Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-12-20
.,t seemsd 10 both the minister and

ut seemed to both the minister ana
the Sunday school superintendent that
they were going to be put in position
where more bumps than tokens of es-
TEEN would be coming to them. But
they were in sympathy with the move
ment. and the deacon had been the one
who had started it. So they agreed to
do as he directed.
SUNDAY afternoon the deacon, the
minister and the Sunday school super
intendent all bought tickets to the
baseball game and took their seats in
the grand stand. In his younger days
the good old deacon had been a pretty
swift article as a baseball player him
self. and the crowd and the sight of
the men practicing brought back the
memories of former days and stirred
his sporting blood.
"It's a degrading exhibition OBJ
served the minister.
ct certainly is assented the dea-
con. but Bill Medford. the captain OF
our team, probably won't come to bat
until the second inning. We can't stop
the game before then And if Bill
doesn't swat that Williamson pitcher
he ought to be jailed for breaking the
Sabbath and also for being an all
around lobster
Both the Sunday school superintend-
ent and the minister looked as if they
thought the deacon's language wasn't
ex1ctly that Of an ardent reformer, but
Just then the umpire called the game,
and the deacon became too occupied to
pay much attention to the effect Of his
speech.
"The first inning both teams failed to
score. In the first half of the second
Williamson succeeded in getting a man
around the circuit Of the bases, to the
evident disgust of the deacon. In the
second half after two of the home
players had been retired, the third got
his base on balls. Then Bill Medford
lined the ball to deep left for three
bases. bringing in the man on first.
The next minute Bill scored on a wild
pitch.
"'Woh, woh. woh' yelled the worthy
deacon. forgetting the reason he had
come to the game. Good boy, Bill!
Wen show those Williamson gazaboos
how to play ball. It's a disgusting
spectacle he added suddenly recollect-
ing with whom he was sitting, and,
turning to the minister and the Sunday
school superintendent. "a sight to make
a man ashamed of his fellow beings.
But that certainly was a peacherino OF
a hit, he added, emphatically.
"'Hadn't we better assert our author
ity and have the game stopped" in
quired the superintendent.
"'Well, l don't know that there is any
more sin in five innings than there is in
two replied the deacon, doubtfully.
The game won't count if we stop it
now. Our boys are ahead. Let them
play out the five innings. Then we can
assert the sanctity of the Sabbath and
clinch the championship at the same
time
"But when the fifth inning was fin
ished Williamson was two runs to the
good. The deacon wouldn't listen to
any proposition to stop the game.
"a man needs to use gumption,' ne
growled, in reply to the arguments of
the grieved minister and Sunday school
superintendent, even if he is filled
with the ambition to be a reformer and
stop an interesting exhibition of the
national game. If you two are looking
to do truly righteous action you'll
shoot that blind robber who thinks he's
performing the duties Of an umpire.
If he had given us half show we would
have had those NUTS from Williamson
beaten Gear out of sight by this time
"The minister and the Sunday school
superintendent were shocked at the
worldly expressions used by the dea-
con. but, as he was in charge. they
didn't like to take the responsibility of
stopping the game contrary to his d.
rections.
when the ninth inning came Will
hanson was three runs ahead. The
visitors came first to the bat and were
retired in one, two, three order. For
the home team, a base hit, an error at
third and four balls filled the bases.
Then Bill Medford, the captain OF the
home team, the pride of every rooter
and the best batter in the county, came
to bat The Sunday school superin-
tendent. who didn't understand the
game. was shocked at the shout which
went up as Bill picked up his bat.
"Oh, it's dreadful to have the calm
of the Sabbath interrupted by such
noises he urged the deacon. Wouldn't
this be a good time to stop the game"
"But the good deacon had been car
ried away by his revived enthusiasm
over baseball, and instead of affirming
this pious plan, was enraged at the SUI
perintendent's suggestion.
"'Stop the game?' he shouted. Stop
the game with Bill Medford at bat and
three men on bases? Well of all dod-
dering idiots you certainly are the
prize specimen. When you get inside
the pearly gates and the Heavenly
hosts strike up their music 1 suppose
you will let out a plaintive beat:
"Please, Lord, stop them. They are
making too much noise"
"The minister and the superintend-
emit sighed over the deacon's fall from
grace and moved to other seats. But
! +be deacon didn't care
"'Swat it, Bill he shouted, standing
up on his seat, waving his hat and
with his gray hair blowing in the wind.
Line it out, Bill Tear the leather off!
Drive a hole through that fat center