The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-07-11
HE WAS A BALL PLAYER.
The Little Old Man, aud Ills Great Act
Left Field.


Left Field.
"Play BALL old man?'
"Waal, scrter think / uster, young
stsr."
"Will you? We want another man to
make up the sides"
"My legs are little kinlSy, young
ster, but guess kin ercommerdate yer
just ther same"
"All right old man, Gomez
The little old fellow scrambled TO his
feet without more ado and with kind
of ng-and-dance shuttle ambled into
the midst o. score or more boys on the
common.
The veteran was assigned to right
field AID the game began. The oppo-
sing nine came in for its final inning,
and that to which the old man was as
signed went into the field with the score
ten to eleven in favor of the latter.
"Can you catch flies?" asked the cap
tain.
kin er duck swim?" was the grim
answer of the veteran.
"All right Play left field this in
ningW sang out the boy behind the bat.
ut the same time motioning to the others
to hasten into place
"Sorter out n this direction" mum
bled the little old chap. as he struck a
prancing gait for his old place in right
field.
"The other side" shouted a score or
more voices in chorus, while the specta-
!ors convulsed themselves with laughter.
"Know'd it, but sorter wanted to take
ther kinks out er me legs. Them yer
legs kinder want loos'n up, see?"
The last inning began.
Two boys went out, one on strikes
and the second on a wild fly, but the
third boy managed to send sky scraper
into left field. This was the deciding
point of the game, for the two heaviest
batters were to follow.
Get on, to it, old manw shouted the
boys in the field and the spectators in
one voice.
The little old man vouchsafed no re-
ply.
He could not if he wished, for he was
all activity. Gliding out of his tatterred
coat as though the arms were CREASED,
he brushed his hat from his head almost
with the same motion Shat he sent his
shoes flying into the air.
With single ''whoop," such as Co
manche might be credited with, he
shook the knots out of his limbs and
struck out with vim in the direction
the ball was taking
1t was yet sailing through the all
peacefully but swiftly, and at great
height. 1t seemed nip and tuck with
the old man.
Only once did he look upward as if Il
guage the flying sphere, but with the
result only of increasing his speed.
The ball descended and as it wa,
i abcat to strike him in the neck HI
turned.
! "Thump!"
The ball did not hit him in the neck
: but the chest, and
! Not outr' shouted the umpire.
''Ain't, hey!" screamed the old man
I waving the ball to and fro in his righ
, hand.
, CONSERVATION reigned supreme. TIL
, day was won, and that, too, through tn
= experiences of the left field.
I "Out," corrected the umpire; and the
, the entire mob, school-boys and specta
r tors, broke into rousing cheer. TIL
e left fielder, with the walk of conquer
G ing hero, kicked his hat into the all
h gathered up his coat and with the noise
r lessness of an Indian on the war trai
v glided into his well-worn shoes.
n "How did you do it?" asked a by
stander, as the little old man amble
from the field with purse of $40 in hi
pocket and the boys cheering Justify.
" Dropped inter Inc shirt-see?"-
ton Globe