New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-12-02
ssaw runners fl ying between the bases.

ssaw runners fl ying between the bases;
II saw our captain fling his cap to the
ground, and knew by instinct that he.
had bitten his lip and mutt s Just
our luck to hit to that muffer with the
bases full" All these things come to
ones eyes and ears at such a, time
without mis- knowing that he sees or
hears them. Then | started to run
forward, though I knew [ was fully
twenty feet too far out to reach the
ball ere it touched the ground.
ran desperately and at the critical
moment sprung forward. The dis
lance no mortal could have covered
at one leap, but [ felt myself borne
forward irresistibly by an unknown
force and something fell intomy hand,
There was a moments silence; then
came an electric clapping of hands;
then a cry of "Back! back!' as the
runners rushed to retrace their steps;
another yell (from our captain this
time), "Put her to second" and l
threw the ball to the baseman: On it
went like rifle shot, breast high and
straight. I saw him fling it with I'M
erring aim to first. Then came the
monotonous voice Of the umpire,
"Side out" and our men went trip
ping in, turning somersaults and walk
Ing on their hands in elation:
''That was a lucky f1uke OF yours,
thst triple play" said the captain,
consolingly.
It was Che latter half of the second
inning and no runs scored on either
side, when I grasped my bat at the
warning cry: "Holmes to bat, Smith
ers on deck'' In a few seconds Holmes
was out and I faced the pitcher.
Igrasped the magic bat tightly, and
as did so seemed to feel an electric
thrill run through my frame. The bat
quivered as if instinct with life, and |
could have sworn that I felt a pair OF
warm hands clasping the handle be-
tween my own. So strong was the
impression that 1 actually looked
down to see if such was not the case.
The ball flew toward me. l felt i'm
| PEELED to strike, and without hesita-
ton, without calculation, struck
madly at it, and there came another
roar, another electric clapping Of
hands, and | saw the ball, tiny blot
on the blue sky, cleaving the air 1OC
feet above the head of left field. ran
like a startled deer, one base, two
three, clean home run, and painting
sunk down, on the grass fully ten sec
onds ere the ball was sent in. I haC
made my first base hit, and it was g
! home run!
"Guess you've been saving up youl
base hits for the last three years. - re
marked our captain.
1 need not dwell IN detail upon thu
rest of this history. On that day, as
was generally remarked. I played
''llke the DEVIL and the banner O
Somerville went down in the gloon
of whltewash. THAT sentence is
somewhat Whitmanian, but let il
stand.) An honored member Of the
first nine, wherever the Excelsior;
went I went, and with me went victory
Base hits and home runs poured pro
digally from my bat. What wished
it to do that it did. The name OF thu
Wahpanseh Excelsiors became more
than local; professional mines CAM
from afar to battle with us, and re
tired worsted. My portrait with {
heavy black mustache) was in Thu
paper. was offered for six months
recreation such a, salary as few minis
tiers of the gospel, teachers or editors
can hope to receive. One thing, how
ever, puzzles me. Who was my mys
teriaus visitor, and will he reappea
to reclaim his gift?
How this manuscript came into tn
possession Of the writer it would b
tedious here to relate. The following
item, from the Wahpanseh Clarion O
Aug. 10 may, however, be Of interest
| We regret to learn that no reliabl
tidings have as yet been received O
Mr.. Henry G. Smithers, the respected
left-felder of the Excelsior baseball
club. On the 5th of July, early in tn
morning, as our readers may remen
Der. his bat with which during the yea
he had made home runs, 29S bas
hits and 673 total bats was found OF
| Main street, near Jefferson, permea
ted by a strong smell OF sulphur AM
bearing the imprint Of several fer,
fingers Nothing has since been hear'
ofour esteemed citizen, and it is feare'
that foul play exists. The Excelsio
Baseball club has offered a reward O
5000 for his abductor or abductors
and the secretary, the genial Herber
f. Wilkins, "mine' host of the Eure
ka hotel, informed our reporter yes
terday that the amount would b
raised to $5OO-New York World.
Old and Young.
There is no surer antidotefor the e