The Detroit Free Press had no love for Cap Anson of the Chicago White Stockings, and observed in 1888:
“The majority of the Chicago players are courteous, gentlemanly fellows, and as Anson naturally finds no pleasure in their companionship he is generally rather lonesome.”
Cap Anson
The Cincinnati Enquirer had a similarly low view of the entire White Stockings team in 1879:
“The Boston Herald says the greatest trouble with the new Chicago nine will be able to tell whether it will try to win. We think its greatest problem will be whether or not it will keep sober.”
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Charles Webb Murphy was often asked after giving up his interest in the Chicago Cubs if he regretted leaving baseball for much less glamorous businesses. In 1914, Hugh Fullerton of The Chicago Examiner said Murphy answered the question by telling people:
Charles Webb Murphy
“Well, not one of my gravel pits has jumped to the Federal League.”
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Arthur Irwin was one of the best-known scouts of his time, but by 1912, he declared that most of the good players were gone:
Arthur Irwin
“Scouting isn’t like it used to be. There was a time when a man could go through the bushes and pick up all kinds of men; but times have changed since then. The scout who is lucky to pick up one really good ballplayer in a season can congratulate himself and feel satisfied he has earned his salary.”
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Fred Clarke gave a toast on Honus Wagner’s 42nd birthday. The Pittsburgh Press quoted him:
“During all the years we played together I never knew him to make a wrong play.”
Honus Wagner
The previous year’s celebration of Wagner’s birthday included this quote in a letter from Johnny Evers:
“You hear about ‘second’ Cobbs, ’another’ Lajoie, but you never hear about ‘second’ Wagner’s. Why? Simply because there never will be a second Wagner.”
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