El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-10-11

, by way Of waiver route. cost $500
Miller. catcher; drafted from minors;
price $500.
Appleton. pitcher secured from mi
rors by Ebbets for reported price of
$500
Coombs. pitcher; didn't cost Ebbets
a cent Connie Mack turned him loose
and the Dodgers signed him
Cheney. pitcher, secured from Cubs
by way Of waiver route.
Dell, pitcher; cost reported price OF
$1,000.
Mails. pitcher; cost reported price Of
tSOe-
Marquard. pitcher. secured from
Giants by way Of waiver route.
Pfeffer. pitcher; secured from Grand
Rapids in draft, said TO have cost Eb-
bets $500
Rucker. drafted from Augusta. Ga.
for $500.
Smith cost reported price of $1,000.
Alexander Is Ideal Bail Player.
Pat Moran once said
Grover Cleveland Alexander is the
ideal ball player-and the model man"
And those who know Alex on the ball
field and off. chant an amen"
Alexander typifies all that is good
and clean Praise never has turned his
head He is the same modest. unassum-
ing chap now in the DAYS of his pitch
broke into the big league back in 1911.
What has been the biggest factor in
your success as pitcher" We once
asked him. And Alex replied.
The support of my teammates"
But you. yourself have been a big
factor in all those games you have
won" we persisted.
Not a big one; only a cog in the
machine that has gone through to vic
tory. was the reply When a team
wins a game, the majority give the
credit to the pitcher. That is unjust to
the other PLAYERS For instance what
would it avail me if 1 pitched shutout
bail and the boys supporting me didn't
hit enough to drive in runs2"
Alex Praises Mates.
When a pitcher gets away with a
low hit game he is praised for what is
called his achievement But why
should he be given all the credit His
mates have been equally responsible for
faultless fielding that killed off many
seeming hits2 Wasn't il their fast
clean fielding that saved the pitcher at
critical moments
a pitcher always gets the best of 1t
IN the records His good work is per
Tetuated, while that of his mates. who
helped to make his showing possible.
Is ignored For instance the records
of 1916 viii show that L stablished a
new mark in shurOut victories victories.
But there isn't line 10 show how the
boys helped me to do IL; not a notation
that viii tell the future generation who
il was that made it possible for me 10
beat the old man"
Mates IdOIi1e Alex.
II IS this spirit Of Alex. this unself-
ishness. this modesty. that has made
him loved by his teammates. And il is
because they hold him in such high es-
teen. that they play almost superhu-
man baseball behind him With Alex on
the mound the Phillies play a game
beyond themselves: Alex inspires them
much as Washington inspired his men
in rs; StOnewall Jackson Grant. Sheri-
dan and Dewey inspired theirs.
Oftentimes fans have gone TO the
hotel when the team was on the road I
They have wanted TO see Alex at close
range But rarely have they done So
Alex never is conspicuous in the lob /
tles- Usually he Is in his room On /
the few occasions when he is abroad" !
he usually Is in some secluded corner.
4 Word to YOUNGSTERS.
What advice would you give to 1
young pitchers2" was asked
Watch and work, was the reply Z
"A yOungster has much 10 learn in the /
big league. no matter how much I
natural talent he may have. He must /
watch how the older men DO it-and 4
watch them closely. And he never I
must stop studying his profession
A pitcher must be willing to work. l
not only in turn but out He should be 4
ready, always. 10 give the best that is 4
in him TO his club.
And there's one thing more that is /
necessary for a pitchers success. That /
is good habits. Ball playing is a bust 1
ness No man in business can make a 4
success Of himself If he dissipates And /
so II is with a ball player
Study, work hard and take care of i
your physical self Those are the rules 1
that should guide the ball player. be he
young or old" !