The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-27
GOSSIP OF A GREAT GAME.

Philadelphia boasts another type Of the
athletically emancipated female-the girl
base ball player. She is found where you
would least think Of looking for her-behind
the high walls Of a highclass private school.
Who would think that the demure-faced
maidens who walk to and from the most Sc
cluded and conservative OF schools under
stood anything about Catching flies" tip
ping a foul or making a three-bagger?"
But so it is. In the Quaker City picked
mines from the various converts play the
national game and play it we'll and this In
the face Of the masculine comment that no
woman can strike hard enough to make sec
ond base.
Basket ball is the thin end Of the wedge,
undoubtedly. Once the girls get rid OF the
idea that competitive sports are unwomanly
and they may take up anything-eyen foot
ball.
over basket ball. In the first place, the for
mer Is a game Of skill. The eye is trained
to follow the ball and calculate distances, the
running strength Is greatly increased and
the muscles Of the arm called into play, to
saw nothing of the hardening of delicate
palms and finger tips by frequent contact
with the bulletlike procliyities of the ball
you ever hear about AID Gumbert's
bat?' asked the old-time ball crank of the
man who is just beginning to root from
Section A.
The new ball crank knew Gumbert and ad-
mitted that Addison was something of g
killer but did not have any ACQUAINTANCE
with his bat.
Well, said the old ball crank, "Addison's
most remarkable batting was done during
the season of 1889. He has hit harder on the
whole season than he did then-Ad has more
than once hit up as high as $3.50, and only
went tel .287 that year-but he made more
long, savage drives than any other pitcher
in America. AID always did have penchant
for smashing the ball right at the third bag.
Other men may make longer hits and harder
hits into other portions of the feld. but
never has there been q batter who could
drive past the third corner the way lGumbert
could.
"Ad wanted to hit well In 1885, So he
had a special bat constructed-had5 it built
by dead Of night, when nobody was looking.
He had it followed out and q large Jag OF
mercury put a In the who'll hollow, which :, was as then hsa
the mercury few from the handle to the end
Of the stick and added terrific vigoT to ithe
blow. Then he filled the big end Of the bat
with nails, painted the heads Of the nails
SO that the keenest observer could not have
detected them, and was ready for q killing.
Ad made seven home runs in seven games,
and all the world stood aghast at his great
batting. AS he was coming to the clubhouse
the day he made his seventh homer, proud
as a peacock, a rat ran across the path. Ad
threw the bat at 1t. the bat struck a stone
and split into five pieces. And Ad has never
fully recovered from the shock"
They do say that the joke recently played
on Pat Tebeau in Brooklyn was turned beau
tifuHy by the willy Patsy. Everybody was
aughing q few days ago because Pat was
assessed $5.25 by the Brooklyn club for a
dressing-room door which he broke down
when he played there this spring. The joke
was a hot one. and all who hate Tebeau
thought 1t immensely funny.
What wasn't generally published was this:
Pat dug and produced the $5.25. Then he
asked: "Where is my door,"
Your door," said Foutz.
Certainly. If l paid for a new door, the
old door is mine, isn't it? That's law.
where's my door,"
And, as the door had long since been
chopped up for kindling wood, Foutz had to
come of the perch and compromised with
Patsy for $1.97.
Breitenstein has yet to receive hts first
fine from a league umpire.
1t Is reported that the Philadelphia owners
have placed a price on their entire outfit.
franchise and all.
1t is said that Arson has decided to go be-
| hind the bat next season. and ALLOW Becker
to take care Of the initial bag. R
Grifhth. Chicago's winning pitcher. has
made only one wild pitch. while winning
twenty-four of the thirty-two games he has
played. 81
An official Of the Louisville club nowsrsTith
the team states emphatically that TemnMc-
Creary will play in Louisville neH season.
and nowhere else. ~
Charles Reilly has been signed by Wash
| ington to play third base next spring, while
| Harry Smith is completing his medical stud
les at the University Of Pennsylvania
Hill lost a string OF six games three differ
gether he has lost twenty-six games. winning