The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-01-11
THE GAME WAS LOST.
AND 4t2 POUNDS OF BASEBALL IDOL
WAS SHATTERED.
The IgnominIous Downfall Of the
IIuhtGoot Lilies club Mascot
when In nm III Advised Moment
They Told Him TO Slide.


when In nm III Advised Moment
They Told Him to slide.
"Wcll, why is II you never played
baseball yoursclf?" asked n latter day
fan of the very stout man sitting In
the corner. you say you were the
mascot for the famous Lightfoot Lilies
OF Jones county, and yet, with the cI-
Ccption Of the time that they put you
in TO force the winning run In the thir.
tccntll by being hit In the stomach,
you never seem To have played your.
self After such successful daring were
you never asked To play again? | don't
qultc"undcrstand."
The stout man gazcd at the speaker
scarchingly for n few minutes and
then, apparently satisfied that the qucs-
tious were asked in good faith, proceed.
ed 10 unfold the one dark shadow in
his otherwise sunny life.
"IIayc YOU never hcardT he began.
"Thcn now you shall hear, and, though
r think no blame should rest with me,
YOU yourself shall Judge OF that. LIS
ten. You have already referred To the
l
run owing To the pitchers inability TO
put the ball over the plate without
striking my corporation. This. | be
licvc. was due to law OF physics
which states that but one body can oc-
Cupy the same space at the same time
~ words To that effect. But, whatever
the cause, | acquired n reputation for
high class baseball second To none in
Jones county and at once got II regular
position on the team. My figure being
my stock In trade, Captain Sluggcr
Burrows of the LIghtfoots spared no
pains In bringing me to physical per
fcctiou before the next game with the
RuarCrs Under n carefully selected
diet of beer, butter. lard, potatoes and
cod liver oil | rapidly rose from mca-
ger $50 pounds to the magnificent fig
urc of tl2.
For the first eight innings of the
| great contest, which ultimately proved
| my downfall. | fully sustained my en-
| viahlc reputation for artistic ball play
| ing Three times the bases were full,
| with the Roarcrs one run In the van.
Three times | proved the Lightfoots'
! salvation 10y forcing the ticing run by
means of my superior figure. Three
! times the home rootcrs We'd with one
another I'm futile attempts 10 pay me
suitable homage ! was truly more
than queen. And then that fatal ninth,
with its brimful cup of gumlcSs bittcrs.
Four hundred and twelve pounds of
shattered idol!
"In the last half of. the ninth reach.
ed first through my customary strategy.
Later succeeded In gaining third 10y
q daring bit of base running while the
| Roarcrs ticldcrs were searching for
Hull' Thompson's liner on the other
side o. the center field fence. Sammic
Salmon and one OF the Footc twins
died easy deaths on inheld pop flies.
There we were: Ringtall Roarers Il;
Iightfoot Lilies. lG; two out. Thomp-
son and yours truly on second and
third bases respectively and the In.
vincible Home Run Ilankins at In,
bat. All were breathlcss with sus
pcuse The pitcher swung his arm
back slowly. and then. swish. bang
Home Run Hanklns never missed hi,
aim. struggled bravcly toward the
plate. and i'm less time than Il takes e
tell IL Thompson was at my back push
ing violently. doubled my efforts. 4
moment later Hankins himself caught
up and Joined In the single Tile struggl,
for home and victory. Twas do ol
die. and the people were like lunatic,
in their Wild excitement. Spurrcd ~.
10y their cheers. | was soon but hv,
feet from the plate. with Thompson
and Hankins still dancing at my heels
Then suddenly a voice rose clcarl,
above the others. slide. Willie slide!
Il rang out. oh. fatal wordsv'
At this point the fat ex-mascot wa
overcome 10y emotion aud stoppC,