Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1912 — THREE STARS QUOTED AT $100,000 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THREE STARS QUOTED AT $100,000

Grover Cleveland Alexander, Buck O’Brien and Marty O’Toole were pitching sensations of 1911. Two of these “phenoms” are In the National add one Is in the American league.' The Phillies own Alexander, the Boston Red Sox own O’Brien and the muchadvertised Mr. O’Toole belongs to Barney Dreyfus of Pittsburg. Now, what would a big league owner give for the three? If it were possible to get the three on one team, what price would that'club offer? President Frank J. Navln of the Tigers was askefl. His reply in brief was: “One hundred thousand cash.” Not long ago these three pitchers belonged to one club. This club sold them all and the total sum received for the trio was $750. The difference that just a few seasons make la $99,260, which Is a pretty fair rate of increase in valuation. The case of these three pitchers

shows how scouts can go wrong in their judgment and how the best of judges often go astray. ' Indianapolis Is the club that owned Alexander and O’Toole and O’Brien. W. H. Watkins, who gave Detroit its world championship team, is the owner or the Indianapolis team. Charley Carr, who played in the big leagues, at one time for Detroit, and manager of the Kansas City team in the association this year, was manager of the Indianapolis club. Both Qarr and Watkins looked these three pitchers over thoroughly and passed them up. They brought draft prices which totaled $760. These valuable players, among others, were wandering around in the “bushes” for several years before they drew any serious attention from any of the prominent major league clubs. And then, with the exception of O’Toole, they did not develop until they were launched in the major leagues.

Buck O’Brien, Sensation of Boston Team.