Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 167, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1913 — Page 3

METHOD OF SHORTENING BASEBALL GAMES

Edgar Willett, the Detroit pitcher, bag advanced an idea as to a method of shortening baseball games. Edgar caught the idea while watching Sam Crawford amble around the bases recently after smashing the ball Into the, bleachers for a home run. “Why not permit Crawford to run to first and then return to the bench, Instead of consuming a minute or so walking about'the sacks?’’ says Edgar. “There are, we’ll say, fifty home runs bit in the American League each season. That means an hour wasted. Every one knows the hit is a home run when it drops Into the bleachers or goes over the fence, so what’s the use of wasting time and effort”

HOW M’GRAW GOT HIS START

Chris von der Ahe, Then President of St. Louis Browns, Didn’t Went Lilliputian Player. Few New York fans know the important part that the late Chris von der Ahe played in the career of John J. McGraw. Chris, Who then was “der poss president" of the St. Louis Browns, had a chance to line up McGraw as a member of his team about the time the Browns won their last pennant in the late ’Bos. His failure to do so has been counted as one of the biggest mistakes of the old timer’s life. Bill Gleason, brother of Kid Gleason, now assistant manager of the White Sox, recommended McGraw to Chris while "Little Mac," as he then was called, was playing shortstop for the Cedar Rapids, la., team. Chris had sent Gleason out to scout for the Browns. Bill rounded up McGraw and suggested that Van der Ahe give him a trial. McGraw looked like a mid-, get. ' . - “Vhere did you get dot Lilliputian?" Inquired Von der Ahe of Gleason. “He’s all th4re as a ball player, even if he is no bigger than a minute,” replied Gleason. “Take him across the street and learn him how to ride horses," ordered Chris. “I don’t want any sawed off, hammered down player on my team.” Gleason led McGraw outside, introduced him to. Billy Barnie, manager of the Baltimore Orioles. Barnie signed McGraw on Gleason’s recom-

Manager John McGraw.

mendation. Thus was McOraw’s start Iq big league ball. After a brilliant career as player, he came to the Giants and was an almost Instant suocess.

Real “Come-Backs."

Leach of the Cubs, Cravath of the Phllliea, Kling of the Reds are the three real comebacks of the smson, according to an exchange. Onrie Overall certainly deserves a place in that ÜbL

Another Wrecking Crew.

We now add another two-man combination to the. list of wrecking crews —Magee and Cravath of the Phillies. These two men are about as good as the Cobb-Crawford. Colllns-Baker or Jackson-LaJole combinations.

Eddie Willett of Detroit Tigers.

BROOKLYN IS BIG SURPRISE

Dodgers Have Been Traveling at Fast Paco This Season—Best Team in Many Years. The Brooklyn team has proven a Mg surprise in the National league this season. The Dodgers have occupied such a lowly position in the pennant fight each year for many seasons back

that they have been regarded as a Joke, the same as the Washingtons were before they became a mighty serious proposition- last year. Bill Dahlen’s men started off this season at a fast gait and they have kept up their speedy work to the present time. Some of the baseball wiseacres think that the Dodgers have been playing beyond their real speed, but Dahlen avers that hlB men will be putting up just as fast a game two months from now as they are at the present writing and the club that beats them out will be able to land the pennant. This year's team is the best that has represented Brooklyn in several seasons without a doubt. The addition of Stengel was the tritove that made the Dodgers a winning dggregatoin. This player has put up a sensational game since Joining the team, and has Infused new life into the others. Jake Daubert and Zach Wheat, the two heavy hitters of the Superbas, are swinging their war clubs with a vengeance this year. Cutßhaw, Smith, Fisher, Hummel and Miller are others who are giving a good account of themselves. The pitching staff, led by that great left-handed box artist Nap Rucker, has contributed its share to keeping the team up in the thick of the fight

Connie Mach is enthusiastic over the way young Eddie Murphy has performed as leadoff man of the Athletics. The youngster’s versatility is what Connie Mack likes. He is a sprinter, which helps him beat out an occasional bunt, as well as bn the bases, and he is hitting the ball with consistency. ir - -

Man in Chicago wears a watch-fob mads from a bone recently removed from his cranium. That fellow Is only a piker. Many eminent ball players could not only furnish Individual watch-fobs, but are in a position to supply the wholesale trade. —Cincinnati Times-Star.

