The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-03-08
BY FREDERICK G.. LIEB.

On the night of August 81, 1902, a
lean, understood lad in his late teens
left Troy, N. Y, bound for Philadel-
phia, where he had received instruc-
tons to report to Frank Selee's Chi
cago Cubs, who then were playing in
the town of Billy Penn.
After riding all night in a stuffy
smoker, the youngster arrived in
Philly on Labor Day morning. 1t
was the first time he ever had been
in a major league town.
He went down to- the Bingham
House, in Philadelphia, where the
Cubs were stopping and reported to
Selee. I'm the new infielder from
Troy" he announced.
The youngster weighed only 1o5
pounds and when the other Chicago
players learned that he had been en-
gagged to play an infield position they
didn't know whether to laugh or get
sore 1t wasn't very easy for a
youngster to break in those days.
but when a kid happened to be only
a numbered FOUNDER the shedding was
still tougher.
They had Labor Day parade In
Philadelphia on the morning of Sep
TENDER ]. 1902. and instead OF playing
the usual morning and afternoon
games a double header was put on in
the afternoon. When the Chicago
players dressed and got into the old
fashioned two-horse bus which was
to take them out to the park the vet
eran Cubs refused to let the rookie
ride in the bus with them, but made
him ride alone on top of the vehicle.
One may imagine the thoughts of this
boy as he bounced around on the roof
OF this bus, listening to the cruel
laughter OF the players inside.
He Sent Him TO short.
When the players lined up for prac-
tice. Selee sent the little fellow to
short. He overheard Jack Taylor. the
old-time pitcher, remark to the Cub
leader. you'll be held responsible IL
that kid gets hurt"
And then the little fellows jaw
snapped. He'd show these old birds
something. And he had quite a jaw
to snap. for the rookie We refer to
WAS Johnny J. Evers. Troy's most IA
nous citizen.
Evers never had seen a big league
ball player until that Labor Day aft
ernoon. He had a pretty bad case OF
butter fingers in his first big league
game but managed to get eight OF his
ten chances. At bat he made one hit,
drew a base on balls and struck out.
Doc White, the left-hander, who
later pitched for the White Sox while
Evers was at the height of his career
with the Cubs. was the first big
league pitcher that Johnny faced.
Dusty Rhoades. who later starred
with Cleveland in the American
League, was Chicago's pitcher in this
game In the second game of the
double-header Evers batted against
Chick Fraser. who later became a
member OF the Cubs.
II is interesting now 10 look back
to Evers first big league box score
and note that he broke in as a short.
stop. Joe Tinker played third base in
the same game. Later when Johnny
was moved over to second and Tinker
to short the combination became the
most famous in tho National League.
Wa. N Baseball Accident.
Evers really was baseball acci-
dent. The Cubs had scout up In
the New York State League. who was
sent 10 look up a Pitcher Hardy. Sc
lee then sent him a message that lie
needed an inhelder Immediately, so
he sent him the nineteen year-old
Kid. Evers.
Johnnies start with the Cubs