Evening journal., 1917-10-23
Veterans of the Diamond
Refuse TO Pack Up Bats

This appeared 70 be the big year for
the hoary old veterans OF the national
game. Never before has there been
such premium on the old fellows.
With the various clubs in danger Of
losing their most valuable young men
In the drafts. the manager or club
owner thinks twice before be turns
one Of The old-ilmcrs adrlft. Managers
are signing the old boys rather than
releasing them.
Before the season started everyone
had become reconciied 20 the fact that
The National League would have 10
get along without It's most picturesque
character, Honus Wagner. Honus really
retired in good faith. but the Pitts
burgh club found II needed him more
than 70 thought. lie was coaxed back
into the fold, and at a. he played a
smash-up game at flrst-base for the
Pirates.
When the season started such old fell
lows as Chief Bender, Ed. Walsh. Rho
ldy Wallace and George Gibson were
supposed 20 have permanent leases on
the baseball boneysrd Bender pitched
as brilliantly as at any time I'm his
career, while old Hack Gibson was
catching sterling ball for the Giants
before he met with his mlshap.
Bender's Great Comeback.
Bonder's comeback IS the most sen
sational in baseball history. After the
chief was a dismal failure in tie Fed
eral-league the Phillles took him on
last season, and, with the exception OF
brief periods, he displayed little Of his
former cunning. He was released out
right last winter.
During the spring and early summer
Moran heard Of Bender's pitching feats
while twirling semi-professional ball
In Philadelphia and New Haven. He
was pitching shutout after shutout
land striking 'em out in droves. pat
made him an offer to return to the
fold.
The result was a revelation. Bender
began turning in victories every time
out. His most sensational stretch con-
sisted OF four nine-inning games dur
ing which only one run was scored
upon him. One OF the victories was a
one-hit game against Boston.
Gibson's comeback on the Giants
was another big event. "Gibby" was
regarded as all in when the Pirates
asked for waivers on him last fall and
the Giants claimed him. Gibson
thought he had had enough OF big
league ball and went 20 his home In
Canada without reporting TO the
Giants. But last winter he thought II
over again and asked the Giants
whether they stlll wanted him. They
told him TO report at Marlin.
GibsOn's Chance.
No one thought Of Gibson as any.
thing else but a coach for pitchers
and he probably never would hav,
had his chance had not Mozart,
broken his leg. That gave him an op
, portunity 10 get into the game, anC
his work was a revelation. While hi
did not hit much after the FIRST few
days, he caught as neatly as he did II
1909, when he caught practically ever!
game OF the season for the Pirates
His throwing whip was In fine shapl
: and he was wonderful steadier 4
. pitchers. Schupp. especially, worke,
very smoothly with him.
) Though the ST. Louis Cardinals ar
: building up a new team with younI
blood in looking around for an inflell
substitute Branch Hickey, president &
5 the Cardinals. bounced on old Rhod,
> Wallace, who came into the Nationa
4 League In 1925, two years before Han
Wagner's name appeared In bi
, league box score.
Ed. Walsh, Walter Johns predeces
sor as pitching king Of the Americas
League. tried TO come back with IN