The New York herald., 1922-07-30


as Beauty" but he lays no claim
to an extraordinary share Of pulchri-
tude. In fact he's a sort of grim
visaged birds this man Bancroft
grim because he plays too hard to
smile. When he came to the Phillies
from Portland Of the Pacific Coast
League he brought with him habit
of shouting Beauty" every time his
pitcher sent over a good looking ball.
That's the history of the Beauty"
handle. He's no Wallace Reid, but
better still, he's fine chap--a hale
fellow well met, on the square and
giving his very best every minute.
David James was 30 years old last
April-and that's giving away no, family
secret. You may find the date in the
record book He first saw the light OF
day as they say in the biographies OF
famous men, in Sioux City. Ia, on
April 20, 1892, but he seems to have
lived down that Sioux City part of MS
history. At the age of he took off
his right shoe and hurled a curve right
into Father Bancroft's face. whereupon
Bancroft senior howled with delight:
"A born bali player. by jimminy!" And
Bancroft senior was right.
Singing Is His Vice.
While developing his baseball talents
in later years Bancroft also developed
his greatest vice-a choir boy colorado
maduro. On the field Bannie looks as
serious as a Judge. but off the diamond
ne is likely to break into song on the
least provocation. He's not bad sort
OF chorister and makes fair quartet
rvffb Eriqch Kp1lv and Causey
One of the outstanding qualities Of
Bancroft's work Is his grit. He Is a
scrapper and he scraps hardest when
the odds look greatest against his club.
Had Bannie not possessed 80 great a
share of gameness he probably would
have retired from baseball in the spring
OF 1921. During the winter of 1920-192l he
developed a nervous trouble which re-
duced his weight to rs pounds and left
him as weak as a babe.
Some OF the doctors whom he con-
suited advised him to lay off. to take a
years vacation. They told him to stay
away from San Antonio, where the
Giants were training. But Bannie was
determined not to give up. He reported
at the camp and gradually got himself
into condition. Last season his fielding
and hitting were very important features
of the rise of the Giants to a pennant
and then world championship.
A Tribute From McGraw. :
HIS fielding broke the hearts OF the
Pirates I'm that memorable series In
which they were cleaned up for five
strnight--the series which started the
New Yorks toward the flag. After one
of the games in that series John McGraw
calculated, Boys, I've seen shortstops
ir my day, but that man Bancroft beats
them ALL"
Bancroft never hit 800 before he came
TO the Giants. In 1920, after he had
been traded by the Phillies to theh
Giants for Fletcher. Hubbell and large
wad OF money, Bannie began to profit
by McGraw's instruction and rose
toward the charmed circle. He hit the
800 mark for a spell and then slid down
a peg. He closed the season with an
average OF 299.
In 1921, his first full season with the
New York club, Bancroft, In spite of
his early illness. rose to the highest
hitting percentage of his career. He
hammered the ball harder than ever be-
fore--for mark of .319-and stole
seventeen bases in a year OF negligible
stealing. The boys were too busy soak
ing the pill to bother about stealing
bags and Frisch's 40 were sufficient to
win for him the league championship.
Hitting His Hardest Now.
Now Bancroft is hitting even harder
than he did last year. He Is getting his
blows with regularity, and getting them
in ,the right places. He aims to Guido
that .319 OF 1921, and there IL every
reason 10 believe that he will succeed.
Bancroft is one of those rare turn
about hitters whose turning about has
no effect on his batting average. He
throws right handed. but he hits from
both sides OF the plate, according to the
nature Of the pitcher. This sort OF In
jects a bit OF the left handler into
Bannie's makeup.
The story OF Bancrofts appointment
as captain of the Giants ~ a rather
interesting one II happened in the
South I'm the spring OF 1921. AT Jackson.
Tenn. while the Giants were playing
the Senator'S an argument arose and II
waved hot. Where does that bird Nc
Bride get of with that ncnsense? p
shouted Bancroft to McGraw. Some
body ought TO go out there and show
him up"
"Well. why don't you 70 out there
and tell him?' replied the Giants man
ager. You are the captain OF this
club
That was McGraw's officiai announce
ment OF his appointment, and bancroft.
with n smile. ran out TO do his new
duty for the first time.
Eithth Season I'm National.
This is Bancroft's eighth season in tho
ymajor lea gues--all spent I'm the National
five and a half with Philadelphia. lie
began to play the game in semi-pro-
fessional league up In North Dakota In
1908. and the next season saw him with
Duluth In the Minnesota Wisconsin
League. He was hitting extra hard
and Duluth let him go to Superior---a
change OF scene which brought Bannie
a wife and n new born ambition 20 rise
to the top In the game. IL was in Su-
perior that he met Mrs. Bancroft, and II
was there they were married eleven
years ago.
He proved big success with Superior.
hitting for 267 In 1910 and .273 In 1911.
began 10 hover in his vicinity and then
League. Portland OF the Pacific Coast
League took him on, and he began 20
decorate the bench.
One day early in the 1912 campaign
the Portland shortstop was injured and
Walter McCredie looked over the bench
for a substitute. Hey. you. Bancroft.
get out there and earn your dinner -
the spendthrift shouted--and Bannie
was Off on his career When the regu-
Lar ehortstop recovered he found himself
out OF job. Bancroft was In there 20
stay.