The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-23
BANCROFT, BASEBALL
DEAN, BACK ON JOB
Manager Of AZ Years Ago Is
Preparing Training Plans
for Reds.
LAST OF REAL VETERANS
Started Career With Famous
New Bedford Club, Which
He Organized in 1887.

Frank Bancroft, the dean Of baseball
officials, Is to continue as business man"
ager of the Cincinnati National League
club. '.Banny." according to the story
circulated last fall. was laid on by
the Cincinnati club. II so, then he has
been reengaged. He Is busy now maxi
ing plans for the Southern training trip
Of the Reds. A team of Reds en- tour
without Bancroft would be lacking In
something indeed. There Is only one
Bancroft.
Bancroft Is the last of tho real vet
Grams Of the game still having an active
connection with It Beside him men
like Arthur Irwin are real youngsters.
II was forty-two years ago that he
entered the game as q team manager.
| and he had been before that a player.
In 1877 "Banny" concluded he could
show 'em a few tricks in baseball and
he took the management Of the New
Bedford team. He got together SONS
team too. and he led It we'll and soon
he was on the road to fame as the
combination Connie Mack and John
McGraw of his day.
In the team che assembled for New
Bedford back in 1877 were such players
as Jake Evans, famous afterward as
the greatest right fielder; George Gore.
| the great outhelder. later Of Anson's
ington Bradley, later the leading pitcher
of the american Association; Harry
Stovey. later king of left felders and
base runners; Jim Mutrie. who later
managed the original New York Giants,
and Reilly, later one OF the great CATCH
ers Of the National League.
On this New Bedford team Jim
Mutrie, afterward the Giants manager.
officiated as both captain and shortstop.
and was paid $50 per month for his
services.
$50 Per for Storey.
For the same team "Banny" engaged
! Harry Stovey, afterward a great star. at
$50 per month, while George Washington
Bradley was paid the top salary OF 500
per month. Reilly, Gore. Roger Common
and the outielders all received $50 per
| month.
In 1879 Banny organized the Hop Bit
ters team Of Rochester. n. Y. took 1t to
! New Orleans and then across to Cuba.
| where he helped wonderfully in intro
ducing the game TO those parts
In 1850 Bancroft went to Worcester.
| taking with him Arthur Irwin, who
later became renowned as the captain
and short fielder Of the worlds cham
pion Providence team.
In 1881 and 1882 Bancroft managed
the Detroit National League team. and
| in 1884 assembled the Providence Ma
tional League team, which that year
| won the first worlds championship from
the Metropolltans of New York. Then
followed engagements at Rochester.
Philadelphia, Indianapolis and Milwau-
kee, until 1890, when he went to Gin
cinnati, where he has lived ever sincs-
As a manager OF baseball teams In
the early days Bancroft had many a
| strange experience. On one occasion he
| booked an exhibition game for the old
time Troy team in a little city in Massa-
chusetts called Berkeley.
When the Berkeley manager asked for
terms Bancroft wired back 1920, mean
ing. of course. so per cent. for the Troy
team and go per cent. for the Berkeley.
There was q big crowd out, and. ac-
cording to Bancrofts figuring. the Troys
had 800 coming to them. The Berke-
ley manager. however, handed him SOL
EMMY a check for 5000 and showed
Bancroft his wire to back up his idea
Of the division. II was with some diff
Guilty that Bancroft switched the divi-
sion.
Must Have Been Some show.
On another occasion Bancroft, In the
winter time, got up a benefit for a chart
table fund In New Bedford. On that &C.
casion he got George Wright. then a
noted player. to give on exhibition on a
rowing machine while he had Sam
Wright. Georges brother. swinging clubs.
At the Same show he had Harry Sto-
vey do a negro Improvisation and Curry
Foley sing songs. while he induced
George Gore and Jim Mutrie to take part
In a ten milo walk. And Bancroft man.
aged all of these affairs in fine style and
did 1t all for charity.
The team which he took to Cuba in
1879 included Foley and Nichols. pitch
ers: Bennett and Bushong, catchers:
Sullivan, first base; Arthur Whitney.
! third base: Arthur Quinn, short field
Wood. left, and Knight. right field. The
positions OF second base and centre
field were filled by the change catcher
and pitcher.
The first trip to Havana was not a
success financially, but It paved the way
and made other visits there OF American
teams profitable .
Bancroft learned to play baseball as a
soldier in the Union army OF the eos.
He took It up as a profession when the
, war ended. He has been in II ever since.
He has seen all the games ups and
| downs and he figures on living and mix