The New York herald., 1922-10-07
Story of Giants Victory
Written 1000 Years Ago
Mr.. Vergi Wrote They Can Because They Think They
Can and He Displayed Rare Foresight-Scot
Came to McGraw Stone Broke
BY EDWIN c. HILL.

1t is interesting to reflect that the
story of the Giants victory was writ
ten 1000 years ago. A young fellow
who was versifying elegantly around
Rome in those days wrote with stylus
upon tablet of wax: "They can be-
cause they think they can" A little
later than the elegant Vergil came one
greater than he who recommended
that bread be cast upon the waters If
one wanted really amazing returns.
This is not in the least cryptic, as
you will see. In the middle OF last
summer a baseball pitcher, with a
worth while past but no future what
ever, turned up at the players gate
at the Polo Grounds. He had nothing
to his name but nine letters. His arm
was gone as they say; hopelessy
lamed and irreparably weakened.
Three specialists in such matters, to-
gether with an eminent bonesetter and
miracle worker named Reese out in
Youngstown, Ohio, had assured the
young man that he could never pitch
another ball in the major leagues or
even in the minors. most probably.
Nobody wanted him. Boston and Gin
cinnati had handed him his hat. He
was headed straight for oblivion, or
so everybody thought except one per-
son, the young man himself.
When he raped on the gate of the
Polo Grounds that day he didn't have
the price of weeks room rent nor the
wherewithal to nourlsh body as strong
as a horse. He was simply a man down
and out through no fault of his owl.
The gateman, accustomed only to the
successful and the stars rebuffed him
from the portal. Crippled pitchers Of
of this warden, accustomed daily to
touching his hat to the mighty Ruth or
obsequiously saluting the great Nc
Graw.
A Man Down but Not Out.
The young man went away-that time
The next timo he waited until he could
get word with McGraw himself. lie
said, this persistent young chap who
didn't know he was licked by fate that
he didn't take much stock in what the
three specialists and the noted bone
setter had ruled about his crippled right
arm. He said he believed he could
come back" If he had chance--and
would McGraw, with all that big yaro
to play in, let him use a little of x
every day to practice in. to try to get
the ailing arm back TO strength and
suppleness and cunning?
He said 1t so earnestly that McGraw
believed he might be right, and right
tere John J. McGraw cast upon the
brook trickling into the invisible future a
crumb OF bread that came back to him
yesterday I'm frosted cake worth nobody
knows how much-pro badly $4,000 or
100000 IL the Giants win the series they
got such a grip on yesterday. He saw
TO it that the young man got plenty OF
practice. He saw to the no less impor-
tant details that the young man had n
roof over his head and something to est
about three times a day.
Well. time passed, as they say In the
movies. The young man worked stead
lily and sensbly along the usual physical
lines of practice but he did more. He
said to himself. I'm going to get right
I'm going to beat this game. I'm going
to make McGraw bless the day he let
me into his ballyard."
Whether or mot he had ever heard Of
NJ. Emile Code. the waif OF baseball
that fate had left on McGraw's door
step nevertheless repeated to himself
daily. I'm getting better. and better
and better!" And one day he went to
McGraw, happy as a king full and said,
Boss, I'm right" Thereafter he er-
ioyed regular contract with regular
money and did his part and more than
his part toward the winning of the
National League pennant.
And now the climax, the part OF the
story which proves that the old copy
book maxms are often priceless that
grit and determination and self-conh-
dence make a fellow hard to stop: the
part that takes you back to Vergil and
his ''Possunt quia possunt videntur" as
the true reason why men get ahead.
Jack Scott, rejected by all the clubs.
turned out in the cold with his helpless
arm, scorned even by the gatelSeeper of
the Polo Grounds. stepped into the
breach yesterday afternoon and pitched
the finest game that has been achieved
in this series by any pitcher--finer than
Nehf's or Shawkey's or Barnes's.
Perseverance, Reaps It's Reward.
Cool. confident and utterly skillful. he
turned back the Yankees as fast as they
came to the plate, and the mighty Ruth
in Scott's hands was as feeble as an in
fant OF days. Scott beat the Yankees.
allowing them not a single run. but he
beat also pain. disc ster and failure.
There are some greater things than base
ball in baseball games. 1t was necessary.
therefore, to tell this story of pluck and