Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-03-29
Larry Mclean Was
OLCn Worst Enemy;
Career O. Varied One
His Laughs at Discipline Cost
Him job, and, Finally,
Life.

NEW YORK. March 29.-Larry Nc
Lean, killed in saloon brawl in Bos-
ton recently, was a quaint character.
The old saying, "he was his own worst
enemy" only too often true Of men In
the sport game, applies in his case.
Everybody who knew Larry liked him.
and only his weakness for the merry
go-rOund of life prevented him from
being the greatest catcher ever produced
by the game Of baseball.
At that I$&t hearted and frivolous
and rarely taking baseball as a serious
business. Mclean was regarded as one
Of the best backstops of his day. He
was a wise man in behind the willows,
and few could break up plays in the po-
sition better than Larry.
He was big man, perhaps the tallest
catcher ever in the big leagues. and
Weighing wen over 200 pounds. He had
a splendid arm. and could hand the bail
out over the batsman's head down to
second base with marvellous facility.
HIT 800 IN
WORLD SERIES.
Furthermore, Mclean was a natural
hitter. In the worlds series OF 1913,
when the Giants faced the Athletics all
shot to pieces. Mclean took Chief Myers
place behind the bat, played errOrless bail
and hit 500.
1t was after that series that the other
members of the Giants. cutting up their
money. failed to include Mclean for
more than a pittance in view Of his work
and broke the big fellows heart.
Mclean made his big lea que reputa-
ton with the Cincinnati Reds. long be-
fore he came to the Giants He came to
New York late in the season Of 1913. and
il was because Of his short term here that
year that the other players did not think
he was entitled to a full share Of the
series money.
III Il T.
Teton, n. H, and started playing ball
at the Washington Grammar School at
Cambridge, Mass. He also attended the
Cambridge Manual Training School
finally graduating from there. In 1899
he played first base for the Newton team
of Cambridge.
In 1900 he went to his home town
Fredericton. and managed the ball club
] ohns club OF New Brunswick. Next he
Was signed as an extra catcher for the
Boston Red SOX. Needing more expe-
rience. he was sent to manage and catch
for the Halifax club of the Nova Scotia
League. remaining there until 1872.
CUB SCOUT FIRST
FOUND HIM.
In 1908 he went to the Nashua club Of
the New England League. Jake Morse,
scouting for the Chicago Cubs, saw lin
and signed him. Mclean did not hear
any more from the Chicago CLUB after
and put on first base.
The Cubs heard of him there and
claimed him, then sent him to St Louis
in a trade with Jack Taylor for Nor
decai Brown and Jack O'Nein The
Cardinals shipped him to Portland,
where he remained until 1907. The Reds
then bought him, kept him until the
winter Of 1912, when he was traded to
st. Louis again.
In 1913 McGraw traded Otey Crandau
to the Cards for Mclean, and for
couple OF years the big fellow figured
as McCraw's sRcond string pitcher.
With the Gtsnts. Mclean behaved we'll
for time, then commenced to cause
McGraw trouble. He was not vicious
fellow Ia any sense. He was always good
natured. and joking and took life gen
orally SIS a big laugh, but club discipline
meant little to him.
ROW WITH MeGRAW
CAUSED RELEASE.
Finally McGraw cut him adrift In st.
Louis and one hot summer night Mclean
appeared with a number OF companions,
at the Hotel Buckingham, where Nc
Graw, Dick Kinsella, his scout, and
others were sitting out in the courtyard.
Mclean seemed to have some grievance
against both McGraw and Kensella, and
started a row with them that ended his
ca reer with the Giants for good
He was around New York for q time,
then appeared in the moving pictures.
He seemed to be doing well, and several
managers wanted to give him another
apparently had no great desire to resume
baseball.
In February, 1913. Mclean had a row
in a poolrOom in Cincinnati In which his
arm was broken, but on that occasion he
was trying to act as peacemaker. In
these days-of inflated baseball values a
Larry Mclean would be worth $4,000 to
any ball club.