The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-09-08

"B.g Boy" Shields
 In his tender youth. tall Francis x. Shields gave every promise Of becoming q national tennis hcam- pion and Davis Cup savior. And there was the expectation that he would be a popular leader of the racquet men. The galleries liked him.
 Now at Forest Hills, Shields at 23 still holds his place high in the public's fancy, but he is battling to come back.
 Close to the Goal
 In 1880 he was the flnalist in the Nationals, only to lose to left-hand- cd Johnny Doeg. Again in 1881 he was finaiist. and was winning a set when he slipped and fell, suf- fering Q leg injury that prevented his continuing.
 This year he turned on the pow CT in the National Indoor and served 10 aces in q match with Frank Bowden of Columbia. His tremendous batting was one of the most remarkable exhibitions of It's kind ever witnessed. He was hail- ed as the Babe Ruth of tennis. Calls It on
 On the strength of his showing he decided on an extendedt foreign campaign, including the French championships and the Wimbledon tournament. After being beaten by Boussus at Auteuil he suddenly took the first boat home. Reporters waited at the pier.
 "Those stories that came on the boat wearing dress uit and without any baggage were the bunk" he replied to questions. But as soon as l was beaten by Boussus l knew my game was off and there was no use continuing"
 Shields Is intensely nervous with a tendency to rush through a match. The crowd watches him with the same feeling of suspense that baseball fans suffer seeing Babe Herman or Hack Wilson. There Is always the chance of sus- tained greatness, and the impres. sion he conveys Is that he should win and, by carrying on, some day will.
 Ike Boone has gone back to the minor leagues to join the mot quite good enough" brigade, along with Nick Cullop, Carey Selph, Bevo Leborveau and other fine ball players who flopped after ma jor league trials. Brooklyn has sent him to Toronto.
 Boone presnts an odd study. He has been sensation in Tive minor leagues. Four big league teams have had him up, and each time he was sent back for "de- velopment." He leaves trail of broken batting records in nearly every league in which he played, except the majors.
 Ike is an old Alabama boy. He played on the University of Alas bama team in the days of Luke and Joe Sewell and Riggs Steph- enson.
 Some Batting Records
 He started professionally with Cedartowp of the Georgia State League. He hit .419 to lead the league. In the following year. 1921, he played with New Orleans, and here again he led the league with a batting mark of .SS9.
 Ike seemed destined for a bright career when the Giants him. But after McGraw had seen him in training camp, he mailed like to Little Rock. Here Ike slumped. hitting only .333.
 McGraw then consigned him to San Antonio, in the Texas League. in 1923. What did the young man do but hit .402, a record in the Texas League that still stands.
 The Boston Red Sox were the next to bring him to the big show. Ike stayed with the Sox for two years, each year hitting .333. Finally he was deemed too cum- bersome as an outfieid chattel and was peddled to the Missions in the Pacific Coast League. He hit 1881. Sets AlI-Time Mark
 In 1927 Ike was purchased by the White Sox, but an attack Of appendicitis kept him out all sea- son. He was restored to the coast league. Playing with Port land and the Missions he mashed the old apple for .3b2.
 That's pretty fair hitting. .5bz, but in the following year. with the Missions, Ike ted the league with a mark Of .407. His most ama.- ing performance was in the foi- lowing year. however, when nc piastered the ball for aH average of .447, an ali.time coast league record. A hit nearly every other time the man went to bat.
 Brooklyn decided to take him on after that year of blasting o the coast league. After q brief trial. be was expressed to Newark, and hstfed .3bs to Iead the Inter- national League.
 Last year hs played wiih ssrssy