The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-05-21
Pitching Star Also Comes From Orphanage; Cards
 Claim Him
BY HARRY CRIMSON

When Babe Ruth passed out, the mold was supposed to have been broken, but the folks down around Salem, N. C., aren't so sure.
 They've seen Archie Templeton.
 Piedmont league addicts are to see Templeton now, for the 18- year-old southpaw gets so much out of a spectacular delivery, hits the ball SO far, and runs so fast that the St. Louis Cardinals paid his guardian $5,Oo0 for his con- tract, ana farmed him to their Asheville subsidiary.
 The Red Birds acted through their Rochester branch, just to kep Judge Landis' books in the proper order. Branch Hickey, di- rector of the far-flung Cardinal chain, has no Teller or Heinrich trouble.
 Templeton must be a potential Ruth, if for no other reason than that the Cardinals paid $5,000 for him. That's more than they ever have given for free agent, let alone a high school boy. Their highest previous price for Scho- lastic star was $2,500 forked over for Flint Rhem.
 Like Ruth, Templeton emerges from an orphanage-the Chil- dren's Home, Methodist institu- tion of Winston-Salem, where he has been for eight years. There are five or six other young Tenn pletons with his mother in Char lotte, where Archie was born. The father is dead.
 Acts and LOks Like Ruth
 Again like Ruth, Templeton didn't care too much about the three R's of school days. All he wants to do is play baseball.
 Templeton easily might pass for the Babe Ruth that the late Jack Dunn plucked from the shelter of St. Mary's Industrial School in Baltimore in 1914.
 Archie is not as heavy above the hips as the Bam, whose torso always made his legs appear somewhat spindly, but he stands fraction of an inch more than six feet, and weighs a solid 180 pounds. Archie resembles the Babe facially, too, eS- pecially in regard to pug noses.
 Templeton throws the ball, as did Ruth, the pitchIr, and at the plate takes the same swing from Port Ar thur and way points.
 T don't want to make such an exaggerated comparison, but Ruth flashed into my mind the instant l set eyes on Templeton in action" !" says Hickey, who has seen too many prospects fail and too many spring daisies fade to wax enthusiastic about them.
 "Templeton has more throwing speed than Ruth ever had. He can throw a ball through a brick wall, but I don't know how often he'll get it over the plate in real competi- tion.
 "Templeton hits the ball as far as anybody ever hit it, but I don't know how often he'll hit it when facing good pitching.
 "Templeton is as fast as Lake Michigan breeze.
 First Base May Be Position
 The future will determine just what position the amazing prospect will play.
 Luke Stuart, who performed in the Western and other circuits and who scouts for the Yankees, pre- diets that Templeton will wind up at first base.
 He's a natural if I ever saw one" !" asserts Stuart, who was singing the youngsters praises long before the foxy foragers of the Cardinals, Reds, and other outfits visited Win Ston- Salem to look him over.
 The Yankees and others bid high, but Branch Hickey hasn't been a prominent Methodist all these years for nothing.
 Alvin Crowder, the former Amer ican League pitcher who now IS a Piedmont League owner, wanted Templeton badly, but couldn't com- pete with the majors. The general sends word that the lad can't miss.
 Bill Murray, Dukes former All- Southern, halfback, coached Tenn pleton for six years. He declares that he never saw a more natural extra base hitter. The boy hit 800