The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-30

l California to visit my folks. I had a very successful time of it in Weiser. I don't remember that I lost a single game. I used to fan from 12 to 15 men in spite of the fact that was unusually wild and had not yet reached the point where I could control my fast balls. However, the mere fact that I was win ming games gave me a new interest in baseball, and I thought to myself, Things are coming rather easy for me, so why not make the most it and think of going into the big leagues some day had caught the big league fever which afflicts many a youngster in the sticks who has hopes of some day following in the footsteps of Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, George Sisler and great many other stars.
 Tells Of Ambition
 "I told my father and mother of my ambition to become a professional base all player, and they readily consented to my return to Weiser in the spring of 1907. The team had wanted me back and at fairly good salary, and I was pleased to play with them once more. Hardly had I begun my season with Weiser when funny thing happened. Tacoma wanted me to return. They | Hau Hedru Ol my BOOu pltCuluS the pAS vious season with Weiser and decided to give me another chance. I paid no attention to their propositions, and this seemed to make them more determined to get me.
 One day l received a half dozen tele- grams from the club asking me to re- turn to the coast. In the last mes sage they offered me $350 a month, which was a record price in that league. However, I said from the start that would never play again with Tacoma for people who, when I was with them, had not given me fair chance to make good. am sure I would not have gone back if my other major league career had depended on my going. If had gone to Tacoma perhaps my whole baseball future would have been in a different setting. Who knows! :! might have made good with Tacoma. I might have been sold to some big league club other than Washington, and I might have had the opportunity of helping my team win the world cham pionship in 1924.
 Fate Takes a Hand
 Fate plays funny pranks. It was determined to get me into major league baseball. Some travelling salesmen passing through Weiser one Sunday saw me play and recommended me to Tom Moves, then owner of the Wash ington team. He turned the matter over to Joe Cantillon, who was manag- ing the club in 1907. Joe needed more pitchers on his staff and had been scout ing around all over the country look ing for promising youngsters. He had had line on Pitcher Milan, who was Al- als md to send Catcher Cliff Blankenship to that city to see Milan. Cliff was ordered to continue on his way to Weiser after he had given Milan the once over to get line on me. Cliff did not see me play one single game. He simply asked me to warm up for him the afternoon he landed in town. I must have impressed him with my speed for he had my signature to contract with Washington before he left town. I followed on the next train. This was after the Fourth of July game in Weiser, and while l dis liked very much to leave the boys in the hole on such short notice, at the same time I could not overlook the opportunity that lay before me. A big crowd was at the train to witness my departure for q new and bigger field.
 Goes To Washington
 From that moment to the present day the major league has claimed me. I was certainly glad to have had the opportunity of going to the Washing ton club. All my big league experi- ence has been with this club. l thor oughly like the city and it's citizens have been my most loyal friends and supporters. It has for a long time been my sincere wish to see the peo- pie of that city rewarded with pen nant and a world championship for their long and patient waiting follow ing a club that never ranked high. This year my wish was doubly fulfilled.
 q didn't overrate my opportunity in the big league. I realized from the start that I must make good. l also realized that I was still a diamond in the rough as far as baseball was con- cerned My training had been very limited. The only games I had ever played in were in high school and with bush league clubs. But I had a body that had grown strong on the Kansas farm where l was born and bred and worked: and an even temper for which I felt that l owed thanks to my Scotch l I knew l could throw. From the first time held ball it settled in the palm of my right hand as though it belonged there and, when I threw it, ball, hand and wrist and arm and shoulder and back seemed to work together. That gave me endurance, it gave me speed and it gave me accuracy.
 First Game
 August 2, 1907, was the date set for my first game in the American league. Cliff Blankenship came over to the bull pen to tell me the good news:
 Flows your arm today, kid?" he asked me in sort of smiling way. Cliff has always been a good friend of mine and it seemed that it was a per sonal matter to him to feel that my sue cess was his success inasmuch as he had put his O. k. on me.
 Its working pretty good" I re- sponded. I'm ready to go in and do my best"
 The game was with Detrait and on that lineup were to be found two of the mightiest batters that ever lived. I refer to Ty Cobb and Sam Crawford. I had heard quite a little about these fence busters before I went east and I knew they were terrOrs with the stick. Cobb had been in the big league since 1905 and hardly two years had passed when he established reputation for clouting them out and burning the paths with his base running. Cobb was hit ting .35O that year and was on his way to the 400 mark. Sam Crawford was going at a .3S0 clip. Imagine a green country youngster not yet out of his teens and who had pitched only to high l .nl,nnI hnrn nrd hncho,n ,,r,