Evening star., 1922-02-02

Instances have occurred in p-ofes-
sional base ball. however. where
players were secretly signed to con-
tracts before they were through their
college terms and actually played
base ball for their colleges when they
were under contract to play with a
professional base ball nine following
the expiration Of their college year
Technically ProfessfonaIs.
Technically they were professionals
while playing with their college
teams. Whenever a player has been
forced to acknowledge that he had a
professional agreement while playing
for his alma mater. there has been
bitter criticism of player and some
times Of the professional team. al
though the latter merely followed its
avowed purpose of getting talent
wherever it might be found
The disclosures at Illinois and Nofrs
Dame will make base ball scouts very
chary for a while about holding out
Inducements to college men. and also
Ing to talk base ball until they are
through with their student life
Statements have been made that
both Conlon Of Harvard and Adrich
Of Yale have been approached by pro-
fessional base ball. but that both men
declined to discuss the subject 1t
also is asserted that players Of Holy
cross have been informed that places
could be found for them in the pro-
fessional teams if they decided that
they would like to follow the diamond
for while after they were through
with college.
Certain college coaches have CO.
operated with professional base ball
clubs in finding places for men who
have been under their charge, and in
New England there are men who have
followed a policy for years of trying
to tie up college men to contracts by
which they agree to place the stu
dents with professional teams after
graduation OF after the student has
given up college for good.
One OF the young pitchers who has
been signed by the Giants without
much preliminary publicity has a
name that sounds like a watchman's
rattle i Rachac. He pitched up in
Vancouver last year. The fans who
live on this side of the Canadian
Rockies know precious little about
him, but up where he comes from
there are confident men who think he
will be an iron man for New York one
of these days.
Occasionally in the games in which
he took part in 1921 he pitched base
ball So out of the ordinary that old
timers in that part of the world be-
lieve he has it in him to become great.
If you find it impossible to pronounce
his name satisfactorily drop a dish on
the kitchen floor and let that stand
for it. But if he is as good as the
Canadians think he is, watch him
when he gets going about 1928.
Connie Mack seems to be the only
manager who is having trouble in
signing his young players On the
New York teams the youngsters are
coming in first of all. evidently figur-
ing that they will get a trip to New
York out of the spring show if they
get nothing else. That always has
been factor in bringing youngsters
to the Giants and the Yankees. The
boys who are far away from the
bright lights and never have seen
them will take chance on any old
contract which happens to come from
New York. because they are looking
forward to a visit to the big city for
the first time in their lives. 1t is also
true that, as they expect to be sent
away to a minor league to improve,
they prefer to be sent by New York
on the chance of getting back again
to New York. So the metropolis has
1t on the thirteen other clubs of the
league in other ways than mere size
New York in more ways than one.
There are old players who prefer
Brooklyn to any city in the United
States, and its proximity to Coney
Island is the reason.
fCopyright 1927