Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-08-15
GRAND OLD ROMAN"
ENJOYS BIRTHDAY
Owner 81 Chicago White Cox
b One 81 oreatest Men
In oasoball.

~ Associated Press to 0vesy Evening.
Chicago. Aug. 1.-THE Grand Old
Roman" today u celebrating his six
ty-fourth birthday.
Uw 10 Charles Albert Comiskey.
president ana owner Of the Chicago
White Hox. and ons Of the greatest
men In baseball Builder Of what was
considered IN years gone by. one OF
the greatest hAseball clubs In profss-
sienAi rNn,la. Mr. Comiskey. after
wr~ckins his machine following tho
world ssries disclosures OF 1919, today
seer his reconstructed team again
lighting In tho hrst division.
Picked nv experts from coast TO
coast this year a. q poor second divi-
sacn club tho White eox have pro-
vided one 81 the grca,est surprises Of
the season. Tho club. after getting
away to poor start. suddenly started
itr climh townrd the top Of the league.
and on June is. the White sox were
sntrenchcd In third place. Tho club
recently went into a batting slump
but again haa struck its stride.
Mr.. comiskcy upset the baseball
world IN the fall OF 1920 when he
wrecked his baseball club, following
disclosures OF throwing the 1919
worlds series games to tho Cincinnati
club. AT that time the Old Roman
suspended seven OF his star players
jackson. cico;te. Williams, Felsch
Weaver. Rishcrg and McMullin--
thereby wrcckinE tho club 20 the ex-
tent OF t.ooo,ooo or more.
Not discouraged by tho terrible loss
Mr.. com,skcy set about At once e
build another baseball club. lie tried
TO buy star players from other clubs
In his league. but with little success
lie sent scouts 10 nll parts OF the
country and gathered every promising
player he could get into the fold.
One OF his moves was. the scQuisi.
tion OF the entire inield OF the Sail
Lake city club OF the Pacific Coas
League, with the exception OF thu
sccond hascman. These were Erni.
Johnson. Eddie Mulllgan and Ear
shccly. They nttcd In well with Eddie
colltna, captain OF the White Sox
who WAS one OF tho players who re
mained loyal 10 the Old Roman.
This year the club IL virtually th,
same as last season. with the excep
ton that "A few promising youn,
pitchers have been added TO tho ros
ter.
Recently Mr.. Comiskey startled IN,
baseball world. with the announcement
that he had bought Willie Kanm
sensational third bascman OF the Sal
Francisco club for 100000. Ksmn
Will report In 1913.
'Commy" was born August 10, 1885
He played ball when he was IL year
Of age. lie at one time was a pitche
FOR the EiGin. H.. club; later he play
cd third base and nrst bssa. but as
nrst bascman hs had no superior Il
his day. He 10 the only pitcher VIII,
has risen from the ranks to be sol
owner OF a major league bali club.
coniskeys real baseball caree
began IN 1873 with the Dubuque. low,
team In 1882 he Joined tho ST. Lou.
Browns. thcn In the American Asso
citation. and In 1881 he was made man
Aver ~ the team. In lSsb-lSs6 IN
Browns. with Comiskey at the helm
defeated the Chicago White Stocking
for the ohamplonshlp OF the world.
comlskcy remained with 81. Loui
until 1890. when he took charge c
the Players League club IN Chicsg,
He returned TO 81. Louis in 1891 an
In l6a2 went 10 Cincinnati. where
managed the Reds until 1895. Durin
that period In Cincinnati he met Ba
~ johnson, n neWspAperman, an
the two became fast friends.
1895 "Commy" placed a WEBSTER
League team In st. Paul and In 1et
ne transferred the franchise to On
cago. where, with the aid OF NJ
johnson. the Western League was e,
psnded and became known as ~
American League. with Mr.. johnson
its head.
Under Mr.. Comiskey's ownership II
Chicago White Sox, AS his team b.
came known, has won two world
championships, lost one. and annex'
five American League championship
In the winter OF lel3-1s14 he al
Manager John McGraw OF the Ne
York Giants. financed a tour aroui
the world. with large number OF bs
players. playing the national pssiin
in Australia. Japan in Manila a,
London. where King Edward was
interested spectator. and in maj
other places. The receptions Civ,
the world tourists upon their retu
In.