The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-21
Left Handlers and Their Freaks
BY HUGH S. FULLERTON.

cago. He was going along we'll, with fair
prospects Of winning. when someone said
something to him. He construed the re-
mark as a knock, and without word or
explanation he walked out of the box and
to the clubhouse, leaving mis- team
dumfounded.
Arson was almost equal to the emeT-
gency. He summoned k1ttridge from
behind the bat. sent him in TO pitcn, put
Thornton at first, and he went IN 10
catch.
course, but they came near getting away
with it
George Edward WaddelI is, Of course,
the synonym for eccentricity in baseball.
"Rube" IS unbeatable, but once the Op-
position gets his attention and makes
him either angry or fOrgetful, he is
done.
The first time I ever saw George Ed
ward was at Butler, Pa, when the team
was in a dilemma They wanted a catch
er. They had the pitcher. all right but
there was no one who could hold him.
Finally they secured a catcher who was
willing TO make the attempt. George
Edward, accompanied by his father
came out. The first ball he pitched at
the new catcher was gated up to cannon
ball speed. The catcher merely ducked
his head and let the ball splinter ths
boards in the stand. Then he went down
talk "Rube" agreed to slow down bit
and he did. After the game the catch
er bandagad his black and blue spots and
vowed that II George Edward ever got
any sense he would be the greatest pitch
er the world ever has known. Half q
dozen managers have agreed with that
catcher.
When Rube signed with Chicago ne
made one Of his star breaks. He had
/ been threatening to kill Fred Clarke at
/ PittsbUrg and Fred wanted to get rid
/ OF him Boston offered RUDE 34.20o- and
Chicago offered him 2,S00-a little matter
/ of S1,4O0 difference. Tom LOTUS, who
was managing Chicago, caught RUDE
| first.
I'D like TO play with you. Tom" said
| George Edward. But that's lot OF
| money"
Forget it." said Lotus. I'll ELI You
what I'll do, Eddie. You sign this con-
tract, and when we get to New York
I'll buy YOU the best hat IN town
"AIl right, Tom" said RUDE. And
| when the team reached New York Iaof-
tus bought Rube the finest Panama ne
could find. It probably was the most ex-
pensive hat ever purchased.
One day in Pfttsburg RUDE was pitching
! for Chicago against his old teammates.
LOTUS was begging and beseeching Rube
| not to pay any attention to the Pirates.
and Clarke and his gang were striving IN
every way to get Rube's mind off the
| game In the seventh inning the score
was s to g. in favor of Chicago, and
RUDE was pitching like a machine. ]t
| looked as II 1t was all over. Clarke for
| two innings had ceased trying to rattle
/ Waddell, and was making friendly talk
After the seventh inning Clarke, going
out. stopped to talk to Waddeu.
/ Come and go up hgnting with us this
fall, Eddie" he remarked.
"AlI right" said Rube.
I've got a great dog" said Clarke.
"A peach. You ought to see him"
/ Pointer or setter?" asked Rube.
"Pointer-a peach. Best that ever hap
pened You want TO come with US
Sure" said RUDE. And after that u
forgot all about baseball and wanted 10
talk dog all the time. Lotus IA to take
nm out of the box, after the PirGIes got
at him, and at that Chicago wOG only by
= score of 10 Z