The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-06-27
WOULD QUEER" The TOWN
Was Under Contract With Dakota
Club When Playing at Red
Lodge.
Tuesdays Daily Gazette.

~ NAA AAUAA16SAo MI AN OGA NAuN "AAu SAAS
fans that last Sundays performance
of Shuster at Red Lodge was a part
of a ''throw-down" for Billings which
the late captain of the Billings club
had planned. Notwithstanding he
made a strong play of "u~nfairness'
on the part of the umpire and gave
that as his reason for refusing to
continue the game after the second
inning, many thought they could see
an Interior motive back of it all and
while they did not a much, they
did a great deal of hard thinking.
Events and developments since then
have only strengthened their sus-
picions and should ohuster ever ven
ture back here he would find it a diff
ficult matter to convince his erst-
while admirers that he did not job
the managers and the public. Some
would be even hard to satisfy that he
did not do it for a consideration, for
things occurred at Red Lodge that,
viewed in the light of. subsequent
events, make it look bad for the man
from Salt Lake.
Had Alleged Grievance.
Whether these suspicious are cor
rect The Gazette will not undertake
to say, but it has become a notorious
fact that before the team left for Red
Lodge Shuster had a grievance, or at
least he imagined he had, which in
the case of some men amounts to the
same thing. He had conceived an un-
reasonable dislike for Harker and in
sisted on discharging him and send
ing for another pitcher, a friend Of
his. He claimed that Harker was UNI
reliable and not good enough for the
company in which he found himself.
The directors could not see it in that
light, as Harker's work in the box
had been faultless and he was n
stantly improving, and the record he
was making for himself was certainly
al good as could be expected or ask
ed. But the captain had it Gin" for
the pitcher and was determined to
release him and put in his man, at a
considerable advance in salary. Then,
also, he did not like Freeman and
wanted to discharge him. AS Free
man had done fully as well as Hank
er, the directors would not consent
to his dismissal las they could see no
reason for his discharge, neither
could they see where they could i'm
prove on the battery without going
into one Of the leagues and securing
some of the high priced professionals.
All this vas explained to Shuster,
but he remained obdurate. The fact
is he was becoming jealous of the two
players, who were growing more
popular than himself with the fans,
a popularity they had rightly earn
ed because of the excellent work they
were doing.
Queer the Town.
Seeing that he could not have his
own way. Shuster did as all men Of
his calibre do, played to get even"
He did nos tell it generally, but made
c~Onfidents of a few and explained to
them that he intended to- queer the
town" because he had not been treat
anyway. He kept his promise, as
last Sundays performance showed.
But before putting his threat into
execution he prepared for the future,
knowing that he would probably be
found out and that thereafter his serv-
ices would not be wanted. He also
looked out for his particular favor
ties in the team, Kelly, Dwyer and
Smalley, the men he caused to be
brought here.
Had Another Contract.
Before leaving for Red Lodge he
had secured places for himself and
them with a team at Devils Lake, N.
D., and even then had received the
transportation which last night took
the tour out of town. This fact be-
came yesterday morning and when he
and his three fellow conspirators call
ed for their time yesterday after
noon the directors were not surpris-
ed and had already arranged to fill
the expected vacancies. u
Will Reorganize.
No matter what Shuster and the
others may have thought, the team
will not be allowed to go to pieces,
but will be r~eorganized and play tt
the end of the season. Five of the
old players remain and with the new
men secured will play Bozeman next
Saturday, and there is plenty of mon
ey in Billings today which will be
wagered on the result, should anybody
care to cover it.
Look Out for Them.
Not being in any league, there is
Nv SAaOu o6oAAoC AACA W LuS h1uu III
Sinister, Kelly, Dwyer and Smalley
and managers must take their
chances with them. This is unfortu-
nate, as it leaves clubs at their mercy.
They are unreliable and wholly un-
trustworthy and managers are likely
to be taken in by them wherever they
may go. Their record here is such as
to bar them from any of the minor
teams In the state and as they are not
fast enough to play professional ball,
Montana will probably never see them
again, unless it be as brakebeam
tourists working their way back to
the places whence they came. Hav-
ing sold out and deceived the man.
ayers of the Billings team. it is not
judging them too harshly to say they
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