Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-15

man gets in the big league tt Is be-
cause he has ability, and every one
knows 1t.
They say have a swelled head After
reading some of the alleged interviews
with myself In the newspapers. l don't
blame them Nor do | blame the fans
and other ball players for riding me
They have read the same stuff, and IL It
disgusts me, shouldn't it have a worse
effect on them?
Discourse on Ability
Every man in the world believes In
his own ability The newsboy on the
street knows he can sell papers, the hod-
carrier bnows he can carry n load of
bricks up a LADDER the street car con-
ductpr knows he can collect fares, and
YOU cannot pick out any business man
in the world who hasn't some confidence
in himself II he hasn't, then he is
failure.
NOW when l go UP to the plate to
bat against an opposing pitcher I KNOW
that | am going to hit that ball. I do
not say to myself L HOPE I'll get hit
but | tell myself that I WILL get a hit
should | get panned' for assuming that
attitude when every successful player
IN the game does the same?"
Benny had taken q seat and opened up
after we assured him that he would be
quoted verbatim. 1t took him some time
to get warmed up, and he sidestepped tho
preliminary questions with the ease of a
member of the husbands club being
cross-eXamined by his better seven
cighths.
Opening Chorus Fails
What do you think of Alexander" was
the way in which we opened the conver-
sation.
They say this is a great fight town.
M, ,,.t,,
good"
Yes, we have good shows here. Now.
Mr. kauff do you really believe that the
Federal League was as fast as the Ma
tional?"
ITS just this way. don't believe
there is a man in the world able to beat
this big fellow Willard He is"
"Do you expect To lead the National
League in hitting this season, Mr.. Ka-"
You know, traied with Jack Dillon
in New York Now, he is a real fighter,
and think he can beat any man of his
weight in the world
Was there no way of proddng Mr..
kauif into discussion of the very in
tercsting Mr.. Kauff? We tried again:
make the fans forget Ty Cobb?"
BOmbardment Begins
1t worked. Benny was transformed in
an instant. His jaw squared and the
words poured out.
Say, do you think | am crazy?
never said l was better than Ty, and
those who quoted me that way lied, that's
all Cobb is the greatest player in the
world. Wouldn't n man be n fool to say
he is going to show up Cobb, n man who
has led major league for years? Ger
tainly. Well l am no fool"
Benny was out of breath and we halted
hi i'm lGTFr t,Frl,4g .fg. ,,;.r
mo neutrality-suspicious.
aboutmearelies." continued Kauft without
Il break. columns have been published
about Inc. representing me as n braggart
1t has put me ii. Dutch with baseball
fans and some baseball players who have
not had much experience with you fell
lows. l don't know how it started. One
day New York paper came out with
supposed interview with me- in which l
am reported TO have said | was the great
Il am All of the other newspapers took
II up, and look what mess it has made
for me.
Always MisquOted
why, it seems as though l can't have
hve-mlnute conversation with reporter
without having a headline come out
'Kauff says he will slaughter Alexander
may talk about nothing but the weather
or the price of a war baby. 1t makes no
same ridiculous stun goes
in the sheet
"A lot of people mistake aggressive.
ness for swelled headedness. 1 am ag-
gressive and il is this that is going tn
help me make good 1t wouldn't make
any difference however If II spoiled my
baseball career, for it is my nature to
be aggressive and | can't help it any
more than I can help breathing.
Way the other day the fans got after
me because / kidded a little with Eddie
Burns at the plate That's all in a days
work, Eddie came back at me and we
had good jawfest Burns is fine chap
and we conversed after the game like two
regular fellows,
Just how much damage all this talk
has done me you can appreciate by going
out in the bleachers during game. The |
fans ride me all the time. They do 1t
here and they did it all through the South. |
I don't mean the kind of riding that every |
visiting player gets, but they single me
out for special attention. | don't blame |
the fans, l blame the fellows who pub
lished all the lies"
AS Benny courteously walked to the |
door we repeated the question, what do |
you think of the Phllles"?
"A fine team. Well balanced and a
great pitching staff. Say, where did you
say that fight was tonight. Think I'll take |
1t in"