Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-26
VANLOAN, WRITER
GRAVELY I'LL HERE
Family Reach Bedside of
Humorist, in Arlington
Hospital
RELAPSE Is SUFFERED
Author Stricken Several Days
Ago While on Business From
California
RELAPSE is SUFFERED

Charlie Van Loan, humorist. and
famous as a writer OF sporting stories.
is gravely Ill at the Abingdon Memorial
Hospital, on the York road
His wlfe and two childen have
come on from the Van Loan home In
Los Angeles and are at the writer's bed
side. Mr. Van Loan is suffering from
chronic nephritis.
He came East two or three weeks
ago on business and became I'll while
In this city. He was taken at once to
the hospital Sunday he was much bet
Ter. but Monday a relapse came, and
his condition grew critical
Charles E. Van Loan, who is forty
three years old, has had a varied and
picturesque career, and he won his first
real start toward success In this city
lie was born In San Jose, Cal, the son
of Richard and Emma ]. Blodgett, and
after he left school, engaged in business
But he had a desire to write and one
day he drifted into a Los Angeles news
paper office and asked for a lob. He
was taken on as a cub reporter.
There happened to be a dearth of
sporting editors in Los Angeles at this
time, and when a celebrated Jockey
came to town Van Loan was assigned 10
cover the story"
Wins Sports Desk
Charlie was amazed to find this jockey
sitting in state in an automobile instead
Of astride horse. and when he came
back to his Office he wrote his impress
sions in a way that made a hit with the
boss and won Van Loan the sporting
editors desk
In the office-that OF the Los Angeles
m At
who had knocked about the world and
accumulated a vast amount of ex-
periences and stories. Charlie Van Loan
absorbed these quietly and put them
into writing.
And then he started them on the road
Ihey went from magazine to magazine
and regularly they came back. But
Charlie was not discouraged and kept
on writing. He saw, at the same time.
mat he might find greater opportunities
IN the East, so he came on to New
York. There he landed" with the
American and conducted a column
Eeaded Under the Old Straw Hat"
One night Mr. Van Loan ran over to
Philadelphia to cover" fight at the
National A. C. That was in 1907. Joe
Thomas and Honey Melody were the
opposing fighters in the wind-up.
Charlie Van Loan had a ringside seat,
anu ItAl " MN sat u WHO De-
came so wildly enthusiastic as the fight
proceeded that every time a blow land
ed he would jab Charlie in the side
Mr.. Van Loan didn't know whether he
was in the ring or out of it.
Finally rising in his excitement, the
stranger gave Mr.. Van Loan one ter
rife jab. and both men upset. When
they had struggled 10 their feet. apollo
! ges were made, and the two exchanged
cards.
Sold First Manuscript
The stranger proved to be a publisher,
and day or so after Mr.. Van Loans
story of the fight appeared. the pub
| Usher sent Charlie a letter inviting him
! to submit magazine article or two
Mr. Van Loan dug a rejected manuscript
out Of his trunk, and sent it along. II
was accepted.
1T was a great story" said Charlie
| later. "1n every chapter | killed six
Chinnmen."
| This was MIR. Van Loans real start
as a writer, and he quickly went to the
/ front as writer of baseball, horse rae
| ing and pugilist stories. When he be-
came firmly established he returned to
| the coast and since then has lived in
Los Angeles.
Mr.. Van Loan is a member of the Los
! Angeles Athletic and Country Clubs.
| Among the articles he has written are
1.-THE Big League" The Lucky Sew
enth," THE Ten-Thousand Dollar Arm,-
| Inside the Ropes Buck Parvin and
the Movies and odd Man Curry"