Manager Biĺ Dahlen.

His New Murphy a Find.

Lots of Them.

STAND OF PLAYER EXPLAINED

President Fultz Tell* August Hermann of Reasons for Wanting Change in Their Contracts. Some of the reasons why baseball playera in the big leagues want to change the system under which they are farmed out to minor league clubs at salaries less than those called for in their original contracts are contained in a letter written by David L. Fultz, president of the Baseball Players’ fraternity, to August Herrmann, chairman of the national commission. The letter is in reply to one written by Mr. Herrmann in answer to the players’ first communication on the subject. “There can be no intelligent denial,” reads Mr. Fultz’s letter, “of the soundness of the principle that so long as the player is held under a signed contract he must receive the salary the contract calls for. “The common practice of forcing men to go to other teams and allowing these teams arbitrarily 'to cut their salaries can have neither legal nor moral justification. “You say after the player is transferred It is a question of negotiation between him and his new owner. How can it be a question of negotiation whgn the player is compelled by your regulations to sign with one particular team or quit his profession? There can be no negotiation when one party is absolutely at the mercy of the other; it then becomes a question of duress. “When the situation is reversed and the major league recruit plays far better ball than he is expected to, he can’t ‘welch’ on his agreement and refuse to play unless he gets more money. Why, then, should the owner have the right to withdraw from his contract when he finds his bargain is not quite so good as he expected?” The letter closes with a renewal of the request that the commission compel owners to live up to thier contracts with players.

HOLD RECORD FOR RELEASES

Catcher Ainsmlth of Washington American League Team, Given Slip Three Times in Year. Ed Ainsmlth, of the Nationals, seta up a claim to the record for being released. Three times in 1909 he drew the slip in the New England leaguw—

Ed Ainsmith.

once from Lowell and twice from Lawrence. He learned the game in grammar School, attracted attention from the scouts while he was playing with the Holy Name society team in Cambridge, Mass., and when but sixteen years of age crashed into the professional rank. When'Scout Kahoe bought his release from Lawrence in 1910 for 83,800 that club was out of the running and in seventh place. Still they insisted upon Ainsmith finishing the season, and it was not until he threatened to lump to an outlawed summer league In Vermont that the Lawrence owners told him to go to Washington. Ainsmith, who 1b now twenty-three rears old, played basketbaU In the oft season until last,winter, when he went to Texas for his health. The southern climate made such a hit with him and brought abost such an improvement In his physical condition, that he will return there next autumn.

Roger O’Connor’s Job.

Roger Connor, who a decade ago was regarded as one of the greatest long-distance hitters in the business. Is still tied up In the game. Connor Is acting as general supervisor of the •mpires In the Eastern' league for President O’Rourke, he being practically boss of the Indicator holders. Roger’s chief duties are to look an umpire over from the stand during the game, then point out to him what mistakes he msde after the contest is orej. So tar the Idea has worked like a charm and many umpires have developed considerably under Connor's advice and coaching.

To Live In Cincinnati.

Nap Rucker and Alexander will be residents of €IOOIOOBII the coming winter, both having been offered fine positions In box offices In Cincinnati theaters.

RETIRES WITH RECORD

OLDEST RAILROAD CONDUCTOR IN COUNTRY ENDS WORK. 8. B. Lightcap of Kansas City Had 45 Years of Continuous Bervice With One Lins —Talks of Times' Changes. After 45 years of service, 34 of those year as conductor of a passenger

Mr. Lightcap saw many changes in the methods of railroading. When he went to Omaha in 1868 it Was from Pittsburgh, Pa., where he had gone after being mustered out of the Union army. He was in the Fourteenth Pennsylvania cavalry and was in every principal battle in the east from the second battle of Bull Run to the surrender at Appomattox. “When I began as a passenger conductor from Kansas City to Brookville,” he said, Abilene was the northern end of the long cattle trail from Texas. There was not a bouse north of the railroad, where the principal part of Abilene is now, and I have seen thousands of Texas cattle grazing there. In all of the country for miles east of Abilene, where rich farms are now, there was not a settler and the sod unbroken. Saliha was a

S. B. Lightcap.

very small village and in all the country west of there a plow had never been stuck into the sod. “I ran through Abilene in the days when Wild Bill Hickok was town marshal, and through Hays when Bill Cody now famous as Buffalo Bill, was marshal there. Many a time I saw the body of a man swinging from a telegraph pole. In' those days railroad trains in the west were infested with three-card monte men, and I knew Canada Bill, the notorious confidence man, who used to operate on the trains out of Kansas City. “I was well acquainted with Jim Bridger, the Indian fighter, scout and trapper who discovered Bridgets pass through the Rockies. I hauled .him many a mile.

