The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-11
Frank Bancroft Is
 Leauing Baseball
 With Great Record
By JAMES J. CORBETT

Frank Bancroft has quit baseball, after nearly 50 years spent in glorifying it and bringing it from nothingness to the most wonderful sport in the world.
 In the far back days, soon after he was mustered out of service from the Civil war, Bancroft jumped into base ball harness, and he never doffed it un- til the other day when he announced:
 I'm getting little old now, and l find that active participation in base balls affairs is a little too strenuous for me So I'm quitting as business manager of the Reds, and henceforth I'll be just a fan"
 Bancroft, nearing his seventy-fifth birthday, has seen baseball through all the stages of it's remarkable develop ment; has watched it grow, and helped it to grow, from the pastime of few to the sport of millions. And through all those years Bancroft has been one of the dominating factors in it's growth.
 IS WAR VETERAN
 The veteran was born in Lancaster, Mass, in 1S46, enlisted for war service in 1861, served throughount and after the conflict was done, opened hotel in New Bedford, Mass, and became inter- ested in baseball as diversion. Soon his love for the game overbalanced any thought he might have of national suc-
 
 hostelry to become baseball player and leader.
 Fannie" recruite1 and managed the team which represented New Bedford in 1877, just A seasons ago. which was an era before the birth of the majority of the fans of today. His club won pen- nant and two years later "Bannie' was cester, Mass, Club. He remained as the team leader there for two sasons ana numbered among his stars Jim Mutrie, Harry Stovey. who established the worlds record for base stealing; Arthur Irwin, J. Lee Raymond the great pitcher of long ago; Al Bushong and Charlie Bennett, one of the greatest catchers that ever lived.
 GOES TO DETROIT The fame which Bancroft achieved there caused demand for his services. and Bancroft became manager of the Michigan city aggregation through the 1881 season. A year later he went to Cleveland and moved along to Provi- dence in 1SS4-each time at an increased salary. It was while withsthe latter cluo that Bancroft won the first world s championship history.
 Providence annexed the pennant that year and was challenged to a match by the New York club. known as the Met ropolitan, which had won the title in the American association. Bancroft took his team to New York. sent them against the Mets-and Providence won all three games, to 0. to l, Il to ?.
 Bancroft remained with Providence through 1885 and 1SS6 went to Philadel- phia in 1887 and shifted to Indianapolis in 1889. He didn't do any managing in 1890 which was the year of the broth erhood war, but got back again in 1891 when the strife was over as business manager of the Cincinnati club of the American association. The following year he switched over to the Cincinnati club of the National league and became it's business manager-and held that job un- til his retirement the other day.
 The veteran has had much to do witt, planting the baseball seed in foreign soil He took a club in Cuba in 1879 and gave the islanders their first view of baseball. which is now so popular there
 He again "barnstormed' in Cuba many years later and in 1913 took a group of stars to Honolulu
 My only regret comments Bancroft with his passing. lis that I can't re- main young indefinitely so that could remain active in the game that love and which has become part of me. I guess it'll be tough being out of base ball. but can't stand the gaff any more-and I'm passing out so soma younger man can take my place. Copyright. 1921. by King Features Syn
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