Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-08
DOW THE LINE
by W. 0. McGEEHAN-

AS I understand it, Trey do not insist
that they be college graduates. Some
managers like them from the colleges;
others prefer that they come from the
sandlots or from the orphan aSylumS.
At any rate, 1t is evident that the fact
that prospective big league base ball
player has chance, and the fact that
he may have been graduated from one
of our leading universities will not be
used against him.
A good college base bali player might
start with $4,000 year and be earning
$4,000 after proving that he has some
thing.
THIS view seems particularly narrow
l. when you think Of one case, that
Of Christy Mathewson of Bucknell
College. There is an intimation in the
foundations brochure that any future
Mathewsons should refuse to take the
wage OF professional base ball with the
notion that if they became professional
base ball players they would bring some
sort of stigma upon their colleges.
If MathewSon had held to this notion,
he might have become a bond salesman
and a nuisance to his friends, for he
had campus reputation upon which
he might have traded. having been full
back of the foot ball team and pitcher
of the base ball team. That included
everything on the athletic side.
Or he might have remained at the
college as an instructor, rising at last
to the post of head of a department
with an income that might have sup
ported himself and his family If they
were very economical 1 do not think
that such q decision would have been
foolish if Mathewson had been inclined
ft-u& Ia ~ 90
see tf1aC becoming a member Of the
New York Giants carried any disgrace
with it,
This was fortunate, not only for
Mathewson, but for thousands of others
AS the greatest of the pitchers, Christy
MatheWson did more in an educational
way than any of the academic members
of Bucknen In professional base ball
he carved out for hiBsen career that
became an inspiration to many a
youngster.
In spite of the sentiments expressed
in the bulletin of the Carnegie Founda-
ton, 1t is my notion that today Buck
nell College looks upon Mathewson as
the alumnus who did the most for his
alma mater and for the world in general
THIS particular section of the foun-
- datlOn S brochure seems 10 carry
the implication that professional
base ball players might plant recruits in
the colleges with the notion that coll
lege background would enhance the
drawing power Of a base BAH player
This is strikingly silly.
On this theory Jim Dunn of Balti-
more, who discovered Babe Ruth in St.
Mary's Industrial School, should have
tutored him Immediately and sent him
to Harvard or Yale to make the base
ball team. In these places, according to
the theory of the foundation, the Babe
would have learned more about the ma
tional pastime and would have acquired
a ballyhoo that would have made him
a more spectacular figure In professional
base ball.
have heard the story that c. C. Pyle
planted Red Grange in the University
of Illinois and that he started the ice
wagon legend" / hardly believe that.
Mr.. Pyle hardly would have been able
to recognize a great foot ball player
until the player demonstrated that he
was great. Red Grange was made a
box-offlce attraction through the baily-