The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1937-06-17
Monte Weaver Making
Good With W Washington

contribution to professional base
ball, is making good with the Wash
ington Senators this season is shown
by the fact that he has won five of
the eight games he has pitched so
far, and is receiving favorable COM
ment from baseball critics.
AL Costello, writing in the June
issue of the Baseball Magazine, gives
credit for Weaver's comeback after
four years of mediocre pitching, to
the eating of beefsteak. Says Cos
tello:
Most big league ballplayers eat
beefsteak because they like it.
But the case of Monte Morton
Weaver, the Washington Senators
31-year-old hurler, is different
Weaver is eating beefsteak almost
daily to stay in the American
League.
Weaver came up to Clark Grit
fith's Senators back in 1882 touted
as one of the best looking prospects
culled from the minors in years. He
more than justified these reports,
winning % games and losing only
10 in his freshman year. Griff, call
ed by many the Old Fox, was tickl-
ed. He had shelled out goodly sum
well up in the five figures for the
former Baltimore Oriole, and it ap-
peared Monte was worth five times
that.
Then something happened. In
1888 Weaver could not strike his
stride. The word went out around
the American League. The prize
rookie of '32 was morning glory"
True, Monte came back in some sort
of a fashion late in the season, hurl-
ed several good games and helped
the Senators in their late drive for
the flag.
But 1884 and 1885 were a couple
Of nightmare years for the young
hurler. He couldn't get started. He
was downright shoddy in his hurl-
ing.
Came the inevitable. Monte was
shunted back to the minors early in
1885, Albany of the International
League getting the former rookie
sensation. With Albany Weaver
wasn't SO hot, either, winning only
seven games, meanwhile dropping
Is.
Still impressed with the rookie of
1882 he had bought, Clark Griffith
did not want to give up on the
pitching genius that was once Monte
Weaver. He recalled Monte at the
end of the '35 season.
For some reason, Griffith insisted
Monte go to Orlando with the 1896
Mats. Monte went. He did not con-
quer but he did impress. He was
carried by the club during the en-
tire year and pitched in 26 games,
mostly in relief roles, winning six
and losing four.
This year the miracle, or at least
it appears to be a miracle, has hap
pened. Weaver, to all reports and
appearances, is his old self again.
And the reason?
BeefSteak.
1t all happened back in 1888, ear
1y in mid-season when Monte failed
to get away to a good start. Always
a health ''worrier" Monte attended
a lecture which impressed him no
little. The lecturer was a vegetarian
"a strict vegetarian who could see
not a bit of good in any meat or
meats.
Monte was impressed He thought
if he went on a vegetable diet his
robust health of 1882 would return.
Monte did not touch piece of meat
for months.
His weight, seldom over 165
pounds, dropped to a precarious
148. His last one was duck soup for
the hitters, who disregarded his still
good curve to lay back and wade
into the fast ball which had lost its
sting.
Still Monies fast ball refused to
return. By almost sheer courage ne
pulled himself together and helped
the team win the flag and pitched
great, albeit, losing game in the
Worlds Series.
A physical wreck in 1884, Monte
allied chronically all year. He was
hardly a pitcher, but won II and
lost Is. Still in 1885 he could not get
started.
But in 1886 old Mike Martin, one
of the smartest trainers who ever
rubbed a bit of his own liniment or
a stiff-muscled athlete, took Monte
in hand.
Mike Immediately made Weaver
cut out the all vegetable diet. Mike
prescribed good, solid, flesh build
ing beefsteak. Monte was skeptica
but agreed to try it.
Last year a different Monte ap
peared. Still not the Weaver of '32
he did appear stronger. His fast one
was zinnino a little faster. His curve