El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-06-27

wrestling was fast and furious for
\ Y minutes, when Parr was again
pinned 10 the mat The Englishman;
a true sport. had no excuse TO offer.
lbut admitted that Gotch was the bet
ter man.
RUBE BENTON's BIRTHDAY.
At the terminus OF little branch
1 line railroad in the central part OF
North Carolina IS little. sleepy VII
lage known as Clinton. It is just
another of those little cotton and to-
bacco county seat towns such as are
prevalent in that part of Dixie. and
TO the nude eve Of the casual visitor
there IS nothing TO distinguish it from
any other similar community A close
observer would soon discover. how
ever, that the male citizens Of Clinton
have more than the usual interest in
[ big league baseball. and It would not
be long before he would be acquaint
ed with the reason-"Rube" Benton.
the great southpaw, was born in that
5aiiivick.
The Rube-who Is known as y. c."
on his contracts and other official
documents-is % years old today. as
he was born on June p, 1890. In
1910 he landed his first league job
with the Macon club in the sally cir
cult, and he had been in uniform only
a few weeks when the big leagues
began to dicker for his services. Sew
eral OF the major clubs were bidding
for Rube by the first OF June. and
the Mason club sold him to Cincinnati
for $500.
Thus it was that Benton. after less
than two months OF professional base
bah experience. found himself wear
ing the red livery OF Cincinnati and
full fledged major Lacquer for the
time being. Clarke Griffith. who was
then the pilot for the Reds, used his
find In about dozen games during
the remainder OF the 1910 season. but
Benton's work was only fairish and
he did not set the league Attire The
Rube was still wearing a Cincinnati
uniform when the 1871 season opened,
but, after a couple OF trials In the
box, the Old Fox decided that his ex-
pensive tWirler wasn't ripe for the
main works, and banished him 10
Chattanooga In the Southern league
that season Benton won IS and lost
10 games. and in August he was re-
called to Cincinnati
When Hank O'Day took charge OF
the Reds in 1912 he made the Rube
member of his regular twirling staff.
and the big good natured. erratic
North Ca'linian was used in exactly
half a hundred pastimes- He about
broke even on his losses and wins
Benton started strong IN 1913. and
had won II games and lost only seven
when an accident put him on the
blink. Benton had become passion
ateIy addicted 70 motorcyeliEgs and.
although Joe Tinker, the 1918 pilot
Of the Reds. warned him several times
Of the danger OF such a fad. and sug-
gested that he collect postage stamps
instead. the Rube went on his heed
less, joy-riding way. burning up the
streets and roads nearly every night
When the ineritable accident came
along in the summer Of 1919 the
Rube was put on the blink for some
time, and Tinker suspended him for
the remainder OF the season. just to
show him who was Who
In August, 1915. the RUDE was sold
to the Giants for $1,000. and Joined
AIcGraw's twirling staff. The Pirates
offered $4,000 for the big fellow short
" after the Giants had secured an op-
lion on him. and Herzog pulled off
the deal. but McGraw appealed TO the
league authorities and was sustained.
While he has had his Off days. Ben
ton has pitched some mighty fine bah.