The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-12-21

thing dS That naQ never, occurred
1t has struck me as odd that Of
all the baseball autobiographies I
have read not one Of the success
full players ever started out with
the full consent OF his father
Parents are unanimously against
baseball as a profession Many of
them think it degrading or used
to-while others look on it as a
mere waste of time, just when a
young fellow should be planning
his future career and position in
life. / think it mostly apprehen-
sion. These parents cannot be ex-
pected to understand that baseball
Is an honorable profession and that
boy may succeed in that as well
as in any other calling. 1 would
even hesitate right now to eneour-
age my own son to enter a base
ball career. Most all bali players
feel the same way.
was discussing this with a
newspaper man the other day.
Would you want your son to
become newspaper MANI"
asked him.
mo" indeed, he said, tits a
hard way to make a living too
uncertain :,
Now. / know my friend would be
dckled to death to have son a
great newspaper man. Parents
hate to see their sons go through
the hardships that they have suf-
ferred.
That same feeling applies,to base
ball.
The most ardent admirer any
good bali player ever had was
his father-tlle very same father
who objected so stFenu0usly TO
his starting. Go to any worlds
series and you viii nearly always
see the fathers roofing for their
boys, and they will leave nobody
in doubt as to whose fathers
they are.
Pronounced success in many walks
IF life very quickly wipes out all
parental objections to that par
iicular profession.
A successful ball player can do
! great deal of good. He does as
much as any other public character
20 give people recreation and to
keep in them the thrills of youth.
His is in a way, in position or
trust. The lowest form of man is
one who would betray that trust.
Evidence of this is the widespread
.eyuIsion over the few cases Of
baseball dishonesty. If people did
aot take their baseball to heart
such incidents would not even at
tract casual attention.
The man who tells you that
baseball, as a national game, is
crooked does not really belive any
Thing OF the kind. If he did he
would not be concerned about it.
My fathers plans for me con-
;emplated graduation from Annap-
DIis or West Point. When was
Did enough he did get me an
appointment to Annapolis. i
couldn't quite satisfy my mind with
going to a naval scnooi Tor Tour
Years. Somehow it had no fas-
.ination for me- / was eager to be
Ioing something. / had the same
feelings toward being shut up in
The Military Academy at West Point
Tor four years or more. had the
feeling of course, that must have
4 college education but 1 wanted
!o be active, and with lot of
freedom in summer while taking
ny course. We didn't know so
much about athletics at the naval
md military academies then.
Naturally, my mind, centered
on the University Of Georgia.
Mind you, these problems were
all discussed and considered when
/ was a little more than IL years
old. And, being a pretty good
kid ball player / had ambitions
to be great player ON the
college team when j got Old
enough. / had never thought OF
professional baseball.
During my twelfth year ] re-
.eived what / regarded a great
aonor in being put on the first
aine at Royston with the grown-up
boys. They needed shortstop and
thought could fill the bill on ac-
count of my hitting and speed.
If / do say it myself. / filled the
sill acceptably. We wore bright red
you'll :I.IIs;sI. trade for
~