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I- ♦Alex Finds Youngsters More Interested In Foot Ball and Track Than Base Ball._Old Grover Cleveland Alexander, once the peerless right-hander of the National League, is the latest to discover that young America isn’t aa excited over base ball as it was in his youth. Above is a recent photo of Alex and one of his playmates on the bearded House of David team. Alex insists on a shave every day.BY RICHARD COWELL.DENVER.—Young America’s feet aren’t itching these days to burn a path around a base ball dia-i mond.Grover Cleveland Alexander has learned that while touring the hinterlands this Summer. And much as the great old pitcher is saddened by the ' fact, he’s decided there isn’t anything to be done about it.Once the bushes were filled with youngsters whose hearts yearned for a place in the big league spotlight. Now Alexander finds only lads who want all-American gridiron honors or Olympic championships.Alexander Is piloting a base ball squad of House of David ‘ bearded beauties’’ cn a cross-country trip.“If there are any kids left in the country who are enthusiastic about base ball or who wsnt to become Ty Cobbs and Walter Johnsons I can’t find ’em,” i he said.“I’ve covered lots of bush league territory since I joined up with this three-ring base ball circus.“When I was running around the farm barefooted I thought playing ball was the only thing I’d ever want to do. and I still feel the same way,” said the veteran.“I can remember how craay I thought a bunch of Central City Nebraskans were when they offered me $50 a month to pitch for them—the first base ball money I ever earned.’’Alexander’s ride to base ball heights : included only two way stations—Galesburg, 111., and Syracuse, N. Y. He broke into the big leagues as a member of j the Philadelphia Nationals in 1911 and j stayed with them until 1918, when he ! was sold to the Chicago Cubs. He won | world series fame with the St. Ixmis Cgrdinals in 1926.“It’s different now,” Alexander shrug-j ged. “I’d rather see a big farm boy ' knock one of my fast ones a mile than to see him strike out.“I never made any money to speak , of in base ball. I pitched for the fun of It. I liked the big thrills. Nowadays the boys play for the big salaries.They don’t even get to take a nice ! swat at an umpire; fines are too costly.“Maybe the Cards still have their old I ‘knot hole’ gang of kids, I don’t know. If there aie any kids left who likebase ball it must be the boys Babe Ruth finds in the orphanages.“You can’t find them in the bushes any quicker than you’d find One-Eye Connolly in line at a ticket window.”
Newspaper Details
Washington Evening Star
Washington, Washington-DC, US
Sun, Jun 25, 1933
Page 20
Full Page
Clipped by
Michael W.
NA, 20 Jul 2023
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