The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-31
He was now

so to speak, and he intended to do his level
best in giving Sheridan, Sickles, Howard, and
others few "skyers," as he had done Stanton.
He continued to say that he wished they
would also elect Grant member of the club,
as he was afraid that the Reconstruction Club
might make him their member, and he wanted
to belong to the same club with the General.
He had been practising lately, he said, with
Grant, giving him few balls which he (Grant)
struck amazing well, never once making a
"foul," and he believed with little practice
he would make an excellent player. The
President said he was so seldom in the
field, that they would probably term him a
"mufer;" his best position was as batter, he
believed he was "King pin'' there. (Great
cheering.) He hailed with pleasure the ad-
mitted fact that the game was now desig-
mated a national one. He had tried to
regulate his actions on the rules of baseball
club. He had chosen Mr.. Stanbery as um-
pire, and he thinks he has never yet made
foul stroke-at least the umpire has never
called one. Last July, at the extra session of
Congress, he received many "wild'' balls from
that radical pitcher, Stevens, and though a
good catcher, Bill Kelley, stood behind, he
struck every ball fair, and made, if not home
run, change of base at every bat. He would
say to his friends, the Mutuals, that he was
now engaged in little game where "mufing''
would not answer, where every shot must be
sent "hot." The Presidential nine are now
having game with the Congressional nine for
the championship of the Union. Stanton, the
first base of the Congressionals, was put out
at their last match as pretty as ever they saw
fellow, and the President thinks that the
scoring, when it is footed up, will show some
good figures for the Presidentials.
He says, although the Congressionals count
heavy on their men in the field he thinks the
Presidentials will soon fix on equally as good
ones to take field positions, as well as at the
bat. He said he had got Grant on the first
base; but he did not know whether to trust
him or not. He didn't seem to be quick
enough, and had already ''mufed" one or two
balls; but he thought after awhile the Presiden-
tials would have their nine picked, and all
assigned to their proper positions.
The Mutuals, after hearing these remarks
by the President, shook hands with him, and
invited him to witness their game with the
Nationals that afternoon. They then retired.
Mr.. Johnson, Tom Florence, and myself
talked the matter over after the Mutuals had
gone. Tom said he thought the Presidents
words were about right regarding Grant, and
he would move that if he staid in the Club he
be put as catcher, and let some more active
fellow be put on the first base. He thought
Rousseau good man. The President appealed
to me as to what thought of Grant. l said l
thought he was a little out Of place myself;
indeed, / did not think he understood the
game well enough to take a position at all,
but if he must have position, let it be in the
right field. The President laughingly turned
to Tom and said, 81 suppose you know our
young friend here is the Series Editor of the
Philadelphia EVENING TELEGRAPH, and he
ieeis called upon to make a joke whenever he
0"h, wish Seward was here, by Jove." Tom
1aiu ne oldnt have much of an opinion of THE
TELEGRAPH, or of anybody connected
"isn ~, mat 1t was too much in politics for
mln' The President said l mustn't he offsnded
'ning Mr. Florence might say, that
ne was a good fellow, but impulsIve. I said
yes, ana that is not the only kind of s,p,lsipe,,
he is. passive
"Ahl" said the President, chow "a ,h., -,
"Re," said /. '''''
The President here closed the 00uu.u..,,.
by saying, "Let's all take '''-