Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-04

n ToTHING in all the annals Of
base ball in go years can COM
NJ pare to the case of Melvin OFT.
4 Here was boy who had played
only one Summer on q semi
pro team in a small town in Louisiana
who came straight to the New York
Giants at the age of 16-and stuck =.
OFT never played professional ball
anywhere except at Paterson, La, ana
with the Giants. His story is more
wonderful than anything in the Frank
Merriwell books or anywhere else in
the most sensational fiction. He was
not vet 81 years old when he slugged
with Chuck Klein for the home run
honors Of his league in 1929 on even
terms up to the very last series OF the
season.
OFT was born in the little town Of
Gretna, La, in 1909 Gretna is q viii
lage of about 5000 just across the river
from New Orleans. Otis father has
worked for an oil company down in
that section for many years. Melvin
first played ball in grammar school and
later in high school. The fact is he has
played ball ever since he was about II
years old. He was catcher in his kid
days, and when he and certain young
pitcher In his home town worked up
some reputation as a semi-pro bat
y
the New Orleans club of the Southern
Association He told the New Orleans
owner about OFT and the magnate sent
for the boy. But when he saw him
he declared he was too young to play
ball.
Just is at the Time.
That was in the Spring of 1925 and
OFT was just is years old at that time.
New Orleans sent the young pitcher
to Hattiesburg in the Cotton States
League and OFT wanted very much to
go with him. Too young. Finally the
New Orleans club owner, moved by the
boys anxiety to play professional ball,
asked him If he would be willing to go
to Paterson, q town 100 miles up the
Mississippi above New Orleans, and play
three or four games a week. OF course
he would, and up there he went.
He was too young even for the Pater-
son manager and it was only after
lot Of persuasion that he was allowed
to get in the game. He did well be-
hind the bat and got two hits in his
first game. After that he was the regu-
lar catcher for the Paterson club.
OFT hit the ball so hard and so often
that word of him got down to New Or
leans and the owner Of that club sent
him a contract to sign. OFT showed
his contract to the owner Of the Pater-
son club, who was wealthy man ana
a noted sportsman Of that section by
the name of Williams. This man had
taken a lot of interest in the young
catcher and advised him not to sign.
williams Tips on McGraw.
Later in the Summer williams left
for q trip to Europe. He stopped in
New York City to see his friend John
McGraw, and told him about the won
derful catcher and hitter he had on his
team out in Paterson. He had recon-
mended players to McGraw before, so
the master Of the Giants sent the boy
q contract and told him to report to
the Polo Grounds early in the Fall.
And thus it was Melvin OFT the boy
wonder Of all base bah, came to the
Giants.
He Reports to Giants.
The next Spring he reported to the
Giants at Sarasota for Spring training
and at once made an impression on his
manager, the other players and the
base ball writer's down there. He had
every mark and act and style Of natu-
raj hitter. McGraw promptly took him
from behind the bat and placed him in