The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-03-20
SPARTAcUS WADDELL
TO THE BALL PLAYERS

stands were filled with people whc
moved restleasly in their places. won
ioring al The delay. The umpire stood
leaning over the home plate With a
vhisk broom In his hand The players
were seated upon Their canopi9d
benches. when suddenly there stepped
/ orth Wadde1 the mighty s1nthpaw
wizard and gladiator Of the slab and
hopping bis str amiug forehead With
a Turkish ovd pluckel from his belt
addressed lie players aa follows:
"Ye call me RUDE ana ye do
we'll 10 oall him RUDE, who for
twelve long years. has faced upon the
diamond every kind of swatoiesist he
| road empire Of America could furnish
and never yet lowered this mighty left
arm. If there be enc among your mum.
Der who can say taat ever in the minor
or major league, my Immaculate nerve
and unm tigated gall forsook me, let
aim step forth and say it, And yet
was not always thns-the top,uotcher
among great slab artists.
"My anclstars came FROM old TioGn
county New York, and settled among
the pine-cad hills Of western pennsyl-
yania Ny early life ran quiet as the
brook by which spo"ied. and when a
dusk went to the village depot 70 see
the train come in. there was a frjeud
the son Of ncighbor 20 join me in
throwing Gle Is Al the brakemeH
One evening after The town mar
hal had chased US home. and we
we're all seated beneath the mortgage
that shaded our cottage, my grandsire,
m old man was tell M Of Tim Keofe,
Smiling Mickey Welsh Ola Hlss Rad.
bourne, johnny Clarkson. jimmy Gal.
vim and Ten Ramsey; and how in an
cicnt times Dan Brouthers Sam
Roger Come Deacon
White Hardy Richardson Jack GLASS
cock. Jerry Denny ana other great
.luggers had lo0sened their yerte-
braes reaching Tor the elusive Blenders
Of those diamond heroes OF old. | did
not know then what pitching was, but
my cleeks burned. ! knew not why,
and clasped the knees of thar veneer.
able fan, until my mother patted my
hrohbing temples and babe me 90 soak
NV head in the ran barrel That night
The New York Giants landed on our
coast ana me next DAY the park az
Philly ran red with gore and the
yroundkeeper had to search in the
lust fer Connie Mack team with
AXE
To-day struck out q man with
hree men on bases and we we're only
nc run TO the good And when he
shattered fhe air with the force of ther,
bird strike, behold he wa my friend
Ie knew me. called me lobster and
ell over his feet hustling back to the
,ench--the same smile upon his lips
hat marked them when, in adyen
urous boyhood We climbed a ne'gh-
,Or'g apple tree 10 pluck the early
opening fruit and the owner suddenly /,
ppeared beneath our feet with blood
n his eye and a club in his hand |
old the umpire the man had been my ,
riend and on my Blended knees in the
lust of the diamond begged him 10
all time that I might so over 10 the
.isitor's bench and knock his block
III. ana he rabble IN the hleachers
houted, deem'ne it rare sport. for
Goth, 10 think that / had lost my
Iead. And his jumps" drew back as If
were polluted tripe-'Ferget 1t and
,lay ba-lI.l," said he.
"Oh. booze booze, thou hast been {
j9nder nurse 10 ihc Aye thou hast
iven TO a poor printers devil. who ]
.ever knew a harsher note than the !
weet ordinations Of delight from
he foreman when ! pied a galley Of
gate type. muscles of an iron molder
nd a breath that corrodes krupp ar
nor plate ON the sides of a battleship,
aught him 20 speed over the pwzlins
rou OF drive an ihshodt through the
lats OF an opposing batsman-to gaze
nto HE slaring eyebalis Of an umpire (
ven as a graft hungry alderman does
IRON century note.
"Ye stanI here now Ike giant, ms
e. are, The strength of htoVed hops {
5 ia you- toIgleueI hide; hut tomor
ow SOME bum chauffeur. breathing 4
wect perfume from his curly locks.
hail with his shrill voice call you
fa heous and back ~ the brush for