Evening star., 1923-01-13

II y ~ @h L LII 1lOiII OiNoh ~ hAtN
Wellsvilie club of the Western
- New York League. Again | be-
came pitcher, but it wasn't to last
long. Every manager, it seemed
was determined to make an inhelder
out of me.
Though still in my teens. was get
ting basa ball experience rapidly.
also was beginning to get some inter
esting ideas of the viewpoint Of the
public toward the game. II was always
difficult to make base ball managers and
owners In those days understand that
the public WAS really a part Of the
game.
In one of those towns, or small cities
our ball park was located on an island
To get 10 the grandsIand the spectators
OF a side street. The main street was
up on q hill.
Hanger-On Became Nuisance.
As usual in those towns, there was a
half -wftted young fellow who always
nung around the park, taking q per-
sonal interest in everything connected
with the team. At times he was nui-
sance, but II was difficult to get rid oi
him. He ran errands for the players
and took general supervision OF every
thing.
One day the business manager, get
ting peeved at this fellow, ordered the
gateman not to let him in the park any
m2re, saying that he had become too
much of nuisance.
At the regular time, though. the young
fellow showed up at the gate.
Nothing doing today" the gateman
all there is to it-orders from the
bosS-there'a nothing doing tell
you"
Steered the Fans Away.
Not for moment did the poor fell
low imagine that they were barring
him from the park. He felt badly
about there being nothing doing, so
he set about to save other people
trouble
He stationed himself at the head OF
the street leading to the bridge. As
the regular, everyday fans came
along. whether walking or in bug
eies. the half-wit ran out and stop
NO use OF going down there
folks" he would tell them. there's
nothing doing today, The boss just
left word for me at the gate. There's
no game-nothirg doing"
In the kindness of his heart the
as they came. As result we played
the game to an absolutely empty
grandstand. Outside of the players
and attendants there were not six
people to see the game.
Manager Had TO Dig.
To make matters worse, 1t was pay.
day and there were no gate receipts
to help along. The manager had tc
dig down in his pocket; .,,a,,,.
became a rover. / joined AL Law
sons AlI-Americans on trip to
Cuba. That gave me my first idea
of the rest Of my own country and ot
Landing at Key west on our way
back, I got job with the Gaines
Vile. Fla. team and played there
during the early spring. Our team
played against. major league clubs
/ then training in Florida and thai
helped me wonderfully.
! The papers gave me quite lot OF
publicity on acc cunt OF the Cuban
trip, This, added to my work with
Gainesville against the big clubs
brought me to the attention Of many
managers.
Got Twenty-Eight Offers OF Jobs.
For the season of 1891 I had of Ars
from twenty-eight clubs. One of these
was from my old friend Kenney al
Olean. That, OF course, l turned down
I didn't know exactly what to do and
had no older man to advise mo
I looked over all the offers care
fully and then decided to grab the
Job that paid the most money. nc
matter Were 1 had to go. This hap
fered me f125 a month, SIS advance
money ana transportation. I got the
$75 by wire and started.
All my life / have a deep sentiment
for that Cedar Rapids club. For in
stance. the right fielder on it was
Iy,k = u Il
at the Polo Grounds. was signed as
shortstop. Other members of the
club were John Godar. third base
Jake Drauby, first base: Wally Tay-
Tor. second base: Bill McGee, center
field; Delos Woods. left field; Kid
Williams, catcher; Billy Hofer, pitch
er.
why He Got Otis CrandaIl.
To illustrate what I mean by senti-
ment, / was looking over the names
Of some players that the Giants had
chance to get in the draft a. few
years ago. I knew nothing about any
of them. But saw that one Of them
was with Cedar Rapids.
That's the fellow I'll take" I said
to the secretary of the club, 'and I'm
taking him simply because he comes
from Cedar Rapids. That's where !
got my first start. This new fellow,
I'll bet, is good"
And we signed him. That fellow
was otie ,Crandall. the pitcher.
in and made good. Not only was he
a good pitcher, but he could sock the
ball. New York fans know mighty
well how we used him successfully as
both pinch hitter and pinch
pitcher.
CfandnIi Cool in Pinches.
In a close. tight, place-the bases
full, for instance-Crandall was one
of the coolest pitchers 1 ever saw.
IIn Rad M Tear. nerves