The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-24
AT RISK OF HIS LIFE
Jesse BuFkett'S Heroic Rescue OF
Little Tots From Turbulent
Waters of the Ohio River
ST. LOUIS FANS MAY SAY
HE is A SULKY PLAYER
But the World Would Be a Big
Gamer if There Were More
of His Kind Living in 1t

During the base ball season news
papers all over the country many times
printed the fact that it would be the
last season of Jesse, c. Burkett of this
city on the diamond. He was credited
with stating positively that he would
retire.
Burkett undoubtedly said so many
times. He did not like the treatment he
received from the crowds in st. Louis.
He didn't like st. Louis when he first
set foot in it after the deal which
placed the entire Cleveland team there.
He felt as ball players term it "sore."
Naturally the crowd didn't like Bur-
kett. He ignored them entirely. They
retaliated.
He was classed as an insolent, boor-
ish fellow and not credited with having
any good qualities.
Burkett lived from infancy in Wheel
ing, West Virginia, coming from that
city to Worcester to play his first pro-
fessional engagement. A Wheeling man
named Frank H. Quiston saw a news
paper account of Burketts troubles in
St Louis. 1t prompted him to write
an article which shows that Burkett has
greater heroic qualities in his compo-
city. The article is one of the great
est tributes ever paid to any man. It's
publication shows another remarkable
quality in Burkctt and that is modesty.
Although living for many years in Wor-
cester he never told even his most init
mate friends the story which stamps
him as hero. With such a golden APP
portunity of elevating himself in the
eyes of his friends not one man in
thousand would have been. as modest
as Burkett.
Mr.. McQuiston writes as follows:
Passing tedious day of a hard earn
ed vacation / came across an old file
of st. Louis paper and vile dull
time away looked it over. Being a
base bali lover 1 naturally turned to
the base ball news and read as all fans
do, everything with avidity.
There found that Jesse Burkett, the
greatest batter in the game, does not
stand well with at least some people,
in st. Louis, if tine paper in question is
to be believed. There was one story of
his being mixed up in a brawl and was
called a seeker of trouble and "a sur
ly Unconditional fellow" The next day
he was roasted" as a rowdy on the ball
field, the powers that rule the game
were importuned to bar him from his
profession for life the crowd Kissed him
and nobody had any use for him.
Again, l remember reading of this
same Burkett climbing a big stand in
st. Louis to call two negroes who had
abused him to account. From all this l
deem that Jesse Burkett, greatest of
hitters, most valuable of ball players,
rough fellow but hero unawares,
does not hold a high position with the
good people of St. Louis.
Yet, il they knew Burkett as 1 know
him, as his mother, his little girl, and
few intimate friends know him, they
would respect the ground he walked
upon, and admire the man who makes
fiaunJ Of his failings and a swagger of
his faults and who takes care to hide
his good parts from the world.
Jesse Burkett is a curious fellow. I'm
questionably the greatest player in the
game, he is not popular even in his
home town. In fact, Burkett does not
want to be popular. He is a strong,
though odd character, and derides the
plaudits of the mob which are so well
come to men in His profession. He