The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-24
KAUFF DECLARES
HE'LL CL0UT ALL
TWIRLERS ALIKE

j
sorts of egoism-thef sort which at
tracts and that which repels. Benny
Kauff who may be the center fielder
of the Giants if he comes to terms
with the club and then manages to
make the team, is an egoist. Whether
he would attract or repel depends on
your disposition. But he is an egoist-
To talk to Kauff, or, rather, to listen
to Kauff for you must listen, would
be most convincing that in the mind
of Benny Kauff, Benny Kauff is the
center of everything, and that If moth
ing else exists he does.
Not long ago Benny called at the
offices of the Federal league and told
the baseball writers just what he in
tended to do when he Joined the New
York Giants. At that time Benny was
still the property of the Federal league
but he knew that the Giants were bid
ding for his services. He knew, too,
that he would be the greatest ball
player who ever Joined the National
league. He admitted that he was the
king of all outf1elders and the great
est sIugger who ever lifted a baseball
bat
Benny, do you think you'll make
the team if you are bought by the Gil
ants?'' Mr.. Kauff was asked The
outfie1der snorted, gurgled and made
inarticulate noises. Then he recov-
eredf his composure and his vocabu-
a, wild paneygyric on Benny Kaun.
'fWiIl make that team ?' he de-
manded. ''WelI, I'll make them all
forget that guy named Ty Cobb ever
pulled on a baseball shoe. I'll make
them think that baseball never was
played until Benny Kauff stepped into,
the game. I'll hit so many balls into
the grandstand that the management
will have to put screens up in front to
protect the fans and save the money
that lost balls would cost.
'I'H stand at the home plate and
bust them into the center field stands.
They say that Joe Jackson hit the
longest home run ever made on the
grounds when he lifted one over the
tight field stand. I'll make that drive
look sick, and I'll do it so often that it
will be commonplace
you guys Che referred to the news
paper mem have never written a good
baseball story in your lives.> Well. I'll
keep you busy. There's going to be
many a good story written about, the
Giants next summer and most of
them will be about Benny Kauff.'
t'We11, seriously, do you think that
you will hit .344 in the National
league? You know, they have some
good pitchers up there
+ "FIit them!" he exploded ;t'I'1 muir
der them. Say, Larry Doyle led the
league this year with an average of
all look alike to me-left-handed or
T1ght-handed; step up there and slap
them on the nose. They go safe
they've got to go safe the way bust
them
But you must have some weakness
There must be some bah you can't
hit,'' we ventured.
Weakness % he said with a depre-
catory shrug of his shoulders. .'sure
I've got a weakness. When they don't
put the bail over the plate I walk to
first base. Then get only one base
over crown them. If they-try a
curve ball poke it. swing on the
fast ones. If they put them low,
golf them out of the lot, and I line
the high ones into the stands.
why, say he went on never stop
ping for breath, ct remember one day
when we were playing the Fielders out
in ST. Louis. Big Dave Davenport was
pitching, he shot a couple at my bean
Hey I yelled to him, here's my. beam
and he fell for the game. He shot an
other at me, and I pulled back and
hit it right over the fence. Yes, sir,
laced the old bean ball right out of the
lot That's the kind of a, guy I am
Have you any particular weight of
bat? One that you favor?'' he was
asked.
SAY he replied, at could take a
Any old stick looks good to me And
as for those pitchers, I could take the
bat in my teeth and hit 300. They're
all aliketto me.
II had three dozen bats turned for
me last fall, and they will be ready
for delivery this spring I'll make
three dozen hits with every one of
those bats, and I figure that ought
to give enough to lead the league
Il belong with the Giants,' he per
sisted. 'McGraw is a great manager.
know he is a great manager. 7 am
4 great ball player, and McGraw
knows I am great ball player.
And I'm not going to conffne NV
efforts to fielding he annbled along.
7 can get those drives no matter
where they're hit. and when Il throw
hem in almost take the hands off |
the fielders. They won't go from first |
to third on me. No, sfr.'
ANNIVERSARIES
OF RING BATTLES