Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-07-24

Thrive on Philadelphia Team, Having
Hit More homers Over Right Fold
Fence Than Any Other Visiting
Player.
II took the Philadelphia Nationals
exactly seven years 10 acquire the
services of Frank Schultz, one OF the
best outfielders that ever ANNOYED IN
opposing pitcher.
It's going back few seasons. but It's
Interesting. The first move to bring
"Wildlire' to Philadelphia was maze,
at the close OF the season of 1910 by
Horace Fogel, who was then president
of the club.
Relations between the Philadelphia
aud Chicago clubs at the time were Pc
culiarly pleasant. They worked to-
gether like yolk and the white of one
OF those famous eggs from Hopewell
township, York county. Pa. Fogel
rightfully reasoned that fence demol.
Usher like Schultz would make a pen
nant winner out Of his already power.
full band of Pills.
lie conferred with Manager DOOM.
who agreed with him. and the pair de-
cided that they could afford to go
long way to get Schultz In the cleanup
position Of the local lineup.
So they decided on deal which IN
volved Earl Moore, then a formidable
pitcher, and several others ana commu-
nicated their offer to Charles Webb
Murphy.
The latter took split second to make
up his mind. He sent a telegram t.
Fogel, which read something like this:
IF | traded Schultz to Philadelphia
Chicago fans would tar and feather me
and run me ont Of town on rail"
Fogel saw II was a hopeless task to
sound out Murphy any further and
abandoned the hunt for Schultz.
After the close Of the season Of 1914.
or four years later, Pat Moran was
made directing boss Of the Pills under
different ownership. Yet the 1915
regime Of Baker and Moran had the
same thought as the FogelDooin re-
gime OF 1910.
One OF Pat Moran's first moves was
to try to get Schultz. Roger Bresna-
han, manager OF the Cubs, blocked
every move to close the deal
Last season there was a new owner
and a new manager at Chicago, and
again Moran opened negotiations for
"Wildfire" The Chicago club virtually
decided that the Phils would get first
refusal on Schultz In case he was put
on the market.
One day last summer Moran opened
the sport page Of a newspaper and was
dazed to read where Schultz had been
traded by Chicago to Pittsburgh in a
deal involving Catcher Fischer and
Catcher Wilson. The Cubs took Wilson
for Fischer and Schultz.
Schultz had slipped through his
hands. This made Moran angry, but
he never gave up the hunt. Last win
ter Pat Moran approached Jim Gala
han and asked IL he would consider
trade for Schultz you can have him
for George Whitfield" was Galatians
reply. Morans face wore panied ex-
preston as he fed.
Moran was rebuffed again. but he
never lost heart. Finally the mails
brought to the Phil club requests for
waivers on Schultz. Here was the
chance at last. Moran immediately
claimed Schultz and obtained him for
the waiver price of 81, 500. Seven years
ago Horace Fogel would gladly have
paid ten times that sum for the bril-
liant right fielder.
Schultz will be thirty-five years old
next September but he Is not through
by any means. He Is still fast and can
hit the ball. He is long right field
hitter and should thrive on the Phlllies'
grounds. He has probably hit more
h0mors over the right field fence than
any other visiting player.
He Is younger than both Paskcrt and
Cravath. both Of whom are still able
to play topnotch ball. Schultz will fit
in well as n pinch hitter and also will
see some regular service.
He started with Chicago in 1904, so
this Is his fourteenth season in the big
league. Schultz never had high batting
averages in this period. His speed
was between $50 and 300, but they
represented many extra base cleanup
knocks.
In a pinch Schultz was always the
most dangerous batsman on the Cub
team. His highest average with the
Cubs was in 1914. when he batted .301
The year following he batted 300. In
127 games last season with Chicago
and Pittsburgh Schultz came back as
n batsman, having the fine percentage
Of Q72