“I hauled the rush of gold seekers to Denver and Deadwood, and later to Cripple Creek. I hauled the millions of immigrants who first settled Kansas and Colorado, for Ours was for many years the only railroad from Kansas City to the west. “Oner of my duties in those early days was to see that the tallow candles in the cars were lighted when dusk came. It was several years before we got oil lamps, and years more before we got’ gas light. We had no cJr brakes, but eased the train down at stops with old-fashioned wheel brakes operated by hand. Our engines then were much smaller than those in use now, and so were the passenger coaches. An average coach would carry 40 or 60 persons.” In his 46 years of railroading Mr. Llghtcap never had an accident that injured anyone, never had a passenger killed and was never Injured himself. He never had an adventure that he thinks is worth telling, either. His splendid health and physical condition refute the general belief that railroading is injurious in the long run. He owns the cottage in which he lives, and that, together with the pensions from the government and the railwaj com pan. are all I e has.

Limited Struck a Truck.

In Marshfield, 111., a .careless baggageman left a truckload of cases containing empty soda water bottles too near the track. There was a crowd of people on the platform waiting, for a local passenger train lying in the yards until a limited passed through. When the limited came Along the mail clerk reached out with a big crane for the mail sack banging on a rack above the station platform. The crane ripped into the truck load of bottled, th*-ew them In. a welter and haze of broken glass, all over the platform. Two waiting passengers were struck by flying cases and very nearly killed.

train, S. B. Lightcap, 816 Forest . avenue, Kansas City, has been retired at the age of seventy years, with a pension from railroad company of $64 a month for the re- v mainder of his life. ----- When Mr. Lightcap retired he was the oldest conductor in years of service, so far as he knows, in the United States.

FREIGHT RATES OLD PROBLEM

Governments and the Transportation Lines Wrangled Over the Subject 1,800 Years Ago. . It Is interesting to learn from a papyrus in the University museum that the high cost of living and excessive freight rates were issues at least 1,800 years ago, and it is a peculiar coincidence that the complaint arose in Theadalphia, a name closely allied to our own city, which is now wrestling with the cost of food and the rates on anthracite coal. It seems as if there is nothing new under the sun, the same issues prevail and the same struggle is being waged. However, it seems certain that we are much better off than the fellahin of Egypt in the apostolic age. or even than the small landed proprietors, who had to pay as much freight “as the traffic would bear” for transportation on the Nile. We get a glimpse of life under the Ptolomies in Egypt, when the country was drained to furnish Rome with food- It is an amazing thing that in the Fayoum district, which is a little pocket to the westward of the Nile, flimsy records on papyrus should have been preserved to this day. This is only possible in a land of perpetual dryness. Egypt has thriven without rain through two millenniums because the necessary water comes not from the skies, but along the Nile from the center of Africa. Eighteen centuries may seem a long time to us, but at the time the complaint of freight rates was mentioned there had been at least 6,000 years of recorded history in Egypt, and undoubtedly many " millenniums which left no record. The poor fellahin, the actual cultivators of the soil, comprised a sort of patient animal who had become Inured to oppression and greed, and who never had the slightest opportunity for self-development until within thirty years, when the British government set him on his feet and gave him not only freedom from lashings by the courbash, from extra taxation, but permitted him to accumulate a little something on his own account and to become more than a tool of the officials.—Philadelphia Inquirer. i

MAIL EXCHANGE WORKS WELL

New Idea Tried Out Has Received the Sanction of the Government Railroad Mail Service. A new mail exchange is being tried out in California and has been pronounced a success by the representatives of the government Railroad Mail Service department of the post office as well as by the officials of the railroad company along whose line this device is being used. A 16-foot tower is erected at each mail delivery station. At the top of these towers are a pair of great semi-circular horns, while the tower at the base is imbedded in cement and surrounded by a small platform. The mail train Is equipped with a pair of rails on the ceiling of the car. On this is placed a steel arm on wheels, which arm, attached to a chain, raises a large steel hook when pushed forward. A spring retains the arm in position. A steel ring which clamps the mail pouch is attached to the arm and a ring of the same type is attached to the arm of the standard. The hook on the standard points in one direction and that on the train in the other. As the train passes the hooks

