The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1900-12-05
A FAST BALL PLAYER
HE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE PLAYED
WITH THE ROARERS. :

Steve Speed, Who Could Beat His
Own Throw to First and Who Cnu-d
Get Behind the Plate In Time to
Catch His Own Pitching.
''The fastest base runner ever saw"
said the fat ex-mascot of the Lightfoot
Lilies in comparing baseball of the
present with that of the old days, twas
little Sa1nmie Salmon Of the Lilies But
the fastest base runner I ever heard of
was, or wasD't. as the case may have
been. Steve Speed, who played, or who
didn't play, don't know which. with
the Ringtail Roarers. At any rate.
whether he ever played with the Roar
ers or not. he was certainly the fastest
that ever came over the crossways.
You don't understand? Well, I'll tell
you all about him.
Zone afternoon about month before
the last game we ever played with the
Ringtail Roarers the boys were all sit
ting round in the postofice discussing
our chances for the big contest. Cap
tain Slugger Burrows. who was tend
ing postoffice that day. was over in the
corner reading the ball news in Jones
County Courier that had accidentally
slipped its wrapper before delivery.
Suddenly he clutched the paper tight
~ and sprang to his feet. For hea ven's
sake. boys, listen to this: We have it
from high source he began to read
breathlessly. that the Roarers have
unearthed phenomenal base runner.
with whose services they feel confident
of wrestling the Jones county laurels
from the erstwhile invincible Lightfoot
Lilies. The newcomers name Is Steve
Speed. His extraordinary ability was
first discovered while he was in the
box one day last week. He stopped an
easy grounder and tossed 1t over to
first to catch the runner. The ball had
no sooner left his hand than. to his hor-
ror, he discovered that first ives uncoy-
cred. Without moments Hesitation
he made dive far the bag and sue
ceeded in reaching it just in time to
catch the ball that he had thrown but
an instant before. thereby scoring q
put out and an assist unassisted.,
Boys said the Slugger, cru1npHne
the paper savagely in his fists. to Lily
park with you. Practice begins al
once. Hustle"
"Well. sir, that week we practiced
In the morning the bays would all &C
down to the station and race the trains
as they steamed ont Of town: After.
moons they'd ease up bit and just in.
dulge in short spirits, paced by thu
town trolley car. At night the daily
practice would conclude with q brisk
cross country run around the town.
ship. The work began to show. Al
the end of the week we began to have
some hopes Of beating the Roarers aft.
er all. And then came second copy
Of The Courier knocking our hopes
higher than taxes.
The wonderful baseball feat per
formed by Steve Speed. the article
said, which was published exclusively
by The Jones County Courier, has been
eclipsed by an even more astonishing
performance by the same player. We
have 1t from the same high source from
which we obtained. our former news
that Speed has now become SO prof,
cient in running that he Is able t
pitch the ball from the box and by an
Incredibly quick start reach the plate
in time to catch the ball behind thu
bat. The Roarers have released theil
catcher. Wouldn't that hasten youi
pulse? 1t did ours. So