El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-08

FEW York, April S.--The bright
est stars Of the diamond game
have come from the way down
minors. directly from the colleges or
from off the semi-pro sandlots.
The ratio OF high grade minor
Deaguers who make good" in the
,inajors is smaller than that OF the
euppossdiy inferior candidates. 1t is
"A strange conditiOn--but true. II Is
but natural TO suppose that the men
who have worked their way from the
Insignificant Leagues 10 me amer @l. ..si
association, Pacific Coast ana inter
national are surer OF success in the
majors. But
Well. lets dig out the histories:
Ty Cobb jumped from the Augusta
club Of the Southern league to the
American league. It was quite a leap.
Did Ty 'land?'
Walter johnson was laboring for the
I Welser OdahO) semi-pro team in 1917
when Washington decided to give him
"a trial All the laws Of baseball ruled
THAT Johnson wasn't fit for such tast
company-that he needed more season
ing. Well you know about walter
iris Speaker was purchased from
Little Rock in 1907 for $500. Eddie
Collins went direct from Columbia uni-
versity TO the Athletics. Jack Murray.
who shonc so brilliantly in the Giant
garden for so many years, never had
any minor league experience, coming
direct from NOtre Dame university IN
1906 TO the big leaguers.
PLANK Never was a Minor.
Nap" Rucker. long ranked as the
greatest southpaw in the game, jumped
from the Augusta (Ga.) team to the
nodgers-and he's been there since.
Eddie Plank, the most remarkable
Finger OF the age. never was a minor
Lacquer. He Joined the Athletics after
80 graduated from Gettysburg college.
u
transformed for a while, and then was
SHARED by Connie Mack
Rabbit Meanwhile played two
years for the New Bedford (AIass.)
team in the New England league. then
in 1912 Joined the Braves and imme-
diately became o sensation. Fred Snod-
grass left St Vincents college in 1907,
Joined the Giants the next spring and
continues TO linger in fast company.
aIamaux Jumped from Ohio state.
slim" Sallee. the Cardinal HEAVIER,
ladc the biz jump from the Tri-State
league to the National and hasn't
moved since. MamauS, the pitching
wonder OF the Pirates, came from the
Huntington team in the small Ohio State
league That was in 1914 A year
later found him battling for the pre-
mier pitching honors Of the Tener cir
cult
Larry Doyle. champion National
League hatsman IN t915. IL a Spring
field irhree-Eye league) product
Johnny Egers had only one years ex-
pcriencc as a minor Lacquer. That was
in 1901 with Troy. In 1902 he joined
Tho cubs. Charley Doom, now with
thc Giants. rs from the Western league.
Other COliegEzns.
Jack Barry Of the Red Sox was
rladuated from Holy Cross college in
1903. lmmediafely afterward Connie
Mack ''rcped" him and BLACK jack
has been starring since. John Henry
% the Senator's ranking as one OF the I
best c1tchers in the game, had no ,
Tie Washington club in 1910, after
graduating from Amherst Charley |
Herzog was collcgian in 1905, a I
semi-pro in 1906, with the Tri-State
chance with the Giants and hit .Se8.
Hes been q major Lacquer since.
Home Rum Baker was semi-pr0 /
iu 1907 In 1908 he played in the Tri- !
the Athletics. Vic SAFER. the great Cub !
irst sacber, jumped to the majors from /
q small minor league.
Alec from New York State.
The New York state league isn't |
Ranked high. as minors 90. yet Il de- |
Ncloped the mighty Grover Alexander. /
u seasoned him 70 such an extent that, /
curing bis first year as a Phillie he |
p on Is out Of Al gameE-averaged .6g5 1
=Hnd he did IL with a Joke team behind {
him
Ivy wingo. the baelzstoppine star. /
played in 1903 and 1910 with the Green /
ellie team in the Carolina association |
an organization SO small that Il is al !
most unknown outside the state. The I
noEt season Wingo got a tryout with !
the Cardinals-and he made good I
lieinie Zimmerman played with Wilkes |
barre in 1906 and part OF 1907. was /
sold 20 the Cubs-and-Heinie ever /
since has been making life unhappy for /
National league umpires.
Foster from Texas League
taber. the White Sox pitcher. went /
20 the SoX direct from the Des AIoines I