The Washington herald., 1918-01-11
FIRST
GAME In 1881
White Sox Owner Started
Baseball Career with
Browns.

1t was in the year 1881. or Just sbou'
thirty-six years ago. that Chsrie,
Comjskey made his debut in a rez
baseball park.
The place was sportsman's Park
st. Louis.
Al Sphinx was then secretary Of the
ST. Louis Browns and IT was aftei
that game that he got Charley a jol
as first bsseman OF the afterWars
world famous ST. Louis team. the frs
professional engagement Of his life.
II was in the summer OF 1851 ths'
Ted Sullivan brought the Dubuqud
team 10 St Louis TO play the Browns
Among Spink's multifarious duties
as secretary at that time IA job Whict
then. by the way. carried no regulai
salary or monetary reward was Il
receive visiting players. escort then
to their hotel and see that they wer,
properly cared for.
II was while on duty bent. there.
fore, that Sphinx met the Dubuqu,
team as they came Up Third street
led by sullivan, each wearing
straw hat and long linen busters ane
carrying baseball bat.
slowed Away Tn Bandboxe.-
II was a third OF July and they had
come TO play three games.
T-stowed them away in little bsud.
boxes In an ancient hostelry at Fourth
and Locust streets. called the Everett
House
As Ted Sullivan put II. las he wiped
the perspirstion from his brow.
We'll play the Browns three great
we get out 70 the grounds"
And three great games they plsyeS.
But all they got for their pains was
three days board and lodging al q
H-a-dsy hotel and a bus ride to and
from the bah park.
Still they went away happy-as larld
and later ComisSey and sullivan came
back to Join forces with the Browns.
Comiskey's salary when he start
ed with the Browns in lSS2. the
tion. was SIS a month.
He was perhaps the lowest SAL
aried man on the team, but this
was due TO the fact that he was a
mere boy and that he was looked
on as simply an experiment
But in his first month he took
the first base Job away from Oscar
Walker. a seasoned veteran in the
position. aud in his second month
Comiskey's work had become so
brilliant that his salary was raised
from SIS to Sl25 a month and Il
remained that throughout the sea-
son.
ComiskeytAt this time was very
tall. slender and bbyish looking
He soon became noted for his
quiet and gentlemanly demeanOr.
traits he had acquired at the Cath
olic college at st. Mary's in his
schoolboy days. and soon he be-
came a warm favorite in ST. Louis.
But after taking hold OF the
Browns. first as captain and then
as manager. this quiet and timid
spirit disappeared and Comiskey
became as bold. fearless and ag-
gressive as any other man on the
team, which. under his leadership,
captured American Association and
then worlds championships.
Rode In sullivan sIeepers.
When the Dubuques came to st.
Louis they rode from the Iowa town
to the Mound City in Sullivan sleep
ors.
The term Sullivan sleeper was
coined by Tom Sullivan. at one time
a great catcher. who won fame with
the St Louis Reds and then with
the Browns.
Whenever tbe ST. Louis Reds,
then a non-salaried team. but work
ing aon a cooperative plan, made
trips 20 Chicago, Cincinnati. Indi-
anapolis or TO any point where a
sleeper was available, Tom Nc
Neary. the Reds manager, gave
each OF his men a 81 bill, and IL
was optional with each man 10
either take a berth or TO keep the
S2 and curl up on a seat in one Of
the regular day coaches.
Sullivan invariably kept his 50.
and so IL came that when players
in the day coaches and
curled up on the hard bench they
were referred to as having taken