The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-23

Players Are Eccentric Bunch
Who Have Plenty of Time to
Think Up Mischief.
BY HUGH FULLERTON.


Ball players mostly are eceentrics. They
have enough spare time to cultivate &c
centricities. and it is a einch that if Satan
finds some evil thing for idle hands to do
he is kept overworked thinking up en-
ployment fer the gnarled and twisted fin
gers Of professional ball players.
Take eighteen or twenty strong, Vul-
carly healthy athletes with three hours
work a day and twenty-one for rest and
recreation, and something is likely 10
come off at any minute. especially as
most of them act like yearlings and feel
finer'n fiddles most of the season.
Practical joking is carried to the limit.
and some of the jokes really are funny.
j. Ryan. the boy wonder. pulled off one
on I. DonOhue in Kansas City one spring
Tim had played in Kansas City the year
before, and was popular. so all during the
spring training trip in the southwest Tim
was pluming himself for a triumph when
the team played on the Kaw.
1t happened that on the first afternoon
at Kansas City Tim got a bad start and
the crowd. which loved him because it
could guy him, started in 20 have fun at
his expense. and finally Arson. getting
mad, chased Tim out of the game, while
the crowd Toared.
Tim heart was broken. He never could
realize that after such an experience he
was more popular than ever. To add to
his troubles Ryan got telegraph blank
and wrote:
IT Donohue Coates House. Kansas
City: If you cannot keep from disturbing
the harmony of the club, you are hereby
JAMES A. HART"
Tim was furious. He accused Arson
of reporting him to Hart and was waiting
downstairs with the avowed intention of
whipping Arson when he appeared
Luckily Arson had gone out, and after
time Tim said:
I'm take him up and go TO Boston.
Seelee wants me-.
hn FoIa nh r1,
read:
Frank Selee. Manager Boston club
Macon, Ga: Can secure unconditional
release. What terms do you offer?
Ryan managed TO stop the telegram,
and after waiting a couple of hours sent
Tim another one, which read:
~ DOnohue, Chicago bail club, Kan
sas City, Mo: Can't use you. Under
Fl. SELEE."
1t is well that Arson did not appear just
then-and also it is lucky that Ryan was
not around when Tim discovered the
truth the next morning.
=
Arson himself was the victim Of huge
lOke in 1888, and one that cost him dear.
Cap always objected to having his men
play the races and at the time Griffith,
Bill Dahlen. Bill EveTitt. George Decker
and some of the others were plunginS on
The ponies and studying the dope at all
aours of the day and night.
Arson reproVed and eXpostulated. and
one afternoon over in the clubhouse he
remarked:
IF you fellows are stuck on throwing
away your money, bet il with Inc and
we'll keep it all in the family. I'll give
Fou post odds and take al the bets you
want to make ] don't know anything
about racing, but ] might well have
-FOUR money as the bookmakers.'
The press box then was down in the
'front.' of the grandstand. and early in the
ma Rn11baaH Tl1hlpr, SHINING
along and whispered up to me:
Say. find out who won the fourth at
Brighton today and drop a note out"
Naturally. [ supposed Bill had a little
bet on hand and was anxious. so over the
wire I discovered the winner for him. and
glancing at the note tossed out he am
oled TO the bench.
Every afternoon after that Dial, or
Lange, or Grit would request information
md get il, and after 1t had been going on
Tor a couple of weeks / finally tumbled
20 the joke. They We're finding out who
EOn the races and then making bets with
zap on the bench.
Even that failed to convince Cap that
they could beat the races.
The spring that Elmer Foster joined the
Chicago club he got started at his true
gait by pulling off a monumental joke on
Arson. Foster was in New York, with
Irders to report at Louisville, and when
he Chicago club reached the Falls city
u the morning telegram was awaiting
Arson. which read:
Am just leaving Pennsylvania station
. Jersey City. In fine shape. Arm good.
Win hit $50 sure. Report tomorrow.
FOSTER"
Arson was pleased He showed the tele-
ram around among the boys and pre-
licted big things for Foster, besides pay
ng the collect charges without a murmur.
\ couple Of hours later came another
elegram:
"Philadelphia-Have reached here in
rf E1oaIfnpr zd hull
Ter on train Reach Louisville tomorrow.
FOSTER"
Arson paid the charges a little doubt
ally, and few hours later received an
uher telegram, collect, which said:
Have reached Washington in fine con-
htion. Change to b. & o. here. Train on
tine. Have lower berth, so will be in fine
glaDe FOSTER"
BY that time Cap was wild with indig-
lation and suspected that he had a crazy
nan coming to join the team. His sus-
lclons grew when he received another
object message:
Cumberland. Md.-Got up early. Am
njoying the beautiful mountain scenery.
FOSTER"
All through West Virginia and Ohio
foster kept the wires hot. Every time
he train stopped at any town he sent
rs captain cheering messages regarding
us progress, condition, mental and phys.
cal, his food, his berth and other !
hings.
He arrived in Louisville and stoned at |
he station to send a telegram to Arson
Il the Louisville hotel, a short BLOCK |
way asking him to send a cab for him. |
nd, waiting in vain for the cab, he de- |
cended upon his new comrades to lead /
hem in the merriest season Of all base
lall history.
HARMON TO CAPTAIN D. q.
Denver. Dec. Pat meeting Of + |
Trresx- r~sf Of n