Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-08-15
C0M|SKEY HAS
GATH BIRTHDAY
"Grand Old Roman" of Chi.
cago White Sox Celebrates
Birthday Today

CHICAGO, Aug. Is (By The Asso-
ciated Press).-"The Grand Old Ro-
man. today is celebrating his sixty
fourth birthday.
He is Charles Albert Comiskey,
president and owner of the Chicago
White Sox, and one of the greatest
men in baseball. Builder Of what
was considered in years gone by n
of the greatest baseball clubs in
professional ranks, Mr.. Comiskey,
after wrecking his machine follow
ing the world series disclosures of
1919, to.lay sees his reconstructed
team again fighting in the first divi-
sion.
Picked by experts from coast to
coast this year as a poor second di-
vision club the White Sox have pro-
| vided one of the greatest surprises
of the season. The club after get
ting away to a poor start, suddenly
started it's climb toward the top of
the league, and on June 16, the
White Sox were intrenched in third
place. The club recently went into
a batting slump but again has struck
it's stride.
Mr.. Comiskey upset the baseball
world in the fall of 1920 when he
wrecked his baseball club following
disclosures of throwing the 1919 Sc
ries games to the Cincinnati club.
At that time the Old Roman sus-
pended seven Of his star players
Jackson, Cicotte, Williams, Felsch.
Weaver, Risberg and McMullin-
thereby wrecking the club to the ex-
tent of one million or more.
Not discouraged by the terrible
loss, MI. Comiskey set about at once
to build another baseball club. He
tried to buy star players from other
clubs in his league but with little
success. He sent scouts to all parts
of the country and gathered every
promising player he could into the
fold.
One of his moves was the acqui-
sition of the entire inield of the
Salt Lake City Club of the Pacific
Coast League. with the exception
of the second baseman. These were
Ernie Johnson, Eddie Mulligan and
with Eddie Collins, captain Of the
White Sox, who was one Of the
players who remained loyal to the
Old Roman. This year the club is
virtually the same as last season,
with the exception that a few pSom-
Using young pitchers have been add
ed to the roster.
Recently Mr.. Comiskey startled
the baseball world with the an
nouncement that he haN bought
Willie Kamm. sensational third
baseman of the San Francisco club,
for 100000. Kamm will report in
1928.
"Commy" was born August Is.
1858. He played ball when he was
seventeen years of age. He at n
&s~z- -.fzIA Co.. L% Ll~s,,
ILL.,, club; later he played third base
and first base. but as a first base
mar he had nc superior in his day.
He Is the only pitcher who has
risen from the ranks to be sole own
err of a major league ball club.
Comiskey's real baseball career
began in 1878 with the Dubuque,
Iowa, team. In 1882 he Joined the
st. Louis Browns, then in the Amer
lean Association, and in 1888 he
was mado manager of the team. In
1SS5-1886 the Browns, with Comis-
key at the helm. defeated the Chi
cago White Stockings for the cham
pionship of the world.
Comiskey remained with st. Louis
until 1890 when he took charge of
the Players League Club in Chicago.
He returned to st. Louis in 1891 and
Ill 1919 tNChl W Siitiliildtl WhClO
he managed the Reds until 1895.
During that period in Cincinnati he
met Ban B. Johnson, a newspaper
man, and the two became fast
friends. In 1895 "Commy" placed
a Western League team in st. Paul
and in 1900 he transferred the fran
chise to Chicago. where with the aid
of Mr.. Johnson. the Western League
was expanded and became known
as the American League with Mr..
Johnson at its head.
Under Mr.. Comiskey's ownership
the Chicago White Sox. as his team
became known. has won two worlds
championships, lost one and annex
ed five American/League champion
ships.
In the winter of 1913-1914 he and
Manager John McGraw of the New
York Giants financed a tour around
the world with a large number OF
ball players. playing the national
pastime in Australia, Japan, in Man
liza and London, where King Ed
ward vas an interested spectator.
and in nan other places. The re-
ceptions given the world tourists
upon their return to New York and
in Chicago were imposing events.