Evening star., 1933-10-01

means Of the bat. What might appear - An
oddity may be really q sign to . coach or .
man on base"
ON the field Joe is the spirit Of base ball,
whether he is dashng far to hts right
or left for a hard-hit grounder or arguing With
his majesty, the umpire. And his background
in the game helps to explain how he got that
way He has loved the color and battle Of
the diamond since he was kid back IN San
Francisco
He born October r. 1906 one day be-
fore Friday the 18th, and says, by the way
that the fact he missed such q bad day may
have something to do with the world SERIES
His parents were Jerry and Mary Cronin.
and they saw to it that Joe had all the base
ball he needed. That was the favortte game
in the neighborhood where joe lived.
1t wasn't long before the teams in Joe's dis
trict came to respect the little lad with the
firm chin. He always has carried with him
that quiet confidence that wins admiration His
ancestors were that sort-people who always
had to work hard and who worshiped voted
and lived regularly
Joe wanted to go to college and his parents
saved little every week with the idea that
Joe would have the benefit Of an education.
1t was Joe's ambition to enroll at St Marys.
He cherished that wish right up to the time
when he broke into base ball in a big way.
He participated in nearly all sports but
after cracking up an ankle he gave up foot
ball
There was time when would have liked
to play quarterback" he told me, but be-
tween foot ball and base ball never had a
doubt as to what L preferred It seemed that
base ball was the natural game to play.
always craved it,"
Joe played tennis, basket ball, soccer and
base ball on the grammar school teams.
During his days in school, several Of the teams
on which he played won city championships.
and Joe helped to master mind" In those
days. too
Aside from base ball, Joe now likes tennis
and whenever he gets a chance to work out
he makes for the courts. AS kid he was
city playground champion Of San Francisco.
and during the Winter he plays day after day
to keen in shape.
THIS is not Joe's first world series, by the
way. A few years ago he sat on the bench
for the Pirates and saw world series be-
ing played and great opportunity pass. He
was dying to play. but the only reward for his
eagerness was to be sold to Kansas City.
If he hadn't been the kind Of fighter he is,
Joe still might be in Kansas City, or perhaps
in Johnstown, Pa, or New Haven. He found
his way back to the big leagues after enough
discouragement to blast the dreams Of a
weaker man.
Joe was only 18 when he made his bow with
the Pirates. That 1925 and Glen Wright
was at short with Pie Traynor at third. Joe
had slim chance to break in with that kind
of talent on the premises He was a nervous
kid and not an especially good fielder. He
used to throw the ball to Saskatchewan on
easy plays. But. with his odd stance, re-
sembling Heinie Groh's. he had managed to
punish that apple for an average Of $40 at
New Haven much to the delight Of the Pirate
scouts
The Pirates kept him around until 1928 be-
fore selling him to Kansas City. He played
in "a games for the ,Kaw club but could hit
only PAS. ."
Oddly, Bucky Harris, who also was . sue