions last summer
when Baker was advertised to play I'm ex-
/
was unable to be present. On these same
occasions he invariably went to his farm
| in Maryland, showing that he would
rather be on the farm than in the lime
glow of baseball.
BAKER SAVED FORTUNE.
Baker owns two large and very valuable
! farms at Trappe Md, and, being thrifty
careful liver and man of excellent
habits, he is believed to have accumulated
comfortable fortune. so that he can
afford TO retire from baseball with no fear
OF the future.
Ever since ]. Franklin Baker Joined
the Athletics he has been one of the most
talked-of players in baseball, but gained
his greatest fame I'm 1911 when his home
run drives proved an important factor in
winning the worlds championship series
between the Athletics and the New York
Giants, and he became known throughout
the baseball world as Home Run Baker"
In 1909 Baker became the regular third
baseman of the Athletics, succeeding the
famous Jimmy Collins, who in his day
was considered the best thlrd-saclIer in
baseball. Baker was not considered II star
man as a fielder, but he fitted into the
infield combination of the Athletics,
which. with Collins, Barry and McInnis,
was known as Connie Mack's 100000 in
field"
The season of 1911 was the most notable
one in Bakers career. That year he
played in l4s games and finished with
batting percentage of 334, and In his work
for the season he hammered out nine
home runs.
Baker is still a young man, He was
born at Trappe, Md, where he still makes
his home, in 1886, and first entered the
llmelight in 1905 with an amateur team
at Ridgeley. Md He was discovered" by
Charley Herzog, now manager OF the Cm-
cinnati team, and In 1907 and part of 1908
played with Herzog on the Cambridge,
Md, team. He was purchased by Man
ager Weitzel, OF the Reading Tristate
team, In 1903, and played there until Con-
ME Mack secured him at the close OF
the Tristate League season. Baker Is
married. and his wite's objection TO him
continuing a baseball career Is one reason
for his retirement.
CONNIE MACK's SPEECH.
Connie Mack speaking OF Baker, said:
I'm sorry that I have to announce that
Frank Baker is lost TO us. He is going
to retire permanently from the game, The
idea Isn't new one with Frank, for
he has had that intention for some years
past. II has been hard for me for years
to keep him In tha game. Last spring
/ went 10 him and tried to get him to
sign up q contract for three years.
wanted TO be free from the annual un-
easiness about his staying on with US.
But he was firm in his resolve that
the 1914 season would be his last. For
the last six or seven years he has been
accommodating quite 4 sum OF money, and
he Is eager TO settle down on the two
fine farms which he owns; ana couldn't
prevail on him to change his mind.
Baker wasn't dissatisfied In any way
with his contracts or anything else. Il
was Just that he wants to retire alto
gether.
so We can't do anything but Siva him
the good wishes that he deserves 10 send
him on In his new field. He has the good
wishes OF the club ana myself, and, /
am sure. OF all Of you IN this"
The opinion Of the men Al the BANQUET
seemed 10 be that desufta the bfz zana IN