Evening journal., 1915-09-01
nANYBASEBALbSTARS
PLUCEED FROM IOWA
BOYS Got Start Before New
tangled Game Was
Known
DECLARE McVEY
BEST OF EN- ALL

Iowa has been hotbed Of baseball
enthusiasm ever since the beginning
of the game. when the Iniuns still
roamed the prairies, and the now
prosperous cities we're but huddles Of
hits. the boys Of the Hawkeye State
played town ball long before the new
tangled game of baseball was intro
duced. Keokuk once had a club in
the old National Association. the fore
runner Of the National League, in the
dim beginning Of professional ball.
and Dubuque was represented in the
Northwestern League. the pioneer
minor circuit.
With interest in the game so preva-
lent. Il was natural that Iowa should
produce some star players. Cap
Anson the grand old leader Of the
Chicago White Stockings, was a ma
tive Of Marshalltown, Ia. and Cal
McVey. the greatest catcher of the
early days Of professional ball. was
another son of the Hawkeye State.
who reached the pinnacle of baseball
fame with the famous old BOstons.
Since then Fred Clarke. Billy Sun
day and many others have gone forth
from Iowa to the major league dia-
monds. and John McGraw. although
not a native son, got his start In
Cedar Rapids.
Cal McVey. who was born at Mont
rose, Iowa. sixty-hve years ago Mon
day. August 80, 1850. may not have
been the greatest backstop in dia-
mond history. but there are many old
fans who insist that the diamond has
never since seen his equal. Cal be-
gan playing ball as a schoolboy in
Iowa, and when his parents removed
to Indianapolis. young McVey took
his baseball enthusiasm with him
He first got into the limelight while
playing with a local college club. and
later with the Westerners and the
Actiyes. which were the first regular
baseball clubs i'm the HOosier capital
Cal was eighteen years old when he
joined the Cincinnati Red Stockings
then the most famous club in ths
country. The Red Stockings of 1856!
was the first professional baseball
During that season the Cincinnatil
played clubs from Maine to Cali
fornia. and we're never defeated. Nc
Ney occupied the right garden for tn
Reds. but occasionally appeared be
hind the bat, although Douglas Ali
son was the regular catcher. And.
Leonard and Harry Wright were hi
colleagues in the outfeld, while AS
Brainerd was the twirler. and Gould
Sweazey. Waterman and Georg
Wright constituted the inheld
In 1871 McVey went 10 Boston wit
Harry Wright. George Wright. Spald
ing, Gould. Barnes. Shafer and othe
stars The National Association. tn
pioneer professional league, fnishel
second-io the Philadelphia Athletic
ir 1911. The next year the Boston
won the pennant with ease, as the
did every year up 10 1876, when tn
National League was formed. Il
1878, however. McVey left Boston {
join the Baltimores as manager. bu
he soon returned TO Boston. and ac
companied the team on its invasion
of England and Ireland in 1874. II
continued prominent I'm the game 70
several years. playing right field an
first base. and even pitching on oC
casion In 1876 he joined the ChicaE
club. which won the first pennant q
the National League After retirin
from the game McVey finally settle
in San Francisco. where he got a 10
as a special policeman.