The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-18
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Corbett's Daily Letter
 On Great Sport Topics
ny JAMES J. CoRBETT.

The departure of Benny Kauff from major league fields of play comes next week and just at time when the young ster stands at the very crest of his career.
 No player ever broke into organized baseball under conditions more unfavor- able than Kauff; no one ever had to fight a harder battle against merciless odds than the youthful Giant outfielder. And the Tact that he has conquered-that he has won out-shal be for Kauff perhaps the sweetest memory of his life
 To know Kauff intimately is to admire him. His sincerity, his earnestness and his modesty are something that make an immediate appeal to all those who have come into personal contact with little Benny. The statement that Kauff is un- assuming and modest-to an extreme de- gree-will appeal to many as an ex- aggeration. Throughout the length and breadth of the land Kauff has been re- garded as the most egotistical youngster the game has produced. But the opinion does him a grave injustice. And I'll tell you the story
 Back in the days when Kauff was breaking down fences in the Federal league and when organized baseball mo- guls were casting covetous eyes in his direction, certain New York newspaper man decided he could make some money for himself by trying to "steaF' kauff from the Feds and turn him over to the Giants, who were mighty keen about securing him.
 So that newspaper man went to Kauff and told him in substances:
 You are wasting your time with the Feds. You ought to get into the National or American league. Let me manage your affairs and be your press agent and I'll turn the trick. I'll get you with the Giants and make them pay you big bonus for jumping. You give me part of that bonus for my work"
 Kauff was 9 then, and susceptible. He "fell' for the deal, and immediately his manager got busy. Interviews purport- ing to come from Kauff-but which Benny never saw until they were in prnt-began to appear in the papers. They were the most startling "I am a great guy" articles ever printed.
 Benny was quoted as saying that If ever get in the American league I'll show up Ty Cobb,' also, T guess they're afraid to give me job in the National because they don't want to have me breaking down fences" One interview after another, along the same line, ap- peared through the summer of 1915 Kauff became known as Roasting Benny" Everywhere in sporting circles his name became synonymous with 'ex- aggerated ego"
 All the while Kauff himself never gave out a real interview. Several times, sensing the effect those fake interviews were having on the fans, Benny went to his manager and demurred. But the manager argued Benny into believing that his line of press agenting was not stuff and the interviews that caused fandom to deride Kauff continued to ap- pear
 The manager" made good on his prom ise to turn Benny over to organized base ball and one day Kauff jumped to the Giants But the national commission jumped him back, claiming organized baseball had no room for contract jump CTS, even if it was a Fed contract. Soon after Kauff divorced himself from his manager-and the high-sounding interviews ceased In the winter of 19l5- 1916 the Federal league died. The or phan Kauff was "adopted' by the Giants for sum in the neighborhood of $35.OOo When the 1916 season opened Kauff was a Giant The fans, remembering those interviews and actually believing Kauff had given them, called upon Benny to make good his boasts. The youngster, ther knowing full well what he was up against tried to deliver in keeping with his supposed boasts. He was over-anx- ious-and oyer-anxiety has ruined many