The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-10-26

player up Io that tune.
 As a player with the St Louis Browns in the American associa- ton Comiskey rsvolutionized first base play. Instead of "hugging the bag" as did other first base men, Comiskey conceived the idea of moving off the base to cut off base hits headed to right field.
 He I -actice with his pitchers in the morning to teach them to cover first base while he snared grounds balls which previously had gone for hits. This system saved many a base-hit and game.
 Comiskey was born in Chicago on Aug 15, 1859. His father, John Comiskey. was an alderman and politician. Even when he was in parochial school. Young Comiskey was a successful pitcher. His father wanted him to be a plum Der and he took up the trade while still in his 'eens. His love for baseball soon got the better of him and at l. he got a job as third .baseman for an independent Milwaukee club at $60 Q month. Later he played with Dubuque in the Northwestern league. His salary was $60 month. In the winter he was a news butch" on trains out of Dubuque, getting a commission of % per cent. In 1882 Dubuque played an exhibition game in St Louis and Chris Won Der Ahe offered Comiskey salary of $75 to join the Browns. Comiskey was elevated to the managerial post in the middle of 1888 season after a run-in between Won Der Ahe and Manager Ted Sullivan. In 1885, 1886, 1887 and 1888 Comiskey's team won the A. A. pennant. In 1885 Comiskey's team played Cap" Anson's White Sox' to a tie for the worlds title and beat them them next season. In 1890 he took a flyer" as manager of the Chicago Brotherhood team, but the league fell through and he was back with the Browns in 1891.
 The next .,an.n Comiskey left the Browns to manage the Cincin- nati Reds for the seasons of 1892. 1898 and 1894. In the fall of 1893 he was in the south in search of players and also in search of health, and he met Dan Johnson, then sporting editor of the Cincin- nati Tribune. Out of this meeting grew the American | league.
 They organized the Old Western league and in 1901 1t became the American league. Comiskey ic- quired the Sioux City franchise in 1895, transferred it to St Paul and then 1901 invaded Chicago. | In 1906 the White Sox, known as the "hitless wonders" were piloted to the pennant and the worlds title by Fielder Jones. The pitching of Ed Walsh, Nick AL trock and Ed White was too mu ch for the Cubs and the White Sox won 4 games to 2.
 | After the series, Comiskey made the rounds of the cabarets and bars with his owners. He entered one place about midnight and laid Il $2,000-quite sum in those days
 -on a table and said:
 Boys eat, drink and be merry. We aren't going home until every penny has been spent"
 And he didn't.
 Comiskey affectionately was called the "old Roman" but the origin of this nickname has been loSt Tn the years.
 When he had active charge of the business affairs of the White Sox. the team was one of the most popular in baseball. When he built his great baseball Palace in 1911 he refused to abolish the 25 cent bleacher seats.
 "The feilo ho can pay only 25 cents to see a game Is just as welcome as the box holder" Comiskey told adviaors who want l ed him to boost the admission. | One time one of his stars said he was going to quit if he didn't get a salary of $10.000.
 "Going to quit, eh?" remarked Comiskey. When I was playing ball was afraid the game was going to quit"
 Another time Ed Walsh, then at the height of his career, hired a lawyer to get Comiskey to boost his salary to $7,600.
 ''so walsh has a lawyer" said | Comiskey. He didn't need a law yer during the years was pay ing him to sit on the bench and learn something about pitching. He doesn't need one now" The incident almost cost Walsh his job.
 | Soon Walsh signed for a lower figure than at first offered him. Walsh had a good year and Com iskey gave him a bonus.
 He married Miss Nan Kelly of Dubuque, Ia., in 1882 and two children were born. One of them died. The other, '. Louis Comic key. is treasurer of the White Box. Mrs comisixey di q in 1923. Il M than 10000 dwellers have l fmns hs,l{& fs. s,nut r1aY Intla fsd