The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-08-07
ktTHE morning after we left Cru

IETHE morning after we left Cru
chile. where I batted with
steel bat and hit the ball so
hard it burnt up, We came TO a town out
on a desert, just like the Delvin' Desert
O. Doubledee-
only this desert wasn't hard ground
an rocky like that, but soft an SANDY,
an the sand Hurried up an drifted like
snow when the wind got strong. We
blew into town on drift o 1t. an the
first thing you know all the people o
the Mace were gathered round the bar
O. the biggest saloon listenin to our
story o. beatin the Chinks in the Del
vim Desert an the miners with the
steel bats at Crucible-
.eThis place was called Silversand' an
il was a mining place, the same as the
others. though here they mined only
silver. here they didn't have TO dig
down in the ground. but just scOOped
M the sand an run it through big
thing like a thrashing machine, an II
came out in big white bars. The SAND Is
mat gave the place its name, an that's
why we remember 1t. But II amt a
marker to another remarkable thing
Silversand is noted for
Husky Lot O. Hitters.
".Ouite a husky lot o. hitters to be
burning I'D balls with steel bats, said
the spokesman O. the Silversand people,
a town marshal o the name o Wind
ham. You may be ahle TO swing hard
ar ,em in the high, bracin' mountain air
~ Crucible. but in this here heavy at
nnosphere I don't think you could do It.
saws he. In fact, I think you'd do darn
we'll if YOU got the ball past second
base
.How's thatZ says Josh. What's
the atmosphere got TO do with II;
"a hull lot says Windham- You
600 the air is too heavy here-it re-
tards the ball. You knock up fly an
it'u only go up little ways, no matter
how hard you soak it. an then the Dall
gifts tired O. buttin' the terrible resist
ance O. the air an quits an drops
down into a waitin' fielder's mitt. A
heavy-hit liner that ordinarily would
carry far past centerheld falls into the
shortstop's outstretched paws
Funny air. this here says JOSH
thinkin' they was kiddin' him. 1T seems
TO breathe all right But don't 1t in
terfere greatly with your base runnin Z
Don't your ketchers find it easy TO nail
fellers goin' down to second
String on Their Feet.
Base running - Jul ENLOAAb PSAl-Nf
dumYned If II amt says Windham-
.vo,, see the air resistance only seems
10 affect ten shillin' balls Teller can
breathe 1t natural, an all that. but just
as soon as a ball tries to push its way
through, why everything is on
90 'Curiouser an cUriOuser,' says Josh.
Under such discouragin' circumstances
it's a wonder 20 me you try TO play bal
a-tan. 1 suppose you never hear o
homers an three-baggers?
Never says Windham- Never
have any. o. course, we know there are
such things. for we read Of EN- in the
big leagues in the East, but when II
comes to these here grounds we've got
10 be shown about EN-. Never homes
or a triple, an only one twO-bagger
That vas when a fielder thought tn,
ball 'ud carry out 10 him an it didn' I
It really WIS an error O. Judgment, bu
il had to be scored as a two-bagger.
Discou1aging Conditions.
Must be awful disscouragin', say
Josh. TO have an atmosphere clingin
round you that is so afrectiOnate .
baseballs. Does 1t press EN- into tn
hands o. your players 80 they don't eve
make a mum
'''Oh. Il don't need 20 do that say
Windham. They amt any rnu:fers o.
our team We got the fastest infield 4
the country on ground hits. They hav
TO be fast for that's where all tn
work comes A fly 70 the outfield voul
have 10 be 4 double sockdOllagin' swipC
The infleld gifts all the chances, an "
got a Tenney at first. a Gilbert at SEQ
ond, a Davis at short an a Bradley g
third. You can't lose US.
Even handicapped by this here al
rnosphere, which we don't know nOtf
in about. says Josh. i think tho "a
nous AIfalfas might be prevailed on {
give you q crowded nine innins II IN
inducement is made right
"'Oh, we won't give you nothin' I
play says the marshal But Wen b,
you on the game. Bet you anythin
: you want"
The Silversand Game.
$50 that was how the famous Alfalfa
silversand game got arranged, an "
got our dinner an prepared for n
contest.
AS usual. Pete Brown an Pine
Hobbs had been a chasin' around seel
in what they might deyour IN the We
O. ball news, an pretty SOON they can
in. Both looked as solemn as judges.
FIN the bottom o. our hearts Has
says Pinch. me an Pete pity you. "
are bunkin' up against the hardest Nil
innins Of your long an Nlustrious c
reer You are goin' 10 get put down a
out an carried away so complete y,
won't know what hit you. FIN Il
bottom o. our hearts you have got o.
sympathy
Why says Josh rs II true VIII
the guy said about the balls gitti
stopped in the airE'
True? says Pinch The half haiT
never been told. The Teller gave Il
you easy for fear o scarin' you. Drivi
or THROWN a ball here is just ii
sIingfn' a marble into pail o. molass
an cold molasses at that Why, Il
a wonder the poor. discouraged bi
don't turn round an go the other wa
Oh. Hag. your recOrd1l be busted
One Home Run.
My record WIS never havin' lad
game without ct least one home RI
an generally three or four. Some o I
fellers were a little Jealous O. my gre
success. but didn't have no great fee
- Ultimate regr1lr dgrfred that