Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-04
BEST BALL STARS
COME ROM BUSHES
BRIGHTEST MEN ON DIAMOND
BROKE INTO FAST COMPANY
FROM SMALL CLUBS.

New York, May 3. Tho brightest
stars of the diamond game have come
from the way down minors, directly
from the colleges or from off the semi.
pro sand lots.
The ratio of high grade minor leagu.
ers who make good" in the majors is
smaller than that of the supposedly
inferior, candidates. 1t is strange
condition-but true. 1t is but natural
to suppose that the men who have
worked their way from the insignifi-
cant leagues to the American associa.
ton, Pacific coast and International
are surer of success in the majors.
But
Well, let's dig up the histories:
Ty Cobb jumped from the Augusta
club of the South Atlantic league TO
the American league. 1t was quite q
leap. Did Ty land? 49,.
Walter johnson was laboring for the
Weiser (Idaho) semipro team In 1907
when Washington decided to give him
a trial. All the laws of baseball ruled
that Johnson wasn't fiet for such fast
company-that he needed more seas.
oning., Well you know about Walter,
don't you?
Iris Speaker was purchased from
Little Rock in 1907 for $500. Eddie
Collins went direct from Columbia
university to the Athletics. Jack Muir.
ray, who shone so brilliantly in the
Giant garden for so many years, never
had minor league experience, com1ng
direct from Notre Dame university in
1906 to the big leaguers.
Rucker From Georgia.
Nap" Rucker, long ranked as the
greatest southpaw in the game, jump
ed from the Atlanta (Ga.) team to the
Dodgers-and he's been there since.
Eddie Plank, the most remarkable
finger of the age, never was minor
Lacquer. He joined the Athletics after
he graduated from Gettysburg college.
Chief Bender played college baseball,
transformed for while and then was
shared by Connie Mack.
Rabbit" Maranville played two
years for New Bedford (Mass.) in the
New England league, then in 1917
Joined the Braves and Immediately be-
came a sensation. Fred Snodgrass
left St. Vincent's college in 1907, but
Joined the Giants the next spring. ~
"Slim" Sallee, the Cardinal HEAVIER,
made the big Jump from the Tri-State
league to the Newfoundland hasn't
moved since. Mamaux, the pitching
wonder of the Pirates, came from the
Huntington team In the small Ohio
State league That was in 1914. A
wear later found him battling for the
premier pitching honors of the Tener
circuit.
Larry Doyle, a champion National
league batsman in 1915. is Spring
field (Three-Eye league) product
Johnny Evers had only one years ex'
perience as a minor Lacquer. That
was in 1901 with Troy. In 1902 he
Joined the Cubs. Charley Doom, now
with the Giants, is from the Western
league. Sr. ,.
Barry, coIIegian.
Jack Barry Of the Red Sox was grad
uated from Holy Cross college in 1908.
Immediately afterward Connie Mack
"roped" him and "Black jack has
been starring since. John Henry o.
the Senators, ranking as one of the
best catchers in the game, had no
minor league experience. He Joined
the Washington club in 1910. after
graduating from Amherst. Charley
Herzog was collegian in 1905, semi.
pro in 1906 with the Tri-State league
in 1907. In 1908 he got chance with
the Giants and hit 300. He's been 9
major Lacquer since.
y Il q M Idt i ~ ~ EN