The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-11
Night And Day Work Is
Source OF Tammany's
Power

or stoppage of the public vehicle he
controlled.
Previous reference has been made to
Mr.. Murphy's prowess as baseball
player. From obliging John Skin
N.Y. Dillon, No. 142 East Thirty
eighth street. and DIR. John 81. Breen.
tleman. No. rs East Seventeenth
street. this chronicler has accumulated
an authentic history Of the ball playing
career Of c. +.
Was Champion Pitcher
Graduating from the open lot mines
when he was about 20 years old. young
Murphy joined team called the Fly
aways, the captain and manager Of
which was Patrick A. Whitney, now
assistant deputy comptroller Of the city
of New York. &. Il. was the only pitch
er. In 1878 the F7yaways won the
Metropolitan amateur championship
from teams representing New York
city, Long Island City and Hudson and
Essex counties in New Jersey.
In this championship series C. f.
wrenched the muscles of his arm and
was unable thereafter to officiats on
the mound. But he was such good
ALI around player that he was engaged
for the next season by John McGrath,
manager Of the nine called the Sena-
tors. Tom ("Les"1 Moorhead, now
In the clothing business in Manhattan,
was captain and shortstop of the team.
Always Leader OF Club
After one season, c. F.. by virtue
of his talent for leadership, became
manager and captain of the club.
Thereafter as long as he played base
ball he was the manager and captain
of any team with which he was assO-
ciated.
EVERY time / see John McGraw.
manager of the Giants, in action, said
DIR. Breen yesterday, Il am reminded
of the ball playing of Charlie Murphy.
On the ballfield c. F. was a changed
young man.
Ordinarily quiet and retiring he be-
came. an aggressive fighter when out
directing his players. He argued with
the umpire and insisted upon every ad-
vantage he could get from the breaks
Of the game.
'sThe players all loved him l never
heard him call a man down for an err
ror or a bonehead play. Instead, ne
would give the offender q slap on the
back and a word of announcement ne
was a strategist and. l believe. invent,
ed g number of plays which are sun
in ,,Se on the diamond Had he gone
into baseball instead of into politics
he would have wound up as a mag
nate. He had a reputation as a great
PLAYER throughout the metropolitan dis
trict because he played on dozens of dia
mands in New York and vicinity. In,
eIuding the grounds in Long Island
CITY. Elysian fields in. HOboken and
the Metropolitan grounds at lOotn
street and First avenue.
Tammany's Power
Abraham Lincoln said God must De
fond of the common people because he
made so many of them. The great ma
iority of the voters of a large city are
of the common people. Unable to dc
for themselves what uneOmmOnly gifted
or lucky people accomplish, they are
grateful for assistance in unusual cir
cumstances.
That is why Tammany Hall is pow
erful. Its leaders spring from the com
mon people and know how the common
people feel. Most so-called SrefOrmer'
fail TO realize that the basis of pOliti
cal organization strength is contact
with the voters. Failing to establish
such contact themselves, because they
do not know how, they are forced to
resort to criticism Of the practical lead
ers who think the thoughts and SPEAK
the language of the man on the street
Returning from an upstate cOnven-
tion on a special train some ten OIL
twelve years ago. C. F. Murphy had
delivered in his staterOom at Albany
the New York afternoon papers. In
one of them he read a bitter attaek
upon Tammany methods as exemplifieG
in the action of the convention the day
before.
well" he remarked, IF they car
tell us any other way to do it--any
better way-we will adopt il. The
delegates to the convention were elected
according to the form prescribed By law
The party is responsible and if the ma
jority of the people don't agree witt
the action of the convention they have
the right to register their objections al
the polls.
We have nothing to guide us bui
experience. The trouble with the PEG
pie who think Tammany is wrong il
that they generally have nothing be-
hind them but theories. I'll back ex.
perienee against experiments any time .
Under the leadership of C. F. MUIR
phy-and more especially since women
were given the right to vOte-Tammany
hall has become a gigantic family. Ths
political home centers aIe the district
club houses. Never have these clubs
presented more attractions to the fol,
lowers of the Wigwam's politics than
now. Leaders have been made to un.
derstand that the chief desired tbs