The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-29
HUGH JENNINGS'S
EARLY PLAYING.
GREAT BROOKLYN FIRST RASEMAN
DROVE A DUMP CART ~ COAL
MINE. WHEN HE WAS 4 ROY.

Twelve years ago n game was arranged TO
take place between the Pittston and Moosic
clubs on a Saturday afternoon in July. and
the usual large ConcOurse OF people gathered
10 witness it. Somewhere near . o'clock tw"
or three Of tn" Moo-lc players made their
appearance with hegrimed ard blackboard
faces. having Immediately upon reaching
the surface from the anthracite mines
, started for The boil grounds. one by on"
the Moosic boys arrived and we'll ON toward
: o'clock eight men Were on hand ana
ready to play Some inquiry Was made CON
,crning the whereabouts of the ninth man.
when one of the Moosic boys remarked:
when / came up the Erie shaft he had
one mo-e trip of ears TO haul in. and then
, he would be through for The day lie SAM
he would hurry up"
''Whsr" is he? Whom are they Whiting
for? Why don't they commence
"Iir'n lie here pretty quick said one
player. when ! came up. Jack Finn said
he had his last trip in. and that he WIS go
ing back for hi, dinner bucket and would
be- on; FIGHT away. He'll be along in a few
minutes Il- hnd Ia get his mitt and bat
The umpire was selected and the Pltist"h
team took the first turn at BIT. KIP citing
tho Nt'i~lf 10y : 70 TIM ''i' ''''N ''''-
extra man.
Not by iuefuI.'" said the captain
we won't play until Ire comes He VIII D"
here In Il minute. and youSeH have 10 Whn.
Their, comes Finn over the hill, Hen Know
where h. Is, | say. Finnev. where Is he
Didn't he currle out with youse' Wen"
waitin' on him..
Finn came down the hill drd IN an al
most GREATNESS voice replied:
He was coming down No. gansway
with his last trip of cars just as | came
up on the cage. Hen be along in j minute
lie probably washed up when he went IoF
his mitt and bat
This. the latest information concerning the
missing player. satisfied the crowd ana the
waiting players until It was 30. when SOM
one again SET the inquiry, w here Is me-
going the rounds and then Impotence was
al its height. pittsten demanded that Mo-
SIC get into the game. bu; the MooSlc boys
wer.. firm in their refusal not Ia play uhtIi
silDuetted against the blue sky Il small
figure coming over the apex OF the distant
hill and some one called out: s,..,.,,..
There he is, He's comm over Naishs
Ridge, Now they'n start! 49,
And the crowd set up "A cheer. The Mite
f-llrw came running down, the GGchne ~
the ridge, and his b'Srifned ana .Iiackrh'd
face II once denoted that the hoy had hast
eatd from the subtsrranean Worthless Of the
Erie mine to the grouncS. IN "sryi 70 "N"ld
any further delay. He had his hat across
his shoulder and an enormous catcheT'S INIT
and a muzzle Were hanging from H.; Drop
ping his baH-playing paraphernaHa. ne
sprauC Ia the bushes "a fAW EardS ava!
and hastily washed his face with water
s,roupcd fru IN tn, little brook. and then TOOK
his place behind th.. bat He was certainty
awkward enough in his movement am; bore
every inch the appearance of II 'cre-ny.
And is this ,hr he thar every one has
lp.n talking Al bout asked stranger. He
must h. something different than he appears
at first sight. III watch HIM;
Talk about craCkIiack amateur catching.
This raw -bune,!. authenticated driver boy.
right from q twelve hours stretch of drlV-
iu.r trips Of carr. I'm th. mines. was Il rTYeld-
ton His batting and base running mad"
him the principal factor in winning the
game which was a close contest ana one
replefs with many plays that We're remark
ably fine. During change IF the position
of the teams at the end of an inning. l
remarked:
Say. that lad was certainly worth walt
ing for, He catches in wonderful style and
knows the game. He has simply steadied
the whole team down
who * he, anyway" inquired 4 specta-
tor concerning the identity Of the raw
bura3 red headed catcher who was iniiS-
,,.nsanle to the Moosie boys
"Hushey jennings, was the answer.