The Washington times., 1905-07-30
Home Run Haggerty
Makes a Trip to Mars
Finds the Heat So Intense That the Fences
Are Fireproof-Fome Plate Melted.
Used the Sweat Ball.

| heads to keep the sweat out Of our
eyes. them Mars galoots jest pranced
round, cool an collected, snappin
| things up one-handed. and thinlIln no
more O their stunts than girl pickfn'
berries. I seen right away that " w'en
the championship series o games be-
gan with the PIantvilles the next day
we'd prob1y come In for a nice. sweet
trimmiu,'
Relied Upon Spit Ball.
I says that TO Reggie Van Rensse-
laer an he gives me the laugh.
Jest because you're a long ways
I'm home don't lose your nerve, you
big kid" says he. These guys may
be up to date, an all that; but they
don't know the spit ball, that's point
number one; an two strikes is out,
that's point number two; and to tell
you the truth, ! don't see how we en-
lose"
Then he stuck HIS nose in the air an
went on battin' out flies; an uncom-
mon good pitcher. bat very much stuck
on himself 1 didn't share his conf
dence though 1 was ready to fight
vile there was shot in the locker.
The next day began the greatest game
that the Alfalfas ever went into. The
asbestos grandstand an bIeachers was
crowded with a hot bunch o Mars peo-
pie that didn't seem to mind the heat,
and they were ready TO go crazy any
minute. They only wanted the Plant
villes to do something to make it hotter
than ever.
That game run along for six innin's
without a score. Reg had the spit ball
woTkin' fine and there seemed no
chance OF Mars scorin. though the
batters lunged at the ball like they
wanted TO send 1t back to Kansas
There was a spry set o. outheIders on
the Plantvilles. and that KEEP me from
dom much in the way of hittin' These
three 1elders'd go diggin' out on the
laver beds that made up the outfeId
and scoop in drives that would have
been homers anywhere else. And the
steel fences made 1t impossible to get
any further than second when you
plugged out q. liner that they couldn' t
get on the fly.
Reg in Trouble.
IN the seventh innin'. though. I seen
that Reg was in trouble. He wound up
a couple o times and sent In wide ones
that I just got on my bare hand, and
then I walked out to the box.
Reg's face was pale.
Good heavens to gosh, Hag," SAYS
he. We're done. We're up against it,.
Nights we'll take the count now"
'Wots the trouble?'' says
Cart "orI: the spit bali a,,y more, %
says he.
VIII no:?" says ]. maxim b'deve !
was sivir him signals
Cause the sDit's all gone" saws he.
Its turned to cotton?"
Blame T 1t hadn't. He couldn't get
no moisture on that ball; no, not if he'd
put IT In his mouth TO once, like the
giant in Brobdingnag die.
was stumped for a minute, an then
I says:
Give up the spit ball" says I. TRY
the sweat ball"
'Hows that?'' saws Reg.
Try the sweat ball" says I Rub it
on your face, where them beads o. per
spiration is. an you'll get shoot on 1t
thatH make en- Jump for cover
Reg caught On, an he did it. Every
time he threw a bail he'd rub it on his
fcfrid or the back Of his neck, an the
moisture was plenty. B'sides, the To-
hacker juice didn't spatter when il hit
the nttt as IL did usually. fer Reg. don't
sweat tobacker yet-though he ought
TO, for he chaws enough.
For twenty-six long innings then It
Went. them fannin' out on the perspired
pellet right along. and us gettin' men on
The bags most every innin', but sharp
heldin' cuttln' us off. An then I pulled
off trick on en-
As I said, the field was mostly laver.
sonethin' Ike asphalt. only soft an
springy The heat KEEP 1t that way.
They have to have big canals in Mars to
keep the laver cool. or the hun blame
thin'd run together in melted mass.
Hit Into Hole
I saw hole about half way to the
pitchers box, In the thirty-seventh in.
ming. that looked like it might lead to
sonethin If ! could place a good one
right. AS ! said. 1t was no use to try
10 bang en- over the felders' heads, for
you couldn't do that; so my mind went
back TO Silvarsand. the time I drove the
ball into the ground In front of the
plate, and they had 10 get a pickax to
get IT out; and when the pitcher sent up
q lollypop drop curve. I fell on it, and
drove it straight for that hole In the
laver.
felt shakin' and springin' as tore
Tor first base that made II seem as
though the hull o. Mars was tryin' to
turn over in bed: there was a lot o
yellin' from the grandstand. and I saw
q scared look on the second bascnan' <
face as l flashed by him. Then, as I
rounded third. I saw the reason for IT.
Right there, midway between the
pitchers box an home. a big, bubbling
boiling fountain o pitch an laver was
springin' up. gettin' higher every min
ute. and roaring furious as q catanlount
Goa acher | stopped.
Come on in" yelled Pinch
An git burnt up?' ! answered.
Crowd Scared.
Slide" yelled Pete Brown.
Not on your bird cage" SAYS /