Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-10-03
TRIBUTE 70 JOHN W. CO0HBS
Story Of Man Who, After Months on
Siok-Bed, Came Back and
Pitched Fine Ball.
REAL MIRACLE MAN OF GAME

PITTSBURGH. Pa. Oct. 2.-This Is the
story Of the real Miracle Man of base
ball. The story of the bravest Of the
brave The story Of John w. Coombs.
II is not a maudlin yarn that calls on
the high heavens to cry out at the pass
ing OF a hat-rack headed athlete, who but
for base ball would have dwealt I'm hap
plness around the village cracker barrel
OF driven a coal wagon. II is the story
OF a man Of education and refinement
as wen as physical capabilities. who was
swept from the heights OF his chosen
profession. which happened to be base
ball to the utter depths. through an
accident that nearly cost him his life;
who then had the courage. after an i'll
mes Of two years. to take up his work
where he left off, and rise again 10 the
heights: who probably more than any
single man is responsible ror the Brook
lyn club OF the National league being
among the first three in the pennsnt
race.
Four years ago. pitching in The worlds
series against Christy Mathewson.
Coombs tore the lining out of his side.
How serious an injury it was was not
ut first realized. Coombs declares he
pitched for four innings m agony and
didn't let anyone know. II happened In
the sixth inning. He went out In the
ninth with the score tied
This injury necessitateu a serious op-
GRAFTON. Coombs was lost to base ball
In 1912. In 1913 he went south with the
Athletics feeling fit and ready to take
up his work again. He contracted ty-
phoid fever. 1t took him until early sum
mer to recover from this disease. Then
he made one trip west with the Mackmen,
saw he was not fit and retired to his old
home in Maine to recuperate.
On Back for Months.
He was swinging at a ball with bat
just for exercise one day when he felt
something catch i'm MS back. He did
not pay much attention 20 II at first,
but that evening a high fever developed
and he called a physician His case was
diagnosed as pleurisy, but finally proved
to be spinal typhoid. 1t is a disease that
few victims ever recover from. From
late summer until after Christmas
Coombs lay on his back in the hospital
He had weights strapped to his head and
legs. He was helpless cripple. When
he was finally able to get out of bed. he
had to wear braces. 1t seemed hardly
possible that he would ever walk with
freedom. let alone indulge in violent
exercise.
He went to Texas. and for six months
lived quietly in the Lone star state In
June 1914. he first took orr his braces
year later he was a regular on the
pitching staff OF the Dodgers. Jack has
won fourteen and lost ten games to date.
His average is higher than that Of his
club.
He has shown the Dodger pitchers more
than any Of them, even Rueker, ever
knew about fooling the batter. From the
minute he Joined the club in Daytona ne
has been Robbie's right-hand man.
Matty has always been regarded as the
last word in pitching as an art He
must yield to Coombs. Jack looms be-
You'd him. He has less physically, yet is
more effective.
Marquard Turns to CoOmbs.
NRube Marquard, discouraged, disheart-)
lkAed. apparently through. has turned to
Icoombs for guidance.
81 have learned more about pitching
from watching Coombs the few weeks l
have been with the Dodgers than In all
the years 1 was with the Giants" said
the Rube. "If / do go south next spring
with him think I can come back"
The players swear by Jack. Wilburt
Robinson cannot say too much of him
as a twirler or as an aid. las fine
man and player as / have known in over
thirty years in base ball." is President
Ebbets' tribute
Soombs jained the Athletics In 1905 He
came to them from Colby college. He
has never been beaten in a worlds series
game.
DOC Powers and Lave Cross started
me right" said Jack in talking Of his
career the other night. Powers was a
great catcher. He caught me In that
twenty-four-inning game 1 pitched and
won. Doc had more to do with the vio-
tory than did.
When came into the American league
l made a study of three pitchers-Cy
Young and Bill Dineen. both OF whom
threw overland. and Addie Joss. a side-
arm hurler. From them. Lave Cross and
Doc Powers learned all know az
pitching
Such is the story Of John w. CoomAs
of the Dodgers He-.is one OF the few
men in base ball worthy OF heroics. He
is the real miracle man" of the game.