The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-10-01

A MARVELLOUS PITCHER,


YES" said the fat ex-mascot of the
Lightfoot Lilies, taking everything
into considerat ton, | suppose that ole
Dean Braley was the finest pitcher that
ever tWirled the sphere in Jones coun-
ty. But the man we signed after he
! left us pitched ball for while that
would have made the Deans work look
like beer cork in champagne bottle.
Why, if Jim Timpson, that was the
youngsters name, hadn't gone and got
religion he'd be at the top of the big
league to-day.
1T was rather peculiar the way we
ran across him. While Captain Slug
ger Burrows and Sammie Salmon were
taking a long walk one Sunday they
notified a boy standing out in front of
a barn with his back to the door. He
wore big baseball nit and was catch
| ing apples, one after another. Slugger
said afterward that 1t was the most I'M
canny sight he ever laid his lockers on.
There didn't seem to be any one throw
! ing the apples, and you couldn't see
where they We're coming from. But on
they came-thump, thump, thump-
plump in the middle of the NIT every
clip. 1t was fully five minutes before
they finally came to stop. When the
kid with the nit saw the look of
| amazement on the faces Of Slugger and
Sammie he grinned from ear to ear.
It's brother jim, he explained.
He's round tn side barn practicin'
outs. He'll shift to t'other side purity
soon, reckon, and practice ms Sure
enough, as he spoke apples began to
| ;,AN
almost incredible speed, and by watch
| ing closely they could see that they all
| came shooting around from the right
side of the barn. Siugger and Sammie
rushed around the corner. There stood
q long, lean, red-headed gazabo with a
pile of apples In one arm, seeking EN-
| around the barn for dear life with the
other. When he saw Slugger and Sam
mie he stopped WAL he drawled.
Say, young feller,' Slugger said,
breathlessly, do you know you're vast
in yer opportunities here? Do you
know you're about the finest durn
curve distributor that ever--say, Rube,
will you sign with the Lightfoot Lilies?
You come round to Lily park for prac-
tice tomorrow, and We'll make 1t well
worth your WHILE
IN speak to pa about it, the hay
seed said. with an air Of Indifference
and picking out a fresh apple he start
ed seeking 'em round the corner again.
We'll, sir, Jim Timpson showed up
for practice next day, and he more than
made good right from the start. Outs,
ms and drops, he couldn't be beat. And
he was an ambitious cuss, too. Why,
one day Bull Thompson found him
standing on his head waving his arms
like a Baxter-street clothier.
"'What on earth are you up to now?'
the Bull asked.
why, it's just like this answered
Jim, sprlnging on to his feet with
double back fllp-flop. You see, there's
only one curve can't pitch, and that's
slow up-shoot. Now, we play the
Ringtail Roarers next Saturday, and I
thought If I could only learn to pitch a
drop standing on my head, it might
serve the purpose just as Well Did
you ever hear the equal of that for
earnest ball playing?
"Jim's downfall took place the day
before the big game, His father sent
him word that there was TO be a shout
north OF the farm, and told Jim to be
sure and come. Slugger gave him per-
mission, and l will say for the cap that
that was the only mistake I ever knew
him to make. When Timpson ambled
back into town next day he had a
meek, worn expression about the eye,
and looked like a before-taking adver-
tisement generally. Slugger thought 1t
was lack of sleep, but old Doc Quacken-
bush said the boy had religion, and +
guess the doc was right. All through
the game that day he pitched in a half
hearted, dom -care-if-I-do fashion, and
when we came to the bat In the last
half of the ninth with the score 12-11
in the Roarer's favor, we considered
ourselves lucky that it wasn't worse.
"Slugger Burrows opened UP with a
two-bagger, the Foote twins died at
first, Salmon connected for a single and
Bull Thompson drew a base on balls.
There we We're; two out, three on bases,
and Jim Timpson, left-handed hitter,
at the bat We only needed one run to
tie the score, and the crowd was root
ing like bunch of silver poplars. Well
sir, you can imagine the excitement
VIGIL lAe very ATSl JAIL pllCueu cduB III
Jim square In the jaw. Our gang yelled
as If all Bedlam was on a chowder par
ty. But suddenly they stopped short
in their rejoicing. Why didn't Timp-
son STRAIT for first and force in the win
ming run?
NO said Jim, pointing his hand
impressvely at the Roarers' pitcher.
No, mine enemy hath struck me on the
right cheek; l will turn my left Slug
ger Burrows argued with him, pleaded
with him, threatened him and cursed at
him. But all to no purpose. That pes
ky hayseed wouldn't have it any other
way but that he should shift round and
bat rlght-handed
did he get what was coming to him
on the other cheek? Not on your tin
type. The backsliding infldel who did
the pitching for the Roarers put the
next three across the plate for the
prettiest strike-out you ever saw. At
ter that 1t was all up with Jim Timp-
son. l tried to put in a good word for
The boy, but elugger Burrows WASH t
listening. Back to the barn with him,
he cried, My conscience won't stand
for Sunday baseball even on week
days New York Sun.
MAKING POISONS.