Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-25
HURST HURT HUGHES BY
SHOOTING BACK HOT ONE

One day last summer when the Cleve.
land club was playing a series in the
national capital, with Tim Hurst in the
role of umpire, Tom Hughes, bound fol
| the ball park, boarded a Seventh street
car and sat down next to Tim, who wa.
also headed for the park, says the Wash
ington Star. Tim was busily engaged In
reading the news, and did not see the tall
pitcher. Tom who had pitched the pre-
vious day and had been a victim of some
or Tins alleged "wall eyed decisions,
proceeded to make his presence known by
the following observations:
After some of the decisions you made
yesterday L am very much surprised to
see you trying to read without glasses"
mo more surprised than l was yester-
day to see the Nationals trying to win
without a pitcher" replied the doughty
Timothy, and Tom looked out Of the win
dow and Tim resumed his paper.
When Roaring Bill Hassamer played an
outfield position for the Washington club
decade and more ago, he was easily the
main cutup of that remarkable aggrega-
tion of ball tossers.
Bill was one of those loudly loquacious
geniuses, and was as restless as healthy
schoolboy. He and the second baseman
of the Washington club, piggy" Ward,
were DOOn IhSJ AShSN
on each other for companionship.
Neither of these illustrious gentlemen
was nodded along rapid-thinking lines.
Both had played "hookey" from school
many times in their youth, with the re-
suit that they were not qualified to hold
a college professorship in any of the col
leges, at least not the big ones.
Now. Hassamer had the spending pro-
clivities of a pampered son of a Pitts
burg millionaire, and this appetite for
burning the kale in punches kept Mr..
Hassamer in financial straits right along.
One day when Bill was down and out, or
almost so, he received letter from some
one UP In Cincinnati, who notified him of
a golden wedding ceremony that was soon
to take place.
Bill showed the lette~ to Ward, and that
gentleman Immediately notified his bosom
friend that 1t would be up to him to for
ward a golden present to the sender of
the letter.
.'Are You sure that the present has got
to be something goloen?" anxiously in
Quired Hassamer.
Certainly" snorted Ward. who was
proud to display his knowledge of the
niceties of etiquette.
"Well," replied Bill as he began
scratching his head, Il have got only a
little money, yet 1 suppose will have to
do the best cam"
Bill Coughlin the gallant captain and
third baseman of the Detroit club, is not
only a good bal player. but close OBJ
server of things in general, and, although
Sir William is one of the easiest going of
men, yet he never fails to express his
opinions when occasion arises
Just after the series with the chicago
Cubs had been finished Mr.. Coughlin paid
a visit to his home folks up in Scranton,
Pa. and as Bill arrived rather late at
night, and did not wish to put his people
to the trouble of preparing an extra meal
for him. he went to cafe located over
in the Hyde park section of that enter
prising mining town.
Now Bill Coughlip is as well known 10
the citizens of Scranton as Charley Hick-
man or Harry White is known to the
average Washingtonian, and Bill is just
as popular as these players with his
townspeope, who are justly proud or
their clever third baseman. So when
Coughlin entered the cafe, after little
refreshment he was greeted by the waiter
as if he were a prince.
When Bills order was served he started
in to do justice to 1t, while the waiter
stood at military attention and fairly
smothered William with his ingratiating
smiles.
The first crack out of the box Bill struck
an egg that surely was off color, and
when the waiter saw the expression that
came over the ball players face he in
ouired in voice that tremored:
HAS that egg been cooked too long,
Mr.. Coughlin?"
mot too long.y shot back Bill, ''but not
soon enough"