The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-11
Hans Wagner Was One Of Great Stars Dug Up By Dreyfuss After He Took Over ReinS Of Club
By HANS WAGNER

Copyright. 1923. in United States and Anesica % by North % American Newspaper paper Alliance for The Age-Herald. All rights reserved)
 In picking out some of the famous fans of my time I will start by naming the president of our club, Barney Dreyfuss. He was the only club owner I ever knew who was just as rabid a fan as any rooter in the grandstand. He got in the game first as 8 fan and not merely to start a new business, as a lot of people think.
 So much has been said of Barney Dreyfuss as a wise baseball owner. smart trader and a man who un- derstands every angle of the baseball business that few know of him as a fan. Barney has calmed down in his later days and can take the gmes as they come without getting excited.
 If you ever sat next to him in a. and didn't know him by sight you'd never think the rooter next to you was the owner of / the Pittsburg club. His comments would run something like this:
 "Oh, there's a hiti knew it when Johnny gave him a low ball. He couldn't hit a high one with shovel =. Huh. these he goes again-walking Jones, a weak hitser,> so as to get at Smith. who's been siamming the ball hard ment, I don't think"
 Then a ground bali would go for a clean base hit between third and short.
 whats that shortstop playing rear second for on Q dead left field hitter? We'll. that's finei Whats Johnny watching that runner for he's an ice wagon on the bases. Sure. He can't run, the length of a base batter. never mind the base runner!"
 With Barney's own club at bat he would go like this:
 Scoops ought to bunt-Iook, that third baseman is playing back a mile." The batter does bunt and beats it. That's the boy. that's playing the game. Now. there's a chance for a sacrifice" Batter bunts a pop fly that is caught. Huh, picking on a high ball to bunt- bound to pop it in the air."
 Next two batters go out on long flies.
 -No runs. huh! Bum ball play ing!"
 He Knows Every Hopeful.
 "Mr. Dreyfuss would travel with the men. mix up with the players and engage in any of their games, their amusements. He would mix up in practical jokes and give and take But, above all things, he was crazy to see his ball club win.
 I remember once we were defeat ed by the Giants in a remarkable game that went IS innings, the Pi- rates being defeated in the last tn- ming. 2 to 0.
 "That was certainly Q nice game of ball." I remarked to him when we got to the hotel, and a great crowd present. too"
 Huh" he grunted. but don't for get. Honus, that we lost the ball game"
 Barney Dreyfuss probably knows more baseball than any owner in the game. There are no plays or players with which he is not quite familiar. He has made the study of ball players all over the country a science. You couldn't stump him to this day on any ball player in the country, major or minor league. When it comes to a system of know ing what IS gong on III connection with baseball he could make a Scot land Yard detective look like busher.
 Mir. Dreyfuss gets a line on young sters even before they enter high schools, also young players so far back in the woods that they only come but once in a year. I found this out while hunting in the differ ent backwoods of the country. Old farmers and woodsmen would men tion Barney Dreyfuss having had a scout out there on certain ball play CTS. He keeps a line on the way they are developing year aerer year. When they are ripe he either gets them or marks them off his little dope book. Once he runs that mark through a youngsters name you can oct that young fellow will never make the big league. Barney never makes a mistake on them. He has a wonderful memory and knows the good and bad points of young play CTS whether he ever has seen them or not. Just mention any young fel- low to him and you'll find that MT. Dreyfuss knows lots more about his playing than you do. He can even tell you the boys personal habits. Where He Got Some Of Them.
 Barney Dreyfuss is a hard worker. All he asks of a player is to give him his best and obey the club rules.