At Mile a Minute.

run through the rings picking up and delivering the mail at the same time. The pouch, caught on the train hook, is deposited on the floor of the car while that on the tower awaits the arrival fit the postmaster to be released. Automatically upon the release of the pouch the arm. travels back into the car while the steel horns on the tower tip upward absorbing most of the shock, and at the same time making the track clearance required by the railroad department of the government.

Unsafe Safety Devices.

A New England railroad man said at a luncheon In Boston: “The way some people talk, you’d think that there were a thousand safety appliances, any one of which, applied to American trains, world abolish accident and loss of life forever. “There are, It Is true, an abundance of safety devices for trains. These we are testing one by one, Just as fast as we can. But very, very few of them prove, on a running train, to do the things they do on paper. *"1116 average safety device, indeed, recalls the wldour who applied for outdoor relief. ’“Tours is a sad case,’ Mid the charity agent. ‘How did you lose your husband, ma'amf* “ ‘He was killed, sir,’ answered the widow, ‘while testin’ a new safety cow-catcher for the P. D. R. railroad.’’’

ra^n^owLANP ApNYHAN The funniest man lives in our block; I have to smile when he goes past; I do not wish to seem to knock Nor with the cynics to be classed. But bis is such a funny case That, honestly, It’s hard for me To keep from laughing In his face. It Is not that the clothes he wears Are made In an outlandish style; He Is not bowed by borrowed cares. Nor do his whiskers make me amilei Thfhk not that I . Would wish to try To make you think him crass or Vila. He never says a funny thing Nor gives us humor with his pen; He does no foolish driveling, But laughter surges In me when As happens every now and then, I chance to meet Him in the street— He differs so from other men. .. I His nose Is of a common shape. And he has normal eyes and ears; He bears no semblance to an ape. But I, whenever he appears. Must do my best Restraining, lest My eyes be filled with mirthful tears. He Is the funniest man I know. Not that he leads a care-free life; He has his troubles, too, although They say his home Is free from itr!tart To make confession candidly, The reason he Amuses me Is that he thinks he rules his wife.

Willing to Help.

“How much of an income do you think I ought* to have beljsre we get married?” he asked. “Oh,” she replied, “I hardly know. How much of an income have you?" “Three thdueand a year.” “Don’t you think that is enough?" “I’m afraid I could hardly support you in the style to which you have been accustomed, unless I managed somehow to get a good deal more.” “Well, of course, if it had to be done, 1 might use a less expensive kind of massage cream.”

Suggestion for Automobile Racers

Might it not be well to have automobile racing made a little more formal and ceremonious. For example, let the drivers and mechanicians who are to participate line up in front of the grand stand just before the racing begins and loudly shout in chorus: “Ladles and gentlemen, y we who are about to die salute you.”

Quickly Recovered.

"The first time a, man ever proposed to me,” said Mrs. Atkinson, who was rather plain, “he took my breath away.” “Evidently you got it back In tims to say yes before he could escape,” replied her jealous neighbor.

If She Really Meant It

"I want a pair of shoes that will be plenty large enough,” she said as the clerk looked into her old one to find the number. "In that case.” he replied, "perhaps you had better step over into the men’s department.” ■■■■■ * 'j . 1 — 1 .

Always

When a man begins by saying: T want to tell you a good Joke on myself,” you may be sure that tie ta going to try to make somebody appear ridiculous.” l

Still Useful.

"They say he wasted his fortune on a chorus girt" "Oh, it wasn’t wasted. She hasn’t kept any of it out of circulation.*’

Only Then.

The only time a man can really enjoy resting is when he knows that he ought to be at work.

Art of Living.

Living should be one of the fine arts, but the majority of people make a mere Job of h.

Dangerous.

Many a man has by 'sparing the Mae pencil spoiled the child of his imagination.

Or a fit Louis Thirst.

A man with Mobile features may have a Pittsburgh conscience. * ' v t