The evening world., 1918-06-04

FlAN1 bths
present boss OF the Pirates was thir-
teen. The puerilo Hugo tfen began
TO display signs OF coming recogni-
ton. lie was studious and ambitious
to make his own way. He had very
little choice, because his parents were
poor and had little more than enough
to supply tho needs OF the family.
Once in Chicago, Bczdek was thrown
n contact with tho soamy side Of the
stock yards district and soon learned
that a pair OF fists Is often essential
to ones success While going 10
school Hugo attracted considerable
attention as an amateur pugilist, but
he was more often commented for his
nigh standing at school.
by and by his grammar school
days brought him to the doors or h
great university, Hugo didn't stop
lie never does. lie just kept right on
going through. BY the time he en-
tered the University OF Chicago In 1902
he had all the iearmarks OF a star ath-
lete. Alonzo Stage saw him perform
and dreamed OF football titles n
things for at least four years 10 come.
Just about the time that Tom
Thorpe was tearing up the opposing
Nv "a = SANN
sprang into prominence on the Windy
City gridiron, ranking as a ground
gainer with h famous Martin Hes
ton OF Michigan, who Is now a Police
Magistrate in Detroit. lie entered
the university in 1902 and graduated
with honors in 1906.
Bezdek boxed a good deal during
his school days. The story has been
told that on one particular and mem
orable night he CLEANED up with
the whole football training table
when something went wrong; and It's
safe TO assume that Hugo wasn't 10
blame, Hughie Fullerton, who knows
his Chicago like "A peddler knows his
street, says OF Bczdek. He was an
all-around tough guy. a great attn
lete and a very likable fellow
After his college days were over,
Bezdek went TO Eugene, Ore, ana
helped TO develop the athletic stars
at State College. Two years later
he returned to help Stagg coach ms
old team and then became coach al
tho University OF Arkansas. Then
he returned to the University OF ore
gon as athletic director. His most
noteworthy achievement was the de-
feat OF the University OF Pennsyl-
vania at Pasadena, Cal, on New
Years Day. 1917.
In the mean time. Bezdok had been
acting as scout for the PITTSBURGH
Nationals and had made a very
favorable Impression with MS aplIlty
to pick promising material out OF the
shrubs In the wild n woolly West.
Last year, when President Barney
Dreyfuss was looking around for a
manager to succeed Jimmy
fans and critics alike believed that
some old major league star you'd
receive the preference.
Drcyfuss considered tho matter for
several days and then tossed a bomb
into baseball circles by announcing
that Hugo BeZdek had been signed
to manage the Pirates, For n whll"
this sounded like "a joke, but soon the
fans began to realize that tho Joke
was on themselves. Bezdck, In his
calm and u-nassuming way, undertook
his new job as ne used to the football
line.
Before Bezdek came to Pittsburgh,
the Pirates lacked first class physical
condition and fighting spirit. Hugo
Is a past master in the art OF lead
ing aud conditioning athletes, iHt
thermorc, he knows how to keep
them constantly on their toes. The
results OF his first year as manager
are obvious. Pittsburgh is in the iirsl
division to-day, and many believe
that the Pirates will finish pretty
close TO the top.
Bezdek naturally prefers the West
as the place to get the best out OF
life. He Is a home man In every
sense OF tho word. Still engaged as
! athletic mentor OF the University OF
Oregon in the of season, ne spends
his leisure eithor with his family or
hunting near the mountainous lakes
Of the Oregon Rockies.
He has "A ~ninc-ycur-Old son who D.
a chip off the Old block, Already thu
youngster can speak several language
as well as being an accomplished
musician for n so young In years
Hugo also has "A little daughter, Ms
Bezdek is a former Chicago girl who
lived In Lake Forest. HUG cOurtel
his wife while a senior at college ami
they were married shortly aftcrward
Tney live at Pittsburgh during the
baseball season.
Lots Of people expect altogcthe-
too much OF their baseball players,
said Bezdek at the Hotel Ansonia TO-
day. seldom do they stop TO con-
slider how hard IL IS for them 10 keep
In first class condition, A baseball
team has to contend with long jump
IRON city 10 city, In summer tho OK
cessivo heat Is bound TO affect tha.r
appetlicS and sleep and these thing
detract from their playing form"
Although suffering from the effects
OF the draft, Bczdek has hopes OF L.
Veloping a team whose chief asset WI.