The Washington times., 1920-01-24
KID BATTLED CLARKSON
IN HIS GETAWAY CLASH
BY FREDERICK C. LIEB.

BY FREDERICK G. LIEB.
Fans of a generation ago still re-
call the sensation that was created
in the sporting fraternity in the win
ter of 18s7-'S8, when the announce
ment was made that the Chicago
Nationals had sold its great battery
John Clarkson and Mike (King)
Kelly-to the Boston club for $780,
900. The baseball public stood
aghast! Twenty thousand dollars
for two ball players. Such a thing
had never been heard of before in
baseball
| And what would Anson's Colts be
without the great clarkson and the
dashing, spectacular Kelly? Clarkson
was the Walter Johnson OF his day.
and King Kelly, though catcher
| was the Ty Cobb of the same era.
When the 1888 National League
season opened, the eyes OF the base
| ball world were on Philadelphia.
where II was a foregone conclusion
that the great battery OF Clarkson
and Kelly would be pitted against
| And who did Manager Harry
Wright. the Quaker City leader. pick
to oppose the great Clarkson but
little sawed off runt from Camden,
who answered to the name OF kid
| Gleason? He had won the only
Philly victory from the Athletics In
the Philadelphia city series. and
therefore. deserved the honor of OPP
posing Clarkson.
Here's the Parallel.
Imagine a powerful club like the
Red Sox buying Walter Johnson and
| Ray Schalk, and then have Connie
Mack of the Athletics oppose Walter
Walter with some unknown busher
and you have an exact parallel TO the
condition which existed in that Ma
tional League opening game in Phila-
delphia on April 20. 1888.
Yet Gleason. who then weighted
only 40 pounds. which is lighter than
his famous posy pitcher of 1913
Dickie Kerr-gave the great Clark
son a grand argument, and was de-
| feated in a close game by the errors
OF his own catcher. Johnny Clements.
Boston won the game by the slight
margin OF 4 to 8. Truly Kid Gleason
started his big league career in
blaze of glory, even though defeat
| was his portion.
| The introduction of that opening
National League game in Philadelphia
| thirty-two years ago contains some
| gems of old-time baseball literature
| and shows what a game fight Gleason
put up to win his first big league
| game. The Introduction, as sent out
from Philadelphia, follows:
| Mun Decided Victory.
/ The visitors pitted their $4,000
| battery against little Gleason in the
opening game here today. and even
at that would not have won but for
a mufr by Clements. The conditions
for a good game were not favorable.
, as the weather was cold and the
grounds soft and slippery. Never
theless about 1900 witnessed a game
! which proved to be close and eGcit-
ing.
"Clarkson pitched with great effect
in the first five innings, not hit be-
ing made off him. In the sixth he
was found for a homer and two
doubles. but in the remaining three
| innings only two hits were secured by
the Phillies.
| "Gleason was in the box for the
home club, and barring the nervous
ness inseparable from a novice's first
! appearance, he did very well. John
| ston's single and Browns double gave
| the. Bostons a run in the second in
ming. They won the game in the sew
cnth, when Clarkson was sent to base
on balls, but was retired at second on
| Kelly's hit to Gleason. Wise made
scratch to left; Sutton followed and
Kelly started for home Wood threw
to Mulvey, who in turn fired it home.
Clements let the ball go by him and
both Kelly and Wise scored. Sutton
| going to third. The latter counted on
Nash's out.
kelly deliberately attempted to
balk Farrar in the fourth. but failed.
He was declared out for interference"
keIly's Running Counts.
There you have the story of Glea-
sons first major league defeat. 1t
was the great base-running of Kelly.
the Cobb of his time, which sent down
the Phillies for the count. He always
was willing to take chance, and
gambled on the possibility Of the op-
posing fielders throwing the ball
away to stop his mad dashes around
the bases.
Evidently the Bostons gave Gleason
| enough to do in that game in field
ing way, as he had thirteen fielding
| chances, of which he accepted eigh.
The kid and Clements, his catcher.
| made eight tne nine
| errors. Boston also made nine errors,
making eighteen for the Afternoon.
Quite a butter-fingered session. If
any teams made eighteen errors in
an opening game they'd probably
have some harsh words about 1t IN
the Introduction.
What "reminiscences Of the past that
first box score of Gleasons brings up.
Sid Farrar, the first baseman of tho
Phillies, then was papa to pretty,
sweet voiced, black haired little
daughter, who answered to the name
Of GERRY" Jerry grew up to be Ger
aldine Farrar. the famous opera sim
ger.
Only Two Arc Active.
OF the players in that opening
game only Gleason and Arthur Irwin
still are active in baseball. Irwin,
who later managed the Phillies and
Giants and was scout for years for
the Yankees, managed the Rochester
lInternationals last season.
Old Joe Hornung, left fielder OF
L. n