The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01
sron1rs on BA1L PIArERs.
Now Sin vysitssy rit the NERVES 11eaa II
the Canvas.

\ tho OnuVah.
Two colored gentlemen who make q precarious
| living by putting their heads through holes In
canvas screens and permitting eager citizens to
throw baseballs at them never fail to show signs
OF fear when they arc confronted by q protes.
sional ball tosser. providing tho latter's identity
is known. Poor Jim whitney. the once famous
pitcher Of tho Bostons, who won the champion
ship OF the National League in 1853. took a
chance Mt one of these human bullseycs one
day, and the incident caused no end OF
fun. Whitney went down to one Of tho
beaches near tho Hub one Sunday. and a friend
induced him to see the head in the canvas
The colored man. in this particular instance, had
n head like a cannon ball, and 1t shone like a
glass bottle. Heartless individuals, who couldn't
throw a little bit. but who were aching to
knock the coon's block off," fought with one
another for a chance to win n cigar by hitting
tho mark.
Every time yer hit the Twin head yer get a
prizei" yelled the colored target. "A good
seegar for one time. a leetle diamond pin for
two times. and a big brownstone front house on
the Back Bay for three times"
That's pretty cheap real estate" said Whit
| ney to his friend. II guess III take q shot. Here,
give me three balls. and get the mob to stand
aside"
"well, WELT Hoi Ho!' yelled tho target.
"what do you think Of that long.leggcd farmer Z
He's going to throw them balls at me. Ell oh,
Ho I'll bet he can't hit mo in a hundred years"
whitney, who was a good mimic, threw one
ball In truly amateurish style. just as the ma
jority of the crowd had been doing all day. 1t
was with q motion Of the arm that was decided
ly girlish, and as the ball went i've feet to one
side of the negro's head he gave vent to a series
OF outlaws and jcers, while the crowd laughed
derislvely.
you've got two moro shots. Mister" said the
target; "now don't be nervous and don't break
your arm" The negro was very bold now, and.
believing, that the big pitcher was a country
the canvas and waited with a broad grin on his
face for Jim's next throw; 1t came directly and
self up in the old familiar way, and then with all
his might and main he lot fly u terrific shoot. The
target was In the middle OF a " wild roar Of Laugh a. "a
top of his patio and knocked him back through
the canvas out Of sight; There was a mntied
Don't let him throw another!' the negro
cried. Hes q ball player and l knows it,
The man who was running the game said:
That's right: You cant trow no more. Dis
I've got one more shot"
come forward and was bathing his head. "Give
him a box Of them cigars and call 1t square"
,h Jim par got t nS, soS; al and "a as tb ne w wss w who ing. a ynS
ming the game:
"Weu get squared! Those smokesW kill him.
"Down in Atlanta in a." said Jimmy Ryar
of the Chieagos the other day, -Rasty Wrish'
The former couldn't throw across the street
while the latter was lobbing them along like q
shot putter. Tho club signed Billy George, thu
old New York lefthander, and naturally bott
Tsasty and Carroll were afraid that George
would show them up in throwing.
Now, the joke was that George couldnt throw
ten feet that year. but nobody in Atlanta knew
1t. So when Carroll and Wright took him gu
for a walk on the night OF his arrival they los
no time in asking him how bis arm was.
Eyer ought ter sec me- replied George. I'm
lining them down Tor the pan like a shot
Carroll and Wright went to bod with feel
he could bluff 1t further. The next day GeorL'
went into right field, and the first batter up hi
Il high, hard liner far over Billy's head. Georg'
stood still a moment and the others watched
him, Then he turned and shouted:
ITO the rescue, meni
!, Indians. and it took nine throws to get the bal
back into the diamond"
Tim Hurst, the umpire, had o run-in wit
Cooley of the Philadclphias the other day. Tn
Quaker. who was playing centre field. took OF
!, Hey. therel' he yolled. why don't yer 60
! Hurst hustled toward second base to meet tn
D belligerent player, and as they came togethe
near the bag Tim said:
: NJ Cooley, as long as you have walked II
! such o distance from your regular position l
I will DO easier for you 10 keep right on to tn
( bench. Ill do as you say. and get In the game
= while you get out of itT'