The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-03-30
THE GAME WASLOST.
AND 4t2 POUNDS OF BASEBALL IDOL
WAS SHATTERED.

LIghtfOOt Lilies Club Maacot
when In an III Advised Moment
They ToId Him 60 slide.
"Wen, why Is It you never played
baseball sourselfT' asked a latter day
fan of the very stout man sitting In
the corner you say you were the
mu cot for the famous Lghtfoot Lilies
Of Jones county, and yet, with the ex-
,epti1n Of the time that they put you
IA to force the winning run in the thir-
teeuth 10y being hit In the stomach,
you never seem to have played your
self. After such successful daring were
you never asked to play againf don't
lu,te understand" -.
The stout man gazed at the speaker
,carchingly for a few minutes and
.han. apparently satished that the ques-
tions were asked in good faith, proceed
'd to unfold the one dark shadow In
mis- otherwise sunny life.
Have you never heardT' he began.
Then now you shall hear, and, though
think no blame should rest With me,
you yourself shall judge OF that Lis
ten. You have already referred TO the
contest in which I forced the winring
run owing to the pitchers inability to
put the ball over the plate without
striking my corporation. THIS, i DO
lleve, was due to a law OF physics
which states that but one body can oc-
cupy the same space at the same time
or words TO that effect. But, whatever
the cause, acquired reputation for
high class baseball second to none in
Jones county and at once got n regular
position on the team. My ngdre being
my stock In trade, Captain Slugeer
Burrows of the Lightfoots spared no
pains in bringing me to physical per-
fectlon before the next game With the
Roarers. Under a carefully selected
diet of beer, butter, lard, potatoes and
cd liver oil rapidly rose from a mea-
ger 800 pounds to the magnificent hg-
ure of 412.
"For the nfst eight innings of the
great contest, which ultimately proved
my downfall. fully sustained my en-
vlable reputation for artistic Dall play
ing. Three times the bases were full.
with the Roarers one ran In the van.
Three times | proved the Lightfoots'
salvation by forcing the tieing run by
means of my superior figure. Three
times the home rooters vled with one
another I'm futile attempts to pay me
suitable homage. | was truly more
than queen. And then that fatal ninth,
with its brimful cup OF gumless bitters!
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 by
a daring bit of base running while the
Roarers' helders were searching fol
Bull Thompson's liner on the Other
side OF the center feld fence. SammiC
Salmon and one Of the FOote twins
died easy deaths on inheld pop dies
There we were: Rlngtall Roarers, II
| Lightfoot Lilies, 10; two out, Thomp
son and yours truly on second and
third bases respectively and the In
vinclble Home Run Hankins at tbs
bat. All were breathless with sus
pense. The pitcher swung his arm
back slowly, and then, swish, bang
Home Run uankins never missed hi
aim. struggled bravely toward the
plate, and IN less time than II takes e
tell 1t Thompson was at my back push
ing violently. doubled my efforts. A
moment later Hankins himself caught
up and Joined In the single file struggle
for home and Victory. Twas do on
die, aud the people were IKE lunatics
In their Wild excitement. Spurred on
by their cheers. | was soon bat nvs
feet from the plate, with Thompson
and Hanklns still dancing at my heels.
Then suddenly a voice rose clearly
above the others. slide, Wllle, sldeF
Il rang out. oh, fatal wordsW
At this point the fat ex-mascOt was
overcome by emotion and stopped
short. II was some minutes before he
could pull himself together sniiiciontiy
10 go on with his sad story.
"Wel," he said at last, ~ sid. Div
ing gracefully forward, ! slid Il nicely
calculated slide that brought my chest
directly above the rubber But the en-
thusiasm this occasIoned among the
Lilies was short lived
"'Touch the plate. you fool; touch the
platter 'Bulp Thompson aud Hanklns
yelled together
"Now. would you believe II, sir, try
as would | couldn't My corporation
had been oyertralned. Lying face down,
was 30 high from the ground that my
arms would not reach the plate.
, Crock mer cried. Rock meF
"'Rock your 'Rulr Thompson roared
, Rock your we'lrrock you. stone you,
egg you, and touch that plate, dye
hearT
"'Rock me- pleaded. with tears
In my eyes. You don't understand.
Rock me Ike you would a rocking
horse. Till me can't touch bottom
""fwas too late. While | had been
explaining my ppdlcament TO those
blOckheads, the ROarers' delders found
the ball. and er-well. we lost. After
ward | told Captain Singer Burrows
how It happened and begged for Just
one more chance. No use. He said
1 that any fool with my shape ought to
have sense enough TO slide ON his back
and that-Dut cay, honest InJun, now,
do you think | was In any way 10
blameT'-New York Sun.