The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-12-11
A FAST BALL PLAYER
HE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE PLAYED
WITH THE RoARERs.


Own Throw to First and Who Could
Get Behind the Plate In Time to
Catch His Own Pitching
"The fastest base runner ever saw"
said the fat ex-maseot Of the Lightfoot
Lilies in comparing baseball of the
present with that of the old days, twas
little Sammie Salmon Of the Lilies. But
the fastest base runner ever heard Of
was, or wasn'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, IN 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 postoffice discussing
our chances for the big contest. Cap
tain Slugger Burrows, who was tend
ing postottice that day, was over in the
corner reading the ball news in Jones
County Courier that had accidentally
slipped it's wrapper before delivery.
Suddenly he clutched the paper tight
~ and sprang to his feet. For heavens
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 it over to
first to catch the runner. The ball had
no sooner left his hand than, to his hor
ror, he discovered that first was uncov-
cred. Without moments hesitation
| he made dive for 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 a
/ put out and an assist unassisted.'
Boys said the Slugger, crumpling
the paper savagely in his fists, ito Lily
park with you. Practice begins at
once. Hustle.
well, sir. that week we praeticed.
In the morning the boys would all go
down to the station and race the trains
as they steamed out Of town. After
moons they'd ease up a bit and just in
dulge in short sprints paced by the
town trolley car. At night the daily
practice would conclude with brisk
cross country run around the town
ship. The work began to show. At
the end of the week we began to have
some hopes Of beating the Roarers aft
err all. And then came a 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 it 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 to
! pitch the ball from the box and by an
: Incredibly quick start reach the plate
in time to catch the ball behind the
+ bat. The Roarers have released theil
catcher Wouldn't that hasten youl
pulse? 1t did ours.
"And the next weeks accounts were
4 even worse. The Courier got straight
from their own private high source
that this guy Speed was even better
than the week before. He was now Sc
super at the game that he not only raj
d down behind the plate and caught The
balls that he pitched, but in case tho
9 batter knocked a fly he darted out IL
g the field and caught it himself. The
Roarers had, according to The Courier
S released their whole outfield. Whel
;, we read that, Bull Thompson wanted tt
). cancel the game, but the Slugge1
wouldn't hear of it. The Lightfoo
1t Lilies he said, may be made to lool
like tarheel thistles. but we won
4 wither before we're picked
"When the big game finally did com,
off, the Roarers certainly had us on tn
run. For three innings they piled III
runs almost at will. But then we be
!, Sdu W get WISE. w ueIe WIS tllS lbs
4 running phenom? Cy Priest was still
v in the pitchers box, and the whole out
q field seemed to be in their usual places
q Perhaps he was sick. The though
e gave us courage, and we began to picl
) up bit. You all know how we finall,
o pulled the game out of the fire in TIL
n last half of the tenth. That's mat
l. ter of history now. Well, after it wa
7. over the Slugger went up to Cy Priest
"'Say.' he asked. where's that ho
base runner of yours. Cy%
a. You mean Steve SpeedY replie
n Cy, with a funny look in his eye .Ol
). we couldn't pay the salary he demand
v ed and had to let him go. The last
n heard of him he was touring the north
west, playing exhibition games to enol
= nous crowds
Eyes, sir; he was the hest that eve
was-if he was. AS said, don't rea
ly know. OF course The Courier sal
that they had it from high sourc,
but then Well, you know Cy Prizes