Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-06
AL ScHAcHT's
Ny Own Porticulur Serewbull

needed only one pitcher. since
games were once a week. So.
that whole season, I didn't even
get into a single game.
After Commerce finished its
baseball season. I quit school.
disappointed at not having got
ten a chance to play.
That summer I took a Job at
q jewelry store downtown as a
stock and delivery boy. ! also
played semipro ball for various
clubs on Sunday afternoons.
Smartest Move Yet
I kept working right through
the beginning Of 1910, then quit
and returned to Commerce in
February. The ambition to play
on that schools great nine still
burned inside me. This time I
made the team as its pitcher.
And going back to high school
turned out to be the smartest
move I'd made yet, because I
was fortunate to make such q
good name for myself that it led
10 my dream, pro ball.
Commerce went on to knock
over all opposition that season.
We came down to the champion
ship high school game against
Stuyvesant. Every high school
kid in the city looked forward to
a pitchers battle between two
chuckers. me and Fred
Banker of Stuyvesant.
Banker and I often played OPP
posite one another in a Sunday
semipro league. Most of the
Commerce players were picking
up pocket money on week ends,
playing as a unit for the Emer-
aid Club. To cover with the
high school authorities, we used
phony names.
The day before the big game, a
Friday afternoon, the whole
Commerce team was called to
appear at the Board Of Educa-
ton. When he arrived down.
town. Fred Banker and his
Stuyvesant catcher were there,
too. The president stood up and
addressed us.
Boys, you are all charged with
playing professional baseball" he
said for a starter. And he called
out every players right name and
alias.
Now" he went on, 1.-THE board
must take action in this case.
But before we decide a verdict,
has anyone anything to say?"
II think I can talk for the rest
Of the guys" said. my folks
really can't afford to send me
through high school. figured
the only way I could really get
an education was to earn some
money on the side. There are
college teams which play in the
summer for pay. and I don't see
why We should be martyrs"
Banker Gets Sore
From the board members cold
expressions, you'd have thought
I hadn't said q word, and they
got UP and went out of the room
to decide our fate. Banker,
who was chewing a big wad of
tobacco, was SO sore he took the
wad from his mouth and fired it
up against the ceiling. 1t was
a white ceiling. The tobacco
Juice splattered all over it. I
knew that would be the clincher
If they ever spotted it. so I moved
my chair closer to the door for
a fast getaway If necessary.
When the jury returned, the
president was very dramatic.
He said, "Gentlemen"-which
was a promotion right there
"you are supposed to be amateur
athletes of good example to flu
ture students. But you've thrown
away the trust put in you, for a
few measly pennies. So the
board must declare you boys
no more Observation-Disclosures
to participate in any further
scholastic athletics" We were
dismissed.
The meeting was partly a sue
cess. They never did notice the
tobacco juice on the ceiling.
I quit school for good shortly
after this. feeling there was
left for me at high
school If I couldn't play baseball.
Unknown to me, while I'd
pitched for Commerce. I'd been
secuted by Abe Goldberg, man
ager Of an independent semipro
team at Walton, N. Y. One day
Goldberg approached me at
Bronx Oval and asked If ! was
interested in pro ball as a career.
He offered a pitching job at Wal
ton for 81 a week and board.
"Big-league scouts" he added.
"are crawling like ants around
Walton. think you have the
stuff, and this would be the per-
feet spot to show 1t Off"
/ accepted.
Very solemn, because I would