The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-27
He IS AT HOME.
Catcher Armstrong Returned
to Topeka Today.
Says That He Is Here to Play
Ball.
GIVEN A SURPRISE.
SURPRISE.
Found That He Couldn't Desert
the Saints.
FOrgives His Captain
and Everyone Is Happy.

Capt Lew Armstrong of the To-
peka baseball team is back. He
donned the gray uniform of the
Saints, will sign a contract, and went
on the field this afternoon to eaten
/ in the game against lola Are you
| back for good?" was asked OF hlm-
yes he replied. ''if I can call off my
deal with Hornaday." About that
deal" there will be no trouble Arm
strong belongs to Topeka. He went
away Wednesday and left the Saints
in lurch. Manager Gus ~Alberts
and President Shiveley told him that
he would have to come back here by
today or he would be suspended and
put under the ban. He came
Fort Scott was the Delilah who
came mighty close to cutting ARM
strong's hair off. Fred Hornadayr
who runs the Giants. has. had a mess
of hard luck and in an attempt to re-
cuperate his failing fortunes came
after ToDeka'S catcher. Armstrong
gets 1925 a month here, but Hornaday
offered him quite a few more shekels
with the complete control and man
| agement of his team. Most ball play
ers are out for money. Armstrong
/ didn't deny that he was. SO he told
| the Topeka management Wednesday
afternoon that he wished to go to
Fort Scott, but would be back for
/ Thursdays game. And that was the
4 last heard of him directly until he
turned up this morning, excusing him
! self for his conduct saying that he
| meant no harm; that he and Topeka
and Gus Alberts are friends, and that
! he will play here. "All right, said
! AIberts, 'bygones are bygones, and
We'll play ball.
But between Armstrong; going and
coming a whole melange of things
happened. On Tuesday afternoon AL
] -a1 Law of
/ the league that he would give Army
| to the Giants if he could get Earl
| Green, Fort .Scott's first baseman, and
enough money to also buy Schrant of
/ Sedalia- Shiveley communicated this
| to Hornaday at Fort Scott. The lat
| ter thought an even trade, Armstrong
4 for Green, all right and probably cut
out all thought of paying pre-
/ to close up the deal. But it didn't go.
It was too one-sided. AIDerts had
something to say. Besides, neither
/ HOrnaday nor Armstrong communi-
| Gated with him on the subject. The
! latter had no contract with Topeka
signed and thought he could make the
deal go through all right on that ac-
/ count. But he has agreed and stipu-
lated" according to baseball parIarice
| to stay with Topeka and that nailed
him down tight. When he failed to
show UP for Thursdays game in To-
pcka, Manager Alberts at once asked
matter. Notify him to retuTA," re
piled Shiveley, "and if he doesn't do
1t by this afternoon suspend him. -
AlbertS passed a telegraph message to
Armstrong at Fort Scott to that effect
and Shiveley did the same. Arm
strong came back this morning, and
that is about the end of it Presi-
dent ShiveleY will be in Topeka to-
morrow and close up the trouble and
neal over all the wounded feelings
n iow was It that you happened to
go: was asked of Armstrong this morn
Wen, you see he replied. .IIornaday
wanted catcher and manager and Of
lered me good salary. I'm not dissatis-
ned NED, here | have been treated mighty
well That I wish the people of Topeka
! to Fort Scott and the Saints got GOOD
men IN return. and both teams would be
pehehteo, then 1 thought it the right thing
to do; I promised Logan I would be back
Tor Ihursdays game and would have done
SO, but simply could not get here I am
going out to play this afternoon and will
stay right here If I can call off the deal
| with Hornaday. But l want it to be mr.
| derstood that my nav was ali riebt her.
that 1 have no kick coming at all ami
nave been treated as white as a man
Manager A1berts turned up just then.
He walked up to Armstrong and said:
Army II you had anything personal
| against me, why didn't you come out and
say so? Why didn't you tell me you were
You belong here and we can hold YOU re
CARELESS of the fact that you have signed
no contract. ] have taken you into my
confidence and treated you fair all the
4 time. Isn't that the truth?''
That's right" said Armstrong. You
| have treated me well. We have been
friends right along There is no trouble
| between US But this deal over Green
| got me all tangled up. You have treated
me nicely and so has everybody and did
not leave because I was dissatisfied Botn
Shiveley and you told me to come back
and play ball, and I'm here and will
play"
AN right" said Alberts. with a smile
| that would have wilted a strawberry
| patch; Its all over
Then he turned to the reporters and
| said: Don't stick any personalities into
your pieces tonight about it Baseball
players always call newspaper stories
pieces
Red Bird 2:O9A.