September 21, 1933 - The Sheboygan Press, WI - The Story of Bill Terry by Daniel M. Daniel
Editor's Note: This is the third of six articles on' the life of Bill Terry, by Daniel M. Daniel, baseball writer of the New York World-Telegram.
By DANIEL M. DANIEL New York. — William Harold Terry's real start toward the base ball pedestal he holds today, as pilot of the champion Giants, was made with his sale by Newman, of the Georgia-Alabama league, to Shreveport of the Texas league. Bill pitched well enough for Shreveport in 1916 to merit a fine advance in salary, and a closer scrutiny
by the agents of the major league.
In 1917, Southpaw Terry developed into a brilliant prospect by winning 14 games for Shreveport. The 19-year-old kid from Atlanta was a willing worker and hurled 246 innings in no fewer than 40 games. His fast ball accounted for 81 strikeouts.
A Rich Young Man
All through his baseball career, Terry has been a shrewd business man. In fact, it is said that with the exception of Babe Ruth, who has about $400,000 salted away, Terry is the wealthiest ball player in the country. He owns considerable real estate in Memphis and his English-Scotch strain of thrift and shrewdness has kept him away from such things as stock markets and oil wells.
At the close of the 1917 season, young Terry, who had married a Memphis girl, began to take stock of his financial situation, his chances and his future.
War had been declared. Baseball, especially in the minor leagues, was very much unsettled. Texas league salaries took a dip. Financier Terry decided that baseball was not a good business at that particular time, and in the spring of 1918 he quit the Shreveport club and took a job with an oil company in Memphis.
Stays Out of Game
Little did Terry dream that instead of moving away from base ball he was going deeper into the game, and a career in it. What Terry did not know when he retired in 1918 was that Kid Elberfeld, the old Yankee shortstop and manager had bought him for his Little Rock team of the Southern league.
Elberfeld tried every conceivable way to get Terry to report, but it was no go. The oil company supported a ball club and Terry took charge of that.
For four years Terry remained out of league competition. Time after time Elberfeld tried to get him to change his mind. The war had ended. Baseball had come back stronger than ever. Crowds were larger. Players' salaries had risen.
But Terry had made a place fox himself with the oil company in Memphis. A son had been born to the Terry family. Bill had joined the Episcopal church in Memphis and was singing a rich baritone in the choir every Sunday He bad bought a home.
No More Minors!
"Kid, it no use. I will not play minor league baseball again," Terry told Elberfeld. "If you can get rne a chance in the majors, and they will give me what I want, I'll go back to baseball. But not with Little Rock, not with any other club either, if it's in the minors."
Terry had begun to play first base when he wasn't pitching for the Polarines, and now a new Terry began to blossom. It was a Terry who had grace and skill in the field and a terrific punch at the bat, A left-handed hitter with a natural, straightaway cut at the ball which produced powerful line drives.
McGraw Gambles Again
Elberfeld realized that he had a future great of the major leagues. He went about the business of selling Terry's release, which had cost Little Rock $500.
Several major league teams declined the invitation to pay $1,000 for the chance to satisfy the demand, of the oil man from Memphis.
But John 3. McGraw, always the gambler, was willing to take the chance. The Giants took over Little Rocks claim to Terry, and then it was up to McGraw to get Bill to sign.
(Copyright, 1933, NEA Service, Inc )
Next: How Terry signed with the giants.
By DANIEL M. DANIEL New York. — William Harold Terry's real start toward the base ball pedestal he holds today, as pilot of the champion Giants, was made with his sale by Newman, of the Georgia-Alabama league, to Shreveport of the Texas league. Bill pitched well enough for Shreveport in 1916 to merit a fine advance in salary, and a closer scrutiny
by the agents of the major league.
In 1917, Southpaw Terry developed into a brilliant prospect by winning 14 games for Shreveport. The 19-year-old kid from Atlanta was a willing worker and hurled 246 innings in no fewer than 40 games. His fast ball accounted for 81 strikeouts.
A Rich Young Man
All through his baseball career, Terry has been a shrewd business man. In fact, it is said that with the exception of Babe Ruth, who has about $400,000 salted away, Terry is the wealthiest ball player in the country. He owns considerable real estate in Memphis and his English-Scotch strain of thrift and shrewdness has kept him away from such things as stock markets and oil wells.
At the close of the 1917 season, young Terry, who had married a Memphis girl, began to take stock of his financial situation, his chances and his future.
War had been declared. Baseball, especially in the minor leagues, was very much unsettled. Texas league salaries took a dip. Financier Terry decided that baseball was not a good business at that particular time, and in the spring of 1918 he quit the Shreveport club and took a job with an oil company in Memphis.
Stays Out of Game
Little did Terry dream that instead of moving away from base ball he was going deeper into the game, and a career in it. What Terry did not know when he retired in 1918 was that Kid Elberfeld, the old Yankee shortstop and manager had bought him for his Little Rock team of the Southern league.
Elberfeld tried every conceivable way to get Terry to report, but it was no go. The oil company supported a ball club and Terry took charge of that.
For four years Terry remained out of league competition. Time after time Elberfeld tried to get him to change his mind. The war had ended. Baseball had come back stronger than ever. Crowds were larger. Players' salaries had risen.
But Terry had made a place fox himself with the oil company in Memphis. A son had been born to the Terry family. Bill had joined the Episcopal church in Memphis and was singing a rich baritone in the choir every Sunday He bad bought a home.
No More Minors!
"Kid, it no use. I will not play minor league baseball again," Terry told Elberfeld. "If you can get rne a chance in the majors, and they will give me what I want, I'll go back to baseball. But not with Little Rock, not with any other club either, if it's in the minors."
Terry had begun to play first base when he wasn't pitching for the Polarines, and now a new Terry began to blossom. It was a Terry who had grace and skill in the field and a terrific punch at the bat, A left-handed hitter with a natural, straightaway cut at the ball which produced powerful line drives.
McGraw Gambles Again
Elberfeld realized that he had a future great of the major leagues. He went about the business of selling Terry's release, which had cost Little Rock $500.
Several major league teams declined the invitation to pay $1,000 for the chance to satisfy the demand, of the oil man from Memphis.
But John 3. McGraw, always the gambler, was willing to take the chance. The Giants took over Little Rocks claim to Terry, and then it was up to McGraw to get Bill to sign.
(Copyright, 1933, NEA Service, Inc )
Next: How Terry signed with the giants.