The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-26
eY FREDERICK G. LIEs.

IN the laJe summer OF 1891 UIlBnl
eyed, rosy checked youngster alighted
from a sullivan" at the B.. & o.
station in Baltimore, and asked to be
shown where the Baltimore Orioles
played ball
Most Of the older players, took the
kid as quite a joke when he reported
to Manager Barnie. He then was only
IS years old, about feet 5 inches tall,
and weighed 1875 pounds. But Barnie's
team was in sad rut and even kid
could do no worse than the men he
had clubbing around his infield
The youngster was a firebrand, and
he could give as good as he got as
the older Orioles who tried to play
horse with him soon discovered. The
boy could let loose quite a brand of
conversation when the occasion demand
ed. The boy grew up to manhood. and
nobody ever has been able to keep him
from having his say Reference is made
Vice-president Of the New York Giants,
and the only National league manager
who ever brought home six champion
ships
Like his old chums, WiIbert Robinson.
Jennings and Griffith, McGraw got his
big league start in the old American
ASSOCIATE but just a short spell be-
fore the association combined with the
National league in the formation of a
12-club circuit.
Mack's Start.
McGraw got his big league start in
a game with the Columbus team played
on Aug 26 1891, and he evidently
brought the Orioles luck. Baltimore
had won only one game out of its last
seven up to the time McGraW was in
sorted in the Oriole lineup and the Bal
tmores won the game by score OF
6 to 5.
Though McGraw played his greatest
big league ball at third base, he broke
into the big leagues as second ba ->nan.
The youngster had a real successful, de-
but, as he made a hit and scored run
and accepted five out of six chances.
Wilbert Robinson, the present man
ager of the Brooklyns. caught and bat
ted seventh on the team with which
McGraw broke in. However, McGraw
and Robby were the only players in
Baltimores lineup that day who starred
on the famous Oriole, National league
champions of 1894. 1895 and 1896.
How many fans can go back and pic
ture what this pair looked like on that
August afternoon 20 years ago? Be
tween them Robby and McGraw now
weigh close to 500 pounds, but Robinson
then was lean, 1.-THE athlete who prid
ed himself on being baseball's fastest
catcher, and McGraw, no bigger thar
that oft-quoted bag of peanuts, was
Just a bundle of nerves, little flash
which tore all over the infield and never
came to nostion of renose,
Rose Rapidly.
McGraw,s rise to fame was rapid
Born in Truxton. n Y. on April Z
1878 MCGraw got his first professional
start at the age of II with the old clean
club of the New York and Pennsylvania
very strong right arm in his OPENING
game he succeeded in winning thu
third base job.
He was so tiny that it was impossi-
BILE to find a uniform that would iii
him, but one of the larger ones was
pinned up around him, making a rath-
err SETTLING garment. According t.
McGraw's own story of his first game
with Olean the crowd looked as big as
if all of New York state had packed
the Olean park that afternoon. The
first ball hit in the game came bound
ing down to third base and little John.
ny made a neat pickup.
He looked up and the first basemar
appeared m be in tina next county souu
miles away. 1t would take powerful
throw to get the ball over there, Sc
Mac" threw just as hard as he could
The ball sailed yards over the frs
basemans head, Several more wen
over the first baseman's knob before
the entertainment was over, but Nc
G1aw wasn't the kind to be discour,
aged He stuck!
The next season found McGraw will
the Cedar Rapids club of Iliinois-Iowa
league. one Of McGraw's teammates
on that Iowa club was Hennery Fa.
Lian, the Polo grounds groundkeeper
who then was an outfielder.
McGraw went so good in Cedar Rap
ids that he was purchased by the ORR,
oles of the American association il
August, 1891. His first big league con,
tract called for 81, 200 per annum. Hi,
present contract with the Giants call!
for $50 600, and he's a stakeholder be,
sides. But then the cost Of living has
gone up!
The merger Of the American associa.