Evening star., 1924-09-27
Wins and the Flag Gr Slogan Jones Picked Win Golf Couun
Peckinpaugh Is Product of Cleveland's Sandlots
x-ROGER T. PECKINPAUGH.

w 7HEN Roger Thorp Peckin-
wv paugh was attending
school in Cleveland Ma
poleon Lajoie, second baseman of
the Maps, was the base ball idol OF
every youth in the Forest City. To
them Larry was the wonder man Of
the game. and the ambition of every
Cleveland youngster was to become
a professional player of his caliber,
| None was more impressed with the
| greatness of Lajoie than Roger, for
he lived just across the street from
his hero. Daily while the Cleveland
| club was at home Roger saw the big
| fellow, and great was his delight
when Larry condescended to exchange
greetings.
| Little did Roger dream then that
one day he would be playing on the
| other side of second base with this
mighty athlete. Yet a few years later
he was doing just that, and went on
to make a place for himself in base
balls hall of fame.
Roger was born in Wooster. ONO,
February 5. 1891, but his family
moved to Cleveland when he was lit
tie more than three years old.
Roger, like other youngsters of the
city where sandlot base ball is so
popular, did his share of playing with
Juvenile teams, but it was as high
school player that he first starred on
the diamond.
Pitched ON High School Team.
He was member of the East High
School team and did a deal of pitch
ing for it, in addition to playing
shortstop. He was captain of the nine
in 1909, and also played at that time
with the Mahon d Roth Clothing
House team that was in Saturday
league, and with the Collingwood
team, that held forth at Euclid Beach
Park on Sundays.
During his last year in high school
he was approached by Jim Mcclure,
old Cleveland catcher, with the idea
of interesting him in d professional
diamond career. Roger considered
the matter carefully, but made no
decision before seeking the advice
of Is. l.. RanneIs, his high school
principal, and Charles Somers, then
owner of the Cleveland Club. Both
advised Roger to take chance at
the game, but to quit it altogether
if he could not make the big league
grade within two or three years.
So Roger signed with Cleveland
and went to the Southern training
camp with the club in the spring of
1910, when 10 years old. He was tried
at shortstop, and during the training
grind became the side partner on the
field of the great I-ajoie. who had
! been his boyhood idol.
Indians Fnrmed Him Out.
But Roger was not yet ready for
the main show. SO Cleveland farmed
him to New Haven of the Come ctcut
League. At the end of the minor
circuits season, though. he returned
to Cleveland to finish the year with
the big leaguers. And when Roger
made his debut that. fall. it was
against the Washington club. and
Walter Johnson was pitching. The
Cleveland shortstop got no hits.
Roger was farmed to Portland of
the Coast League the next year, but
before leaving for the West he mar
ried. He played a great game for the
Portland outfit in 1911 and was re-
called by Cleveland for the 1912 cam
paign. Roger has been in the Amer
lean League since. He went to the
Yankees in a trade in 1913 and cap
taned league champion team in
New York before coming to the Ma
tionals in 1922 in trade that in
volved about a minutes ownership
by the Red Sox. He is keen stu
dent of the game and of the caliber
that tends to steady a team. He is
one Of the most capable shortstoppers
in the game.