The New York herald., 1922-07-23
Fielded Brilliantly and Stole
Three Bases in Debut as
Giant.
FATHER AGAINST GAME
Frank Had to Overcome Pa
rental Opposition to Sign
With McGraw in 1919.
BY DANIEL,

This open faced yarn which We are
about to spin is admittedly. avowedly
and frankly all about one Frank
Frisch-stellar infielder, hard hitter
and champion base stealer, blusher and
self-deprecator of the National League.
1t would he justified even If only on
the ground that Frsch is the only ma
tive New Yorker on the Giants-one
of the very few major leaguers play
ing on club representing his home
city. He's rare bird this boy Francis
Frisch also is one of the very few
collegians who ever made the jump
from varsity right into big league
berth, and made good Eddie Collins
also turned that trick. and so did Jack
Coombs. Fred Tenney and Jack Barry,
but the ranks of the elect are sparse.
Frisch leaped straight from Fordham
College into the infield of the Giants
and nobody ever made a more ,sensa-
tional jump in baseball
Frisch was quite an athlete up at
Fordham. He was known more for his
work as football back than for his
ability to gobble up bounders on
diamond and line out drives. He also
was bit OF a quarter miller In 1919
ne gave baseball more attention than he
had been devoting to it and the first
thing he knew the scouts were following
him around. frankie went down to Bal
tithore with the Fordhain nine and made
Ave hits in row against the Orioles
Dunn begged Him to Sign.
Jack Dunn chased him all the way
into the clubhouse AMI begged him to
sign contract Frankie refused. I'm
sorry Jack like you and like base
ball. But l don't think / am good
enough for the International League.
Besides. my father wants me in his
linen business. Sorry can't oblige''
So Frank headed back for New York.
few more games with Fordham to
close brilliant career as a eollegian,
and, he thought, for the linen business,
Pater Frisch was obdurate about that
Baseball. BAIL Also bosh !" shouted
the father of the Frisch family up In
The Bronx when Frank had the temerity
to insinuate that he might enjoy a
short vacation taking a fling at the pro-
fessional game, the lure of which is
Frisch kept playing great ball with
Fordham. and when the college season
closed Arthur Devlin. the old Clan. third
baseman, who was coaching the Bronx
nine. came to Frank and said Say,
how would you like to play for me down
in Norfolk in the Virginia League? ?
Just got the Job as manager down there
and you would be whirlwind in that
set
Frank thought 1t over. He went back
to the Frisch home in The Bronx and
again insinuated that he might like a
little professional baseball as an ap-
petizer for the linen business. The look
which Frisch Senior hurled at his
young hopeful squelched him without
any further debate.
Resigned TO Trade.
That night Frank went to bed re-
signed to a career in the wholesale
handling of Irish linen and Madeira
work, whatever that is-pilow cases
and bed spreads and table cloths. He
dreamed about ball game on big
Irish linen diamond on which he could
not get grounder to save his life and
on which he slddded like a novice on the
ice.
a The happenings of the next day
changed Frischs career, his fathers
mind and perhaps the destines OF the
Giants. On getting word from Franks
that he could not so to Norfolk Devlir
went to McGraw and spilled something
like this, Say John, l know young
infelder who is another Eddie Collins
He's all there and l want you to tall
him into getting trial with you.'
'Who is this bird--this second Col
lins?" McGraw asked with smile. HI
had heard about these "Collinses" Tins
and again and had seen only too man,
boomers. Bring him around"
1t wasn't so easy to bring this SECOND
Collins around to the Polo Grounds
This was something new--a collegiar
shying at trial with the Giants
Finally Frisch was persuaded to repor
tc McGraw-and 1t did not take Johr
Joseph long TO decide that he wanted
that young mans name at the bottom o.
New York contract.
signs with the Giants.
That was something elise again." too
That old linen business still loomed a.
formidable barrier. But when Friscl
pater heard the name Of the Giants
he yielded bit. This was not Balti
more-or Norfolk. frankie followed vi
his advantage nobly and before the da,
was out had got consent to sign will
the New Yorks-"only for the summer
and mind. the linen business in tn,
fall.'
That was in July Frisch worked
mornings at the Polo Grounds and gam
boiled on the green before games. 'Wh'
is that streaky kid?' the fans began t
Ashland 1t was not long before the,
got a striking introduction to the "Kid.'
Came the Reds in August for a rec
hot series. The Reds were leading ans
there were three double headers I'm
row with the Giants straining to over
take the surprising Cincinnati outfit
which eventually won the pennant an,
got into that much talked about worl,
series with the White Sox. In th'
second game on the first day Larr,
Doyle strained his back and Mc0rav
sent AL Baird to second base.
Goes In mt Second.
on the second day McGraw surprise,
everybody by sending Frisch, the un
~~s~d collegian, to second, This was
.ytrangc move In 40 important series
But Frisch made good sensationally
He handled thirteen chances that da.
cleanry. flashily. He moved over int
Chase's territory to take balls whcl
Hal thought were his.
Frank drove out hit In each game
lvxt tIn AZ d