Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 125, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1919 — STORY OF CLASSIC BLOOMER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

STORY OF CLASSIC BLOOMER

Shortstop Wortman for Whom Chicago Cubs Paid $20,000 Is Back With American Association. Shortstop Wortman has drifted back to the American association. He will be with Columbus this year. Behind this news is the story of a classic bloomer of baseball. Several years ago Charley Weeghman, who had just broken Into the National league from the Feds? by purchasing the Chicago Cubs, started to build up his club. Since the passing of Joe. Tinker the crying need of the team has been a capable shortstop. Wortman was playing with the Kansas City club of - the American

association. He was playing great ball, and several major league teams were after him. Weeghman set out to get the player at any ,price. He’ finally., did secure him for something like $20,000. Wortman joined the Cubs late in the season three years ago. He fielded well in the fall, but hit little or nothing. But Weeghman waited another year before passing judgment. ‘ ’ The< next season Wortman showed clearly that he was not of major league caliber, so The Cubs had to go out and dig up Charley'Hollocher. Wortman was carried all last year. But he figured in few games. Now be is back in the American association. .

Shortstop Wortman.