University of Chicago - Cap and Gown Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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l 2 E E E GRAND CJLD MAN

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Michigan 'IQ Chicago O, Thanksgiving Day, 1895. AMOS ALONZO STAGG, A BIOGRAPHY By William D. Watson and Everett C. Parker Amos Alonzo Stagg began his colorlul career in a small but comlortable cottage located at 384 Valley Road, West Grange, New jersey on 'I6 August 1862. l-le was the Fifth in a Family ol eight children. l'lis father was a cobbler by trade, having been apprenticed to a shoemaker at the age ol seven. The lather was intellectually ambitious, however, and by the time he was twenty had succeeded in educating himsell. This desire lor intellectual advancement he later transmitted to the large lamily which was his greatest pride, and while the Stagg home was devoid ol most ol those advantages which make living luxurious, it was never one which was starved ol inspirational ideals. All ol the children were early given moral instruction in the home, and while their minds were still plastic, they were inculcated with a code ol upright living. The neighbors ol the Stagg family in West Grange were predominately native and lrish, being lor the most part a homogeneous group ol hat Factory workers, and laborers. Some ol the men ol the com- munity were addicted tothe habit ol sauandering their wages on drunken revels. The Stagg lamily scorned such tactics and the children at an early age were made to understand the evils connected with the saloon. That Stagg learned his lesson ol the saloon well is demonstrated by the lact that all ol his liie he has been a militant crusader lor temperance. As a curly headed boy, Stagg First learned to love sports, engaging in his First team play when but a little over six years olds As a member ol a local baseball team, the boy acted as both secretary and player, playing First-hand base and third-hand base. The story is told ol how he was given custody ol the pennies which the boys laboriously saved in order to buy a league baseball. Finally having saved the total ol S'l.25, they invested in a Hred-dead baseball, which was the pride and joy ol every member ol the team. When proiessional baseball came to Grange in 'l876, the boys watched the progress ol the games through knot holes in the lence surrounding the Field. From the very First Amos Alonzo took a great interest in the art ol pitching, and lor many weary months he practiced with his cousin who lived next door, experi- menting with the curve ball, a discovery then new to the game. l-le tells ol how one day he stumbled upon the out, easiest ol curves, and ran excitedly to the kitchen yelling, HMammal Mammal l,ve got itln Tl-IE FIRST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS-1899 Top Row-Charles Gibbons Flanagan, Frederick Feil, Charles William Ervin, Bert James Cassels, H. B. Conibear, Trainer. Third Row-Henry Gordon Gale, Kellogg Speed, James Ronald l-lenry, l-lerbert Frederic Ahlswede, Clarence Bert l-lerschberger. Second Row-Amos Alonzo Stagg, Coach, Frank Louis Slaker, August Fred l-lolste. Front Row-William Franklin Eldridge, Ralph C. Hamill, Walter Scott Kennedy, Capt., Jonathan Edward Webb, James Milton Sheldon.