Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-01-16
BASEBALL CHANKS.
New York Horse Which Likes to Play
the National Game.


the National Game.
One of the handsomest of the horses
| which drag Uncle Sans mail wagons
about is big fellow named Tom. Tom
would be ornament in any walk or
trot of horse life. While his actions
give token that he appreciates the honor
of working in a Government position
for the good of the people, they also
indicate that he feels that there is
good deal of drudgery attached
to the honor. Tom would probably
much prefer to be carriage horse for
some elderly lady who would not wish
her coachman to drive him overheard,
and in whose employ he would not have
to eat his oats in a public square in full
view of staring people. Yet he has an
honest, open-hearted nature, is a sensi-
bic horse, and recognizing the fact that
all occupations in life have their draw
backs, tries to get as much enjoyment
as possible out of his daily routine.
Tom is the happiest when waiting at
the post-office for the load to be put into
his wagon. His great superiority over
his fellows is then more noticeable than
at other times. The moment he has fin
ished his lunch of oats he begins to ask,
in way not easily to be mistaken, for
some one to come and play with him.
If no one responds he taps the tires Of
the front wheels with nervous ,raps of
his hind feet. This usually brings some
of the drivers to the front. They all
know that Tom wants to play ball.
Catching is his favorite pastime when
off duty. There is not a baseball
crank in the country who likes to watch
game more than Tom likes to play as
catcher.
horse catching ball plays at dis
advantage. dogs mouth was evident
ly made to enable him to catch any
thing thrown to him. "A horses wasn't.
1t is apparently a painful effort for a
horse to open his mouth more than two
or three inches. Tom has practiced
until he can get his jaws twice as
far apart as the ordinary horse usually
does. The pitcher stands ten or twelve
feet away, not in front, but on one side
of Catcher Tom. Tom lays his head
over sideways, opens his mouth to it's
widest extent, and when ready-as some
of the drivers say-winks one eyefor
the pitcher to proceed. If the ball is
thrown with any degree of accuracy he
will get it every time. When he ''muffs"
it he is very angry with the pitcher.
1t took Tom some months to acquire
this trick. He is not particular what he
catches. If it is an apple, or even a
banana peel, he stops the game long
enough to eat it. If it is bad ball,
wad of paper, or an orange peel, he
holds it until the pitcher comes up,
being unable, with all his genius, to
gain proficiency in throwing.
The larger the audience the more
Tom seems to enjoy playing ball. He
does not, however, like to have other
attractions about to detract from the in
terest with which he is regarded. The
other day when he was catching in the
presence of quite a crowd one of
a pair of mules standing near picked up
a piece of newspaper and began to
devour it. The boys at once deserted
Tom and began to hunt around for paper
to feed the mule. Tom refused to catch
the ball when the pitcher threw it to
him, and it is said, wouldn't play again
for two dayS.-N. Y. Times,