Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-04
ONE TO REMEMBER
WashingtOn'S Best
Baseball Pitcher
BY FRANCIS STANN

NO $4,000 QUESTION is this one: Who was the finest
y baseball pitcher born Washington? It's much
too easy and accurate reply he was Guy Harris
tDocl White, reed-sim southpaw who became one Of
tne nrSt couegans to go directly from the campus to
the big leagues
Doc White born in 1879. was a ls-game winner for
the Philadelphia Nationals in 9Oand he didn't graduate
from Georgetown until O2
After winning IS games for the hapless PhilHes
IN OF 1.-THE team only won 56 Doc jumped the Chicago
White sox Of the new American League and spent the
next II seasons as a big winner Beginning in OS he
won successfully H. &c. 49, 49, q and 10 games for the
Eitless Wonders" who deserved the name
Now 7S Doc White retired Silver Spring home
tending his flower and vegetable gardens gracousy
consenng to the old DAYS when old friends
visit The one-time dentist mound STAR vaudeville enter
aner athletic coach teacher lately has been recover
ing from a hip fracture
Il don't tend my gardens as much as / used to do"
says Doc who retired several years ago serving 2
years in the District school system at Wilson Teachers
College and 10 at old Central High My daughter Marian
has been doing most of the gardening His wife died
two years ago and Doc lives with his daughter A
son Martin. lives in Sharon, Mass
A gifted and versatile was G. Harris White
success at everything he tried except perhaps dentistry
This was not due to lack Skill acquired at Georgetown
Il set up an office during the off-season I was
young ball player Doc recalls but wasn't very
good Finally, discovered why In the same building
there was guy who was pulling teeth for so centS!"
On the diamond and even on the stage he did better
although like most ball players of his was woefuly
underpaid. From 1904-191O was paid only 5000 a
Atrock were paid about the same In fact you might
say that only one man connected with the ball club made
any money-he was Charles Comiskey who owned the
team.
with family to support. had to look off-season
employment So, like other ball players and fighters I
turned to vaudeville.
when read now where pitchers are getting $4,000
maybe $4,000 and picking up more outside
money for 2-minute spot television than could
have made the stage in years it-we kind Of makes
my blood boil know the dollar today doesn't stretch as
far as 1t did In the early 1905 but still think Walsh
Altrock Cobb and the rest Of underpaid"
Some Of Docs feats still stand in the records college
and pro- On May %. 1900. pitching for Georgetown
against Holy Cross he struck out the first hters
to face him. In short Doc famed the entire Crusader
team as fast as the players to the plate
It was customary in those days for big league clubs
70 play college teams In exhibitions That
how the Phiies spotted him signed the Young COL
legan for the OF season.
Doc was pitcher Of many skills. His control was
fabulous Over stretch in OF he pitched IS consecutive
innings before giving up base balls In g games
mat year ne averaged walk per In O6 when
The HtesS Wonders" 10 in row during their suc
;esfu pennant drive he pitched six of games and