New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-24
Famous Star Of Cham
pions Tells of His Early
Triumphs.
DIAMOND DEBUT
WITH CHEER-UPS
diversified Uniform Makes First
Game with the Chicago Cubs
a LudicrOuS Affair.

IL was several years ago that ] was
sitting in a little athletic club IN Troy
one rainy afternoon without JOB. and
with nothing 20 do but read the news
pspers. The name OF the organization
happened 20 be the "Cheerup Athletic
Club." which was ironic under the cir
cums,ances. ! had nothing TO oheerup
about
ASH glanced over the sporting pages,
] came across q piece abou the annual
meeting OF the New York State League
its plans for the following season the
selection OF umpires, etc. u gave me
an idea ] turned 20 another member
Of the club. who did not have any
other Mace 10 20 either. and who had
no more 70 do than ] had, and said:
"Why wouldn't 10 be q good idea 70
have a league here in Troy made up OF
amateur clubs 80
Il believe il would" answered the
other member ready TO agree TO any
So started out 20 organize the
league on the same basis on which the
state League worked, as far as ] could
gather from reading The sporting
Pages. and they elected me the presi-
dent few days after ] had Matched the
idea. had plenty OF time to give 20
the work
This league was 20 be strictly ANA
.eyr. unless We could discover some
wsv 10 make it otherwise, since we
would he forced 90 play on corner lots
where there would be neither fence nor
police protection. except when the UNI
hires cot TO calling them 200 raw 20
stand for IT, Then they would get
some police protection. As far as we
were concerned. the league renamed
practically amateur throughout the
season.
Evers Helps Troy Win.
We selected six sections Of Troy 20
30 represented. and had one club from
Watervliet. across the river. and an
other from Green Island. located near
by. our season opened on Sunday, and
we paid the umDires s. d game from
the league treasury.
All the contests took place on Sun
day. since most OF the players we're
employed in the collar factories. ana
Sunday was the only day available tor
The Cheerup Athletic Club won the
championship that first year, ana the
league proved 20 be big hit, with eaeh
one OF the different teams having
strongly partisan following.
I don Z QUUUA NNhN 7NtiiN y. Nl'N 90
den popularity which attached itself
10 the league was due 10 the fact tnat
there were no fences around the lots,
FOR the fans. depending largely Tor
their living on the collar shops, were
rot Rockefellers or Carneges.
Al the end OF the season there were
several professionals from the state
League and the big leagues, mostly
substitutes on the major league clubs,
coming back 20 Troy or Albany. where
their homes we're. These professionals
got Up team and played the champion
Cheerup Club. and were beaten Tor
their pains by score OF 10 8.
| PLAYED shortstop and pitched IN
that game. and a fellow named Thorpe,
no relative Of the Indian, played third
base and pitched. Il gave our team
quite a name in Troy, beating TINS
club, which was billed as an all-star
nine
By following the newspapers closely
we discovered that the big league held
its meeting in hotel In New YORK IN
December. and our league gathered for
it's annual confab two weeks later IN
the back room Of saloon IN Troy. we
had TO have that margin OF two weeks
80 as to know how the biz league con
Quoted its business IN order TO mi
tate H.
Evers Turns Down Offer.
The next season the Cheerup team
again won the championship. but We
got a stiff battle from another club IN
The league called THE Sunhowers.
Neither team would lose a game until
il PLAYED the other. and the season
came down 20 a point where the cham
pionship was 10 be decided BY the maj
battle. ..o
the most rsbid and partisan rooters'
and the Cheerup crowd. which was
ours, finally came out on top.
That fall We played the AN-Proies-
SIGNALS again and beat them this time
bv A score OF 70 /. | pitched for the
first four innings and played first base
FOR the last five. Thorpe taking my
place in the box.
II was on this schedule that we had
shared the pitching burden prsctiealiy
the whole season. Lev Bacon the
manager % the Troy State League
seam watched the game. and | had a
GOOD day. collecting two doubles, q
single and 3 homo run. Bacon came 70
the dressing room after u was all over
and asked me 20 meet him a. hotel
He there put up the proposition &c
me that | should play with the Troy
team Of the State League the next sea
%NO," 1 replied. 81 don't believe
will"
Because ! think that league is 700
fast for me-" was my answer.
While plsyiag with the Cheerup Clut
had taken up sign painting anC
. a.. hsrFaan nnnfNg nul
the trade gave me painters colle, so
went into a collar shop, checking GU
shirts for the irOners AZ 81 week
The heat In this department was ter
rife. and pulled me away down II
weight.
Along in the spring hit the Aool
boss for raise 20 "a 90 n week, and tolC
him | must have it or ] wouldn't work
He answered me by handing me my i'm
mediate release. so ] had nothing 10 d'
but 10 go out TO the ball park where
the members Of the Troy team wer,
reporting for spring practice, ihis clui
not indulging IN the luxury OF goinI
South for the purpose, but preparing
a. home.
Fvers pills In" on "Pro" Team.
tpent some time sitting on the
bleAchers watching the players woTs
on, until Bacon one day asked me q
ioin In. A man named Pugh was The
regular shortstop. but he had failed "a
report. as he was having some difficulty
over salary. The Troy team had pre-
liminary game scheduled with the
Cuban X-Giants for practice, and
Bacon asked me II ] would "hll in
He placed a utility man at short.
stoo and I was stationed Ia right field