Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-06-04

national league baseball club. | had
an agreement with Arlie Latham OF
the st. LOWS Browns to run a foot
race on Sunday in st. Louis at the
close Of the season for tie champion
ship of the baseball profession in the
united States. l tried to get out of it,
but could rot: so vent on Sunday
and won the race Il, {. church mem
berg. l was ordered before the ses-
sion, where l publicly expressed my
sorrow for this sin; but never since
have l given occasion for rebuke.
The next morning after joining the
church an article appeared in each of
the Chicago papers about IT, so all the
members Of the ball club knew OF it.
dreaded to report for practice that
day for fear of the ridicule and Gym
ical reception the boys would give
me. l would rather have faced a six
shooter, but I went, and the first man
10 meet me was Mike Kelley. With
heart as tender as a woman's-he is
now dead-he took me by the hand
and said: That's a grand thing to
Go, Bill. If l can help YOU let me
know" Then Capt. Arson, Ed Will
hanson, Fred Pfeffer, Frank Flint,
John Clarkson, Tom" Burns and Dial.
Iymple all gave me words OF encour
agement, SO my fears were unfounded.
II they forgot and swoTe in my pres
ence they would Immediately ask my
pardon. That afternoon we played
Detroit. The score was close The
last half of the ninth inning was being
played. Two men were out, man on
second, one on third, Charley Ben
nett was at the bat. He had two
strikes and three balls called on him.
was playing right field. Charley"
hit the last ball terrific blow It
started tor the clubhouse | turned
and ran with the ball. Benches had
been placed in the field for spectators.
and as | saw the ball was going over
the crowd | called Get out of the
way" The crowd opened. | offered
UP prayer and said, Lord, if you
ever helped mortal man, help me get
that ball" | leaped the bench, looked
over my shoulder, threw out my hand
and the ball struck and stuck. The
game was ours.
| am sure the Lord helped me catch
that ball. This deduction may not be
"a cording to theology, but it's accord
Ing to experience. ZAP Johnson,
brother of Tom the present mayor
OF Cleveland, ran up and handed me
$40, and said, Buy a new hat. That
catch won me $1,50t.
During the winter months I attended
Northwestern university at Evanston,
where | picked up some Methodist
enthusiasm and vim to counteract the
stiff, staid Presbyterianism. A few
years later l left the baseball profess
sion, accepted a position of assistant
secretary of the Chicago Young Mems
Christian association, where / re-
manned three years. When | resigned
1t was to travel with I~.v Dr. ]. Will
bur Chapman, then engaged in evan
gellStlc work. | was associated with
him for two years, until he left the
eVanselistic field and returned to the
passionate. | then started out for N.Y.
self, and during those six years | have
never wanted for a place to go To
preach the gospel. God has opened
hundreds of places to which | did not
have the time to go. Ar am today
as an evangelist I owe to DR.. Chap
man and to Prof. R. R. Lloyd of Oak
land theological seminary, with whom
| studied privately.
Sunday played ball several years
while engaged in his evangelistlc
work, but quit the ball field in 1892.
after playing with the Pittsburg ma
tional league team.