Norwich bulletin., 1922-04-15
4 Remarkable Career.

Al--1u CoHstsH--nc Auson occupied a unique pos uon n the bistory of Amerl- can baseball lis smoud career began wlth tAs period which marked the birth -f the professional bal player and closed after thc professional league and game was firmly established as an American institution To the present day fan he was Pop Anson, a player Of the past, surrounded with a maze of legendary 9sse5aI deeds and records. To those Of lis generation he. was Captain Auson the greatest player Of them all; the fore rIrre- aud-peer of Dan Brothers. Roger Conner. Pat Tebeau. Jiggs DoEahue, DaP NeTSln. Frank Chance. Hal Chase, Jake paubert and others who have made base ball history at first base
 Tn the enabry onic days of the game. during tLs late 60s. when baseball was smersiUg from the stage Of 'rounders' .1 tsc fuller development CT 8 scientific rontest- Anson made his appearance as player while still in his teens at Mar saaiitown. Iowa. Tall. lanky and lacking The physical development Of later years. he stood out as player of unusual cali brc ir the town teams Of that period. be- Ing known as the Marsha ltown Infant"
 HIS fame as a batter and fielder spread -sp.dly- In 1871 Auson was playing third
 
 1'i. the team made famous by the pitch Ing oc A. c. Spaldlug few years prevl- GUS. The leading clubs Of those days occupied the same position of the higher class semi profess-oD teams of the present. Expenses, lucrative positions and portions of the gate receipts found their way to the players. It was there fore but a step 10 professional bail which Ans0l took with his teammates late in 1871 when the National Association Of Professional Players was founded. Two Fears later he joined the Athletics of Philadelphia and iH 1875 Anson signed E-th the Chicago club Of the newly form sd National League of Professional Base. ball Cluhs. With the birth Of the Ma aoHal league, Anson rose to baseball playing heights seldom reached by play CTS os the past or present.
 Under his managerial guidance the Chi .ago club won penuants in l8sO-1-2 and again in lSs5-6. From 1876 to 1897, with The exception of two years. Anson oatted over 800, his highest average be- Ing -n 1887 when he registered .421. During this period of % years his grand batting average was .34s. and he led the National league six years and was sec 9nd or third many other seasons. In the ie.d his record was equally brilliant. For t.N years he was accorded first place among the first basemen, his fielding av- craze ranging from -esS to .974.
 Ansou was described during the hey day of his baseball career as the most perfect player of the age. Over six feet in height. and weighing 1g5 pounds in condition. he was a lightning fast fielder and base runner. and batted with tre- rncndous power. AS a manager he was "a strict disciplinarian. demanding abso- iute obedience and temperate habits in his players.
 Anson made two trips znroad as an American baseball player. In 1874 he was a member Of the American team which toured England playing both base bah and cricket. The team knew little CT nothing Of cricket, but their terrific batting offset their other playing defects and thev won every cricket game played. he ud-rlg a victory over Inc famous Mary .ebone Al-Engi sh eleven by inc score O; 1o7 70 1o5 runs. In 1883 he toured the world with the National league players party. which included John K Tene-, now president Of the Na- tional league, A c. SpaidinE. John NJ Ward. Ed Harlon and many other noted players of the day.
 After Auson's retirement from basehai !, he opened a billiard hall in Chicago and later entered the political field. He was ect@d city clerk for one term but failed CT reelection. Tn 1s0s-10 he managed semi professional team and toured the country. but all these -Tentures were faaul,-z- failures. He was more stiecess- ill % a vaudeville monolugue act in Ulcl he appeared in later wears