Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-03
NJ K. LINCOLN Liz ED HAND BALL
Playing Games the Day Before He Was
Nominated far President

l. -
Playing Games the Day Before He Was
Nominated far President
Abraham Lincoln was passionatelv fond
of hand ball. The day before he was
nominated for the presidency he and a
number of friends were indulging in a
game against the side of brick wall at
the ball park at Springfield, Ill. Edward
W. Cox of the Dennison house. Chicago
says he recollects distinctly the incident
just mentioned. 1t was to a Cincinnati
Iimes-Star reporter that he told the story
1t appears that Mr.. Cox was travelling
IN the west for an oil house. During his
tour ne was frequently a passenger on
trains laden with people going and com
ing from the Chicago convention which
had been called to nominate a president.
Upon several occasions Mr.. Cox and fell
low drummer who was employed by an ink
house at GAINESVILLE polled all the travellers
they could reach and the greatest enthusi-
asm was found to be for Mr. Lincoln, the
illinois lawyer.
Thoroughly convinced that Lincoln
would be the nominee the pair of drum
mers took run down to Springfield to see
the coming man. They found but little ex-
cltement In that city. On asking to see
Mr.. Lincoln they were toll that he could
be found the next day. which was the one
before the convention, down at the ball
park playing hand ball, which appears to
have been his favorite pastime. They
visited the park the following day and
found the man of destiny busily engaged
in striking a ball against a blank brick
wall, so that it would rebound out of
reach of his opponent. There was quite a
crowd sitting around watching the game
and Mr.. Lincoln showed great proficiency
at the game as it was then played. He
contended that it was healthy and invig-
Grating pastime, and he saw no reason
why it should not become one of the most
popular of American sports.
Among other articles of wearing APP
parel which Mr.. Lincoln had on at the
time were long tailed black coat and an
old felt hat which tended to magnify his
tall and rather ungainly form and promin-
ent features, and he danced about hitting
the sphere hard Tow and again baby
ing it so easily that it was impossible
for MS antagonist to reach it. Mr.. Lin
coin was tremendously hard SERVER
but 1t was In cunning tactics that he prob
ably displayed his best FORM After fin,
1sh1ng successfully an unusually spirited
game Mr.. Lincoln sat down upon the
players bench, and it was there that Mr.
Cox was introduced to the next president
of the United States. Mr.. Lincoln re-
ceived him cordially, asked him if he ever
played the game of hand ball, commiserat-
ed with him when Mr. Cox said he didn t
understand it, and offered to teach him.
Mr.. Cox, who was thinking more of the
Chicago convention than playing hand
ball, said:
''Mr Lincoln, believe you will be the
nominee"
Mr.. Lincoln laughed and said:
81 think not. | believe those eastern
chaps will euchre us out of it, but you are
very kind to think will be nominated and
am much obliged
After this brief interview a player
dropped out of the game and Mr.. Cox was
invited to take hand Mr.. Cox did
so, for he was anxious to play with the
man whom he was sure would be nominat-
ed for president. The game lasted quite
awhile, and Mr.. Lincoln displayed great
skill and strength. When the game end
ed Mr.. Lincoln kept tally for another set of
players by notching points on stick and
calling out the points made by each player
in a loud voice.