The morning call., 1892-08-08

Gentle Willie Hassamer, whose faculty
for getting into baseball trouble almost
amounts 10 genius. fitted quietly and un-
Ostentatiously through this city yesterday
en- route to the far north, where he will
play second base for Seattle for the rest of
the season or as long as his work gives salts
faction. Willie is in very hard luck, in-
deed, and If the story be tells is true Mr.
VandeTbeck is destined to become bur-
dened with vast wealth If he sticks to base
ball long enough.
On the trip to Los Angeles at the close Of
the first season, Willie and his owner in
duIged 10 some repartee OF a personal
nature. Willie said that Vanderbcck re-
preached him In bitter terms for harboring
a charleyh0 horse 10 one Of his fingers which
prevented Willie from catching the last few
games. This made Willie quite hot, and he
retorted by calling bis owner whole lot Of
mean names where every body could hear
him, In return for which NaBderbeek sus-
pended Willie, Topped a few simoleans of
his salary, and even threatened 10 sell him
TO some club in the far-distant East for $3.50
According TO the dispatches sent out re-
garding this truly distressing affair. Willie
was fined $40 and suspended for the rest of
the season. Now comes the party of the
second part and says that Vanderbeck held
out S151 and a few odd cents, leaving Willie
stranded IN the citrus belt without money
or credit. When the season opened Willie
dohCI duutI DCCh W bduk % per month
ont of his salary, as he wished to save up
something for fOggy day. Vanderbeck
gladly consented. and told his emplOye that
il his name should appear in letters of
living fire among the first 10 on the batting
list he would give him a nice little bonus
besides.
Then did Willie everlastingly hump himself
to rip off base-hits, and he eschewed steam
beer and other intoxicating beverages In or
der that he might retain his batting eye un-
impaired. Now, then. behold the reward of
this good ana faithful servant Four
months savings were swept away atom fell
swoop. They amounted TO 500 and went
with salary due to appease Mr. Wander
beck's abnormal yearning for fines. He even
tried to defraud Willie of his lovely red
jacket with pleats down the back, and for
the safe return OF which the player depos-
tied SIS at the beginning Of the season. But
Just at critical juncture In the transaction
Wlllie.grabbed the jacket and put it in his
grlpsack.
Willie has DO coin to speak OF. but he can
make great splurge at Seattle with his SIS
red jacket. This in substance is Willie's
tale OF woe. BE showed formal note writ
ten by Nanderbeck which stated that the
player had been fined SAB 30. which may have
been all that was coming to Willie. How
ever, Willie insists that he is shy Sl51 and
that he Intends to sue for the money.
Among the other Interesting items Willie
brings up from the south is one to the effect
that Vanderbeck by discharging Willie has
killed the baseball goose that laid the golden
eggs at Los Angeles.
In other words baseball at Los Angeles
without Willie Hassamer is a dreary. dIs-
gushing blank, and the receipts have fallen
off from $50 to 500 per game since Willie
was fired. This is owing entirely to the
action of the railroad men OF Southern
California. who united to man and stood
up for Willie Hassamer. While Van1erbeck
was calling mass-meeting of prominent
and unduly excited citizens TO advocate the
withdrawal of Los Angeles from the
league, loyal member of the Brotherhood
OF Locomotive Engineers was passing
around among tine peanut-bOys, brakemen.
division superintendent. fremep. general
managers and men who hit the wheels.
with petit asking for the restoration of
Willie Hassamer
IL was with great apparent reluctance
that Willie ever alluded to this matter. bnt
he was compelled to do so 10 Justice Ia his
popularity In the citrus belt. What became
OF the petition is at present shrouded in
mystery, but Wille's friends did not ston
here. On Wednesday, the opening day Of
the new series, the railroad men mustered