Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-01-02
THE GAME WAssLOsT5I1.


THE GAME WAssLOsTT.
AND an POUNDS OF BASEBALL IDOL
WAS SHATTERED.
d Txnominlous DownfaII ofSthe
Llshtfoot Lilies. Club Mascot
When In am mi Advised Moment
sThey Told Him 10 slide.
ell, why is It Won never played
baseball yourself2' asked d latter day
fan OF ttheyery stouteman sitting in
the corner. You say you were the
mascot forsthe famous Lightfoot Lilies
OF Jones county, and vet, with the ex-
ception Of the time that they put you
in to force the winning run IN the thirs
teenth by being hit IN the stomach,
you never seem to have played your
self. After such successful daring were
you never asked to playg againa 7 don't
quite understand.
The stout man gazed at the speaker
~searchingly for q few minutes and
then, apparently satisfied that theques-55
tons were asked in good faith, proceed
ed TO unfold the q dark shadow in
his otherwise sunny life
Have you never heard2''he began.
ssThen now you shall hear, and, though:
i think no blame should rest with me,
you yourself shall judgeSo that. Lis
ten. You have already referred to the
contest In which 4 force15St the winning
run owing to the pitchers inability to-
put the ball over the plate without
striking my corporation. This, be-
Slieve, was due to law of physics
which states that but one body canoe
cupy the same space at the same time
OF words TO that effect. But,Swhateyer
{ the cause, I acquired q reputation for.
high class baseball second to in
Jones county and at once got a regular
position or b team. My figure being
my stock in trade, Captain Slugger
Burrows of the Lightfoots spared no
pains 10 bringing me to physical per-
lection before the next game with the
Roarers. Under q carefully selected
diet Of beer, butter, lard, potatoes and
cod liver oil I rapidly rose from q mea-
ger $40 pounds t the magnificent fig
ure of 412.
the first eight innings OF the
great contest, which ultimately proved
my downfall. i fully sustained my en-
Viahle reputation for artistic ball play
ing Three times the bases were full,
with the Roarers one run IN the van.
Three times I proved the Lightfoots'
%salVation by forcing the tieing run by
means OF my superior figure. Three
times the home rooters wed with one
another Id futile attempts to pay me
suitable homage. was truly more
than queen. And then that fatal ninth,
with its brimfnl cup OF guinIess bitters!
Fsour hundred and twelve pounds OF
shattered idol!t
TN the last half OF the ninth I reach
ed frstthTough my customary strategy.
Later 4 succeeded in gaining third by,
q daring bit OF base running while the
B Roarers feeders were searching for
eBu Thompson's liner the other
side Of the center field fence. Samnaie
Salmon and n of the Foote twins
4SOh& LIZ EpOp Sul0S2
u There we were: Ringtal Roarers, 17;
Lightfoot Lilies. 16; two out, Tshornp-
son and yours truly on second and
third bases respectively and the In
vincible Home Run, Hankins at the
u bat. All were GREATNESS with sus-
8pense. The pitcher swung his arm
a slowly, and then, swish, bang.
Home Run, Hankins never missed his
aim struggled brayely toward the
plate. and IN less time than 1t takes to
tell 1t Thompson was atmy back push
ing violently T doubled my eforts. IA
moment later Hankins himself caught
up and Joined ID the single file struggle
for home and victory. Twas do OF
die and the people were like Iunatics
I'm their wild excitement Spurred on
by their cheers. was soon but i've
feet from the plate. with Thompson
q Hankins still dancing at my heels
Then suddenly q voice rose clearly;
above the others. Slide, Willie, sHdeg
II rang ON. Oh, fatal Words!!,
AZ this point the fat ex-mascot was
overcome by emotion and stopped
short TWAS some minutes before he
could pub himself together sufficiently.
to go on with his sad story. IS
be said at last, II slid. Div
ing gracefully forward. I slid q nicely
calculated slide that brought my chest
directly above the rubber. But the en-
thusfasn1 this occasioned among the
Lilies was short lived
szIouch the plate, you o touch the
plateH Bull Thompson and Hankins
relied together. 81
Nov. would you believe ii, sir, Try
as wonld I couidn,t. Ny corporation
had been overtrained.L Lying face down,
was So high from the ground that my.
arms would not reach the plate.
q me!ggI cried. Rock mel .Es
Rock youg Bull, Thompson roared..
Rock yon? Wen rock You. stone you,
81 you- and-touch that plate. dye
heary
Rock me, pleaded. with tears
an Z Ton don,t understand.
Book me Hike you wond a rocking
horse Tilt me- 4 can't touch bottom,