Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-12-17
THE DIAMOND.
L.AJOIE IS A
 GOOD MAN
Story Of The Great Batter Which Is Worth Telling Where Joe ConnOr and Frank Ei.zpatrick Play.

The greatest batsman of the Ameri- can league, who is now playing man. ager of the Cleveland American league club. q lconstiousIy gave free exht- bition of his craft as a batter one uay which many baseball fans would have paid to see. On the occasion In ques- ton Lajoie thought that he was only amusing a few little boys, whereas, in reality, several distinguished per sons. although unseen by him, wit messed his performance. It was on the campus of St Joseph's Seminary for Boys, at Nottingham, just outside the city of Cleveland. Laioie, who had taken quite an interest in a youngster. who had been acting as mascot for the Cleveland club, mad conceived the idea of giving the little fellow a smattering of an education. and accordingly had placed him in this splendid seminary under the tu- fofship of the Sisters. Lajoie called to visit his little protege on the regH- lar visiting day, never forgetting 10 bring him some little present or other, Among other things the Napoleon" brought the boy baseball and Dat- The youtb was fairly delighted and at once insisted on pitching to the great batsman. The little fellow step ped of several paces, and then, sTrik- ing a Cy Young attitude, he began sending in shoots of all kinds at La 3oie. The boy from hts experience around the diamond with the players had learned quite a lot about baseball, and had developed wonderful speed for one so young. He had also mas tered few curves, and felt quite a star in his way, when he was given the opportunity of pitching to the fa- nous Captain Lajoie, The latter pick cd up the little bat in the most mat ter of fact fashion, and after marking off a "home pIate'' in the sand, stood up and cried out Play baIl.s'
 The big fellow never smiled and ap- peared as much in earnest as tliouQlI batting in a championship game The embryo twirler had oIIe of the larger students act as backstop and for fif- teen or twenty minutes he kept slam ming in the ball with all his force. Some went wide. others went close to Larry,s head, while many went above his head, and not a few. shot in below his knees. Lajoie stood there all the time, and. much to the chagrin of the boy, he landed on every ball pitched. knocking the sphere to all corners of the lot Finally. to humor the lad, Lajoie suffered himself to be struck out. Tn the waiting room of the seminary several visitors. parents and other relatives of the students, watched the exhibition through the window with keen interest. one of the 1ao-v G Ca oA that the gentleman batting was Gap tain Laioie of the Clevelands.
 The mother superior, in speaking of 1t afferward to the writer. saids 'fI, Of cour6e. know nothing about base ball. but could not help noticing how Mir Lajoie never failed to hit the ball. It seemed wonderful how he did it. !" During fI1e course of the c0nversat ton the Sister spoke highly of Captain La joie. He seemed greatly attached to that boy,' said she, land treated nim with the utmost kindness"
 The interest which this profession. ,als baseball player manifested in the poor. friendless little boy showed Mir Laioie to be good man. but an et tent which transDired subsequently, was more ernDhatic proof of the mans good- ness. He came out here one day with another man to see the boy. and while they were here [ took them through various parts of the building showed them into the chapel among other places of interest Mir La1oie. on step ping inside the chapel door. at once made the sian of the cross and kneel- ing down in one of the pews. pra Ved there for few minutes. The other gentleman was not of our tlenomiua- ton. and that made Mir Laioie's act the more praiseworthy. It was what considered very manly and admir- able profession of faith. I know noth. ing about professional baseball play- CTS, but I don't think it aniss to say 4nat Captain Laioie is a credit to the profession. Such a man cannot put have success. E