Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-01-14

/
few years, the freshest ball
= player within my knowledge
was Arlie Latham. His first appear
ance was with the Buffalo team, of
which Sam Crane, the sporting
writer, was the manager.
In thoEe days ball players were not
kept on the bench for a long time
before being sent In q game. The
fans wanted to see him in action at
once. and so did the manager.
Arlie showed up in the morning and
played in a regular game that after
noon. He was so fresh on the bench
that the older players got Disguised
and refused to talk to him. That
didn't so much as make him hesitate
"Quft your mounting and get out
and show something" one of them
suggested to him.
ayes" added Manager Crane, "either
tho bench"
Turns Fliphops ON Base Lines.
Arlie was next at bat He went over
and picked up a bat and deliberately
turned around and made a monkey
race at his manager. Pretty good for
a start, Ell?
Walking to. the, plate, Latham .ad-
dressed himself freely to the pitcher
and made profound bow to the
stand. A minute later he caught
ball on the nose and whipped it to
deep center for three bases.
Now. old Methuselah,s he called to
batter a
ter stop talking and do something
like that. How's that, SAM" he call
ed TO the astonished manager.
The next batter did get a long hit
Seeing where the ball had gone,
though. he started turning hand
springs or fiipfiops and turned them
all the, way to the plate, landing the
last time squarely on the rubber.
The crowd, according to Sam Crane
went wild with delight.
Latham Now In London.
That I consider pretty fresh start
for a youngster. But Arlie didn't
stop there. He remained fresh
throughout his career. He was one
of the most amusing characters in
base ball-a good player, too.
Latham is now running the check
room for coats and. hats in one of
the London hotels. William Fleisch-
mann, veteran base ball fan, made
thIS discovery OF LaInaI- lie walked
into the courtroom last year.
My word. If it hain't a bally
Hamerican" some one said behind
him, trying to initiate the cockney
accent
Fleischmann turned to face Arlie
Latham. just as fresh as ever.
Rigid Rule of Seniority.
AS I say, always have had a soft
spot in my heart for the fresh young
ster. / guess 1t was because / was
that way myself, and I can under
stand them. They don't really mean
to be impudent or disrespectful, but
enthusiasm and desire for action sim
ply bubble out of them. To kill that
spirit would be a fatal mistake. At
the same time they've got to be
checked and put in their places oc-
casionally.
In base ball we have a very rigid
rule of seniority among players that
helps to cool the youngsters OF. For
instance, g. rookie never gets a lower
berth on a sleeper until after all the
regulars have been SO provided.
One night we were coming from the
training camp in Texas and a fresh
young pitcher had been placed in an
upper berth directly under the cell
ing light of the car. He turned and
squiHmed awhile, but said nothing.
The light was directly in his eyes It
seemed, no matter which way he
turned.
Objected to the sunfeId.
About midnight, when everything
was quiet, the young fellow started
calling to me. I was in the drawing
room with the door open.
Say, Mac" he called out, "for the
love of Mike get one of them outfield-
ers up here. I'm a pitcher. l can't
play this sunfieldr'
I guess Henry Fabian is right when
he says I was as fresh and cocky as
green paint when 1 showed up there
at Cedar Rapids. thought I had
something on the rest of the fellows
because I had been to Cuba.
The very first game L played for
Chicago Colts. At that time Gap"
Arson was probably the most famous
man In base ball. The Chicago club
was on the way home from a training
trip to Denver: They stopped off and
played an exhibition game with US.
Started on with Safety.
1t was the first time I had played in
to. / made up my. mind that 1 would
show up that big league club. and 1
felt confident that could do so.
Bill Hutchinson, one of the best
pitchers ever turned out by Yale Uni
veTsity, was pitching for Chicago,
and got, the first crack at him-a
clean single.
Say, old-timer," 1 said to the ia
nous Cap" Arson as ran past him,
So, that's what you call big league
low
Arson looked at me in astonish-
ment. My impudence almost took his
breath away. You can imagine how
this must have sounded coming from
a kid of eighteen years and who
weighed but 100 pounds.
Anson Saw Hunsor of 1t.
Before the day was over / had
three hot arguments with the Chr.
cago manager, but finally he saw the
humor of 1T and smiled at me en-
couragingly. I'll never forget how
good that smile made me feel
At shortstop 1 accepted eleven
chances that day and led our team
at bat. 1t was a big day for me.
After the game Anson, forgetting my
freshness and impudence, said some
nice things about my playing-actu-
ally asked me how I would like to
play for Chicago some time. That
went to my head Immediately Gee,
but was chesty over having at
tracted attention of the great Ansoni
All thoughts of Three-I League
illinois, Iowa and Indianal and
things like that went out of my head.
/ would be a big ieagurer or nothing.
Gleason Got Him a Job.
In those days. you must understand.
we had no such base ball government.
n and sxs system rs We e. have now T
from big league team he would
simply jump his club and take it.
There was no penalty attached That
was quite customary.
Bill Gleason, the famous old short
stop of the st. Louis Browns when
Charley Comiskey was manager, had
finished his days as big Lacquer and
was playing with one of the clubs in
our league. He knew of my ambition
and told me. he would see what could
be done for me. In the meantime /
had received several offers, one from
the Pacific coast
II have letter from Billy Barnie.