Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-09-23
BIG LEAGUE
OR NOTHING
Local Man Quit Long
Ago When Told He
Was Too Small

How a promising Texas league sec
y baseinan put his glove away in
the attic and never played another
game because a major league mana
Eer told aim his small stature would
hccp him out Of the big leagues, and
q queer trick fate played on him. was
recalled recently by G. l.. (Clem)
Brooks Of Brownsville.
At the time OF the incident, Brooks
vas playing a fine fielding game and
was cracking the ball to an over 800
mark in the approved Texas league
manner for the old Beaumont Slug
gers" That was back in the DAYS
when Austin not only was in the
Texas league but vas coping pen
nants with regularity, thanks 70 Hun
ter Hill. ct al.
p years who had his heart set on
making the big time but he weighed
only $50 pounds and his height was
proportionate. This would be con
sidered no big difficulty in this age
Of polygot mines, Wee Willie
Sherdel, and othsr built along the
line Of Diokie Kerr. but in by-gone
seasons the first requisite of a ma
Jor Lacquer was a 6-foot, 190-pound
framework.
Clem's work had been entirely sat
isfactory-so much SO that he was
hitting in lead-off position. He
himself. though a modest and retir-
ing fellow. thought a major league
tryout was within the realm Of pos
siDility.
Then along came Manager Hacker
Of the ST. Louis Cardinals. He had
his optics rowing about for pros
poets, for even in those days the Lone
Star loop was gaining q reputation
as an excellent field for ivory"
Young Glenn screwed up his nerve
to approach this p-eg-trousered dap
per mogul from the big brewing
town. After making several fluster-
ing starts, Brooks managed 70 ret
out do YOU think ! could make the
biz league, Mr.. Hacker?"
Glenn was painfully conscious of
the critical once-over given him b.
the citified
How much you scale ?" queried
Hacker as an uncomfortable wave
Of negation crossed his features.
"A hundred and thirty, cir" was
the reply.
hNA Ola
Twenty-Five. sir"
You re done growing. Hacker
said half 20 himself. "No, buddy.
I'm afraid not. We would take a
man who is hitting less and a poorer
fielder II he weighed around $50 and
was taller. Our teams have to look
great. One size Of uniform viii
about take care of the whole squad.
III rnrr u-awr xrunmnw wrrst ~~twh4 ~~m-.
but since you are % I'm afraid | can't
do anything for YOU"
AZ the end % the season Glen put
his gloves back with the old family
album and never played a game aft
erward.
Now as for the trick fate turned.
Glenn was not through growing. AT
the age Of p he weighed around ITS
and had grown some two inches.
Brooks won a place on the Beau
mont nine in 1871. through an exhibit
tion game on July 4-the day Jack
Johnson defeated Jeffries in his at
tempted comeback at Reno. The sec
ond sacker then with Sulphur Springs
Of the Sawdust League. almost COP
ped the game against the Sluggers
sinale-handed. He scored three runs.
hit and fielded we'll. The Beaumont
fans liked his work 80 well that
Manager G. II. Roberts signed him up
several weeks later.
Brooks had an opportunity 70 try
out with Shreveport when the Sports
entered the Texas league but turned
IL down. II was big league or moth
ing with him.
He gets q great kick out Of the in
cident now in view Of the changed
conditions N the major leagues.