The Washington times., 1934-07-26
BY FRANK BUCK" O'NEILL
Times Staff Writer

Times Staff Writer
CHICAGO, July 26-(SpeciaD q.
Twenty years ago-that's three
generations in baseball life
Samuel Pond Jones was the best
pitcher in Woodsfield, Ohio, and
the surrounding territory. He'd
pitched for his high school team,
pitched for the town team, and,
by heck, he'd beaten GAINESVILLE,
which was more than GAINESVILLE
could stand.
So the boys in the big city
it was a big city to Sam-Signed
him to pitch for the Interstate
League which spread its loop over
the sovereign States Of Ohio,
Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
No Dreams, Then
Sam cherished no dreams of big
league fame at that time, but the
fans in Chicago are celebrating
Sam Jones day today, with the
Griffmen as co-celebrantS.
There will be a delegation of
the boys who gathered round the
cracker barrel in Woodsfield's
general store when Jones was
starting his career as a ball
player.
They Clipped in their dimes
and solicited the fans of Chicago,
Cleveland, Boston, New York and
for dimes. They've
bought a blooded saddle horse for
Jones, and they'll make the pres
today. Said Sam this
81 hope 1 win. I'd like to let
the old gang from home see me
win"
Twenty years is a long time
to be around the majors. /
never thought I'd last that long.
In fact, when I went home in
1913 after the Interstate League
blew up, 1 wasn't sure I'd play
ball. No scout discovered me.
BILLY DOYLE'S o. X.
"a travelling salesman saw
me, recommended me to ZaneS-
vile.
"But I pitched for Columbus
for a few weeks, and then I
went to Portsmouth, to the
school of the Cleveland club.
Billy Doyle, Cleveland scout, ran
that school and signed me for
the Cleveland club, which held
the Toledo franchise. In the
winter of 1856 1 went to BOs-
ton in the deal that sent Iris
Speaker to Cleveland. The rec
ord books tell the rest of my
travels.
"My greatest game? Well, I
guess it was when l shut out
the Athletics without a hit ON
September 4, 1928. A hitlesS
game is the goal of every pitch
er's ambition, and 1 worked
carefully to win that battle.
LOST TO CASEY STENCIL
"Next to that was the game
in the 1923 world series. 1 lost
one to nothing when Casey
Stengel hit a home run, but
1 have always considered it as
one of my greatest pitching
performances"
Would Sam pick an all-star
team? He said:
"That's tough, but here we
60. Wallie Schang was the
gerateSt catcher / ever knew
or worked with. An iron man,
a fine receiver, great thrOwer
and good batsman. COchrane
ranks second to Wallie.
"The pitchers would be Lefty
Grove, Herb PennOck, George
Earnshaw, and Walter johnson.
The infielders would include
Lou Gehrig Of the Yankees,
Charlie Gehringer and Eddie
Collins at second base, and Ev.
erett Scott at short. Joe Du-
gan and Buck Weaver are the
best third baSeman ever saw.
BABE RUTH SURE
"Now for the Outfield. Ruth
first and foremost. The great
est all-rOund star in the game.
A marvellous pitcher and the
finest hitter of them all. Then
Speaker, Cobb and Simmons.
Cobb was not as great as
Speaker, but had more fire. But
that would be a good team,
wouldn't it?"
Yes, indeed, it would. Sam
concluded:
eyes, I'd do it over again.
Baseball is all right if a man
can reach the majors and stay
in them. But it's a tough
grind to stick in the minor
leagues"
Our Griffs ran on another
sour day yesterday, encountering
George EarnShaw when the Big
Moose was in the midst of one
Of his good days. He had every
thing, and the best the GriffS
could do was try.
They got only seven hits and
after the first inning had few
chances to score. In the ninth
INNING they got two hits, but
these blows were sandwiches in
- g.