Omaha daily bee., 1917-05-13
BASE BALL Is BAD
BUSINESS, SAYS WAY
Giant Rookie Upon Retirement
Says College Man is Fool
ish to Enter the Ma.
tional Pastime.

New York. May l2.-Nelson NJ.
(Pie) Way, the former Yale pitcher,
and more recently a recruit on the
pitching staff of the Giants, has re-
tired from base ball and will now en-
ter business career in the plant OF
the Bethlehem Steel company. Way,
who called the other day, en- route for
Bethlehem, said he was absolutely
through with professional base ball.
He had not spent as much time at the
game as most college rockies do,
having joined the Giants after gradu-
alton last June, but, even so, he feels
that he spent more time than he could
well afford. Many persons, he said,
advised him to keep out OF organized
base ball, but he was stubborn-this
he admits-and was determined to see
for himself.
II don't want to be in the position
of attacking base ball, that is, profess
sional base ball." he said. at is none
of my business, and haven't amount
ed to enough in the game to stand as
a critic. But can say that ! found
it a loss, so far as was concerned. !
say this in spite OF the fact that |
could sign at least two very salts
factory contracts with good minor
league clubs, with the prospect, OF
course, of working my way back to
the big league. But don't want it.
Jack Coombs put it correctly when
he said that college man goes into
the big league with an education, and
comes out without one. Coombs is a
college man who has spent a number
of years in organized base ball, and
he ought to know. In fact, | could
see it for myself. You have no great
incentive to read or keep up with the
times; there is no bookish association.
Few of the big leaguers do any
worthwhile reading, and association
with them does not tend to any
amount OF mental development. OF
course, this does not apply to all, but
am speaking OF the general run.
They are all good fellows, so far as
that goes, but | merely say that the
life they lead does not incline to
mental cultivation. Then you spend
about all the money you earn. 1t APP
pears on the surface, OF course, that
you can save a lot Of money; l
couldn't.
Spend All Of Income.
There are tips at the hotels and
money to be dropped here and there
every day until you find that you are
living pretty much up to your income.
And so, playing along, you run
through the prime Of your youth and
slow up. Then what have you got
ahead Of you? That is the way fig
ured it out. OF course IL a fellow can
Jump into fast company and get
$4,000 or $1,000 a year il will be all
right provided you know when to
quit But you never do. Base ball
gets hold Oh you. Now when | was
with Yale ! didn't feel the grip Of
base ball. In city when the other
fellows would go to a big league park,
Il would go TO some show; this is to
say wasn't much OF fan. But after
several months in regular organiza-
ton ] can see the difference; the game
gets into you and you want to stick.
So ] quit before the thing got too firm
a grip on me. OF course, I'll keep up
my base bail. Out in Bethlehem
they have teams at the plant, small
league, ! believe. I'll do some playing
out there, but in the final analysis I'm
for business, first, last and all the
t,,,,n ~