The Washington times., 1920-02-02
COLLINS HAD AN ALIAS
FOR HIS DEBUT BATTLE
By FREDERICK G. LIER.

As the Athletics took their infield
practice on the old South Side Park,
Chicago, on this September day,
1906, the Sox fans were amused at
the cspers Of = kid Of tender years
who pranced around the short field
for the Philadelphia Athletics.
Apparently he was one of those
kids who like to fool around with big
leaguers and are tolerated by the ma
jor athletes only because they come
in handy in shagging balls that get
away from the real players. and then
there always is lots of fun when one
of these ambitious youths takes a
hot liner on his meat hand, or a
wicked grasscutter on the shins.
But this boy had on a real uniform
of the Athletics. American League
champions, besides no one else was
practicing at short, and despite his
light build he was stopping every.
thing knocked down his way and
worked smoothly at second with
Davey shean.
And then the game got underway.
When tho Athletics took the neld In
the second half OF the FIRST inning
this kid actually was playing short
He was nineteen. but didn't look
much more than fifteen. His uniform,
was built for a bigger man and made
the boy look simmer. Was Connie
Mack playing a joke on the Sox fans?
who's that kid at short for the
Athletics?" asked the fans, and ao-
body knew.
r;oayI, 81. cu>rv ~s. taken down
to the Chicago press stand.
"a kid by the name OF Sullivan.
Nobody seems to know much about
him." came the response.
Well. that made IL a little better.
Sullivan is 4 pretty good name on the
South Side OF Chicago. so perhaps the
boy deserved a little announcement.
He wasn't the mark, either. that the
fans or the Chicago players expected
He was so frail that II looked as
though stiff grounder would bowl
him over, but after an eleven-innine
game was over little sullivan had
two putouts and four assists in six
chances, while he got to Ed Walsh
for u single and . sacrifice.
What queer turns baseball fate does
take? Suppose on that nth day OF
September, 1905, one were TO nave
told Charley Comiskey, owner of the
soI. that eight years later he would
have bought that frail boy from the
Athletics for soc. 1000, pay him sn ad-
ditional bonus OF $4,000 for signing
a contract, and guarantee him a $780,
900 salary for five years. Why, Com
my would have sent hurry call for
the wagon.
For the little Sullivan Of 1915 is the
Eddie Collins OF today. regarded by
many as the greatest second bsseman
OF all time, even eclipsing the IA
famous Napoleon Lajoie.
There's An Inside story.
OF course, there IL an inside story
connected with Collins frst appearing
name of Sullivan. The previous spring
Eddie had bsen elected captain OF
the Columbia University team, and
II wouldn't do for the Columbia Ath-
letic Council to know that Eddie was
appearing for the Athletics.
'Tis true that Connie never paid
any princcly flsure to young recruits.
but Eddie got more than his car
fare out OF that trip to Chicago.
Collins had played summer ball un-
der different aliases, at Plattsburgh,
N. Y. Rutland, VT, and Rockville,
Conn. The athletic committee were
p.tts - =" ."oso osys III ''se' w
college ball players playing vacation
ball, but Eddie went bit too far
when he openly played with the Ath-
letics.
Somebody gave the Columbia ath-
lctic thorities the tip that sullivan
of the Athletics was Captain Collins,
of the Columbia team, so Eddie was
disoualined from playing for his dear
slma mater In his senior year, and
he had to wait until he got TO the
White soy in 1915 before he became
a team csptsin.
Collins. atlas sullivan, broke In
with the Athletics while they vers
making thcfr last western trip OF The