The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-08-15
(By Associatea PRESS

CHICAGO, Aug. 15.-"The Grand
Old Roman" 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 one
OF the greatest baseball clubs in pro-
fesslonal ranks, Mr.. Comiskey, after
wrecking his machine following the
world series disclosures oil 1919, to-
day sees his reconstructed team fight
ing in the first division.
Picked by experts from coast to
coast this yea as a poor second di-
vision club the White Sox have pro-
vided n of the greatest surprises of
the season. The club after getting
away to a poor start, suddenly started
its climb toward the top of the league,
and on June 16, the White Sox we're
intrenched in the third place. The
club recently went into a batting
slump but again has struck its stride.
Wrecked Club
Mr.. Comiskey upset the baseball
world in the fall of 1920 when he
wrecked his baseball club following
Ni5SAOoUA co III 1nS the 1919
worlds series games to the Cincinnati
club. At that time the Old Roman
suspended seven of his star players
Jackson, Cicotte, Williams, Felsch,
Weaver, Risberg and McMullin =
thereby wrecking the club to the ex
tent of n million dollars or more.
Not discouraged by the terrible loss,
Mr.. 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 coun-
try and gathered every promising
player he could into the fold.
n of his moves was the acquisi-
ton of the entire infield of the Salt
Lake City club of the Pacific Coast
league, with the exception of the sec
Sond baseman. These were Ernie John
son, Eddie Mulligan and Earl Shelly.
They fitted in we'll with Eddie Collins
captain of the White Sox, who was
one of the players who remained 10y
al to the Old Roman. This year the
club is virtually the same as last
season, with the exception that a few
promising young pitchers have been
added to the roster.
Startled Ball World
Recently Mr.. Comiskey startled the
baseball world, with the announce.
ment that he had bought Willie
Kamm, sensational third baseman oil
the San Francisco club for S100,0 900
Kamm will report in 1923.
"Commy" was born August Is, 1858
He played ball when he was seven,
teen years of age. He at one time
was a pitcher for the Elgin, Ill. club;
later he played third base and first
base, but as a first baseman he had
no superior in his day. He is the only
pitcher who has risen from the ranks
to be sole owner of a major league
ball club.
Comiskey's real baseball career be
gan in 1878 with the Dubuque, Iowa
team. In 1882 he Joined the st. Louis
Browns, then in the American Associa
ton, and in 1888 he was made mana
ger of the team. In 1S85-1SS6 the
Browns, with Comiskey at the helm
defeated the Chicago White Stockings
for the championship of the world.
Baseball Career
Comiskey remained with st. Louis
until 1890 when he took charge O
the Players League Club in Chicago
He returned to st. Louis in 1891 anC
in 1892 went to Cincinnati where ht
managed the Reds until 1895. During
that period in Cincinnati he met Bal
B. Johnson, a newspaperman, and tht
two became fast friends. In 189;
"Commy' placed a Western League
team in st. Paul and in 1900 he trans