Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-04-23

day I went out to the West Side and
united with the Jefferson Park Pres
byterian church..
Il didn't sleep a wink that night. I
was afraid Of the ridicule I would get
when I went out to the ball grounds
for practice in the morning, we all had
to turn out every morning. Morning
came and with it in the papers every
one of which had a two column story
of the ball player who had turned
Christian. That didn't give me any
confidence. for l knew that the boys
had all read 1t.
Players Respected His Stand.
81 went to the ball park and turned
my key in the wicker gate feeling that
l would rather face siX-shooter than
the boys. l stepped inside. Mike
Kelly was the first one mot. Bill
he said. If ! can be of any help to you
come to me- Cap Arson, from Mar
shalltown. the fellow that found me
playing IN the Marshalltown team
when I made the play that bent the
Des Moines team and who took me to
Chicago, Cap Arson, you know him,
he was elected city clerk of Chicago
grasped my hand and said, Bill, I'll do
anything I can to help yo,. Just let
me know Then saw Ed Williamson
Fred Pfeffer, John Clarkson, they all
had kind word. The man dreaded
most of all, George Gore was the
heartiest Of all. They all gave me
words of encouragement.
That afternoon We We're to play the
Detroit club. was at right field. John
Clarkson was in the box and Mike KEEL
ly behind the bat. The game was To
decide the championship and we were
all nerved to a high pitch. When tho
last half of the ninth inning was
reached the score was to in our
favor
Charlie Bennett came to bat with
two outs and two men on bases. Three
balls and two strikes were called on
him. Things began to look interest
ing. Now Charlie couldn't hit high
ball mean a base ball. not one OF
the others. He could hit those too
hard, to his sorroW1one about the
shoulders, but give min one about the
knees and he could just kill it.
From the right garden shouted to
Clarkson, You know, John, high and
in Now you know how q pitcher has
a hole worn for his foot. and stands
this way all this way if he Is left
handler, south paw and Sunday
showed the pitchers position, We'll
Clarkson dug his toe in the hole and
threw his arm away down for a long
wasn't anybody ON first-and delivers
ed the ball.
Prayed to Catch Ball.
Somehow his foot slipped, the ball
didn't do what he intended it should
and it reached Bennett below the waist
line. l heard sharp crack and looked
up into the air. There was the ball
coming to right field. had learned 10
grage to within ten feet of where u
fly would light, and I saw that it would
| pass far over my head. turned and
ran as far as I could. The crowd had
swarmed over into the field behind me
out rushed right toward 1T. Get oui
of the way shouted, and, it partial
| ike the Red Sea for Moses. On, on
ran. l was afraid couldn't get II
Then prayed, % Lord, said, II ever
Eyou helped mortal man. jlelp m, t.
catch that ball. That was my prayer
1t wasn't theological classic, but
| ! rayed it from my heart as ran.
81 saw the ball over my shoulder. Il
looked as If it would pass over me.
threw up my left hand-that was be.
fore the days Of f1elders' gloves, ant
the ball struck and stuck. Bennett
was out, and I staggered and fell un.
der the feet of team standing there
"Tom L. Johnson. he was afterwart
| iudyOl VI SlcSSlSillS, IcdilN up W liz
Bill he said your catch won me ST..
500. I'll buy you the best swift O.
clothes in Chicago. 1t cost him $50
Friends. / believe God helped me t.
catch that ball.
i There's one thing in my life since
became Christian that I'm ASHAMED
Of. I'll tell you about 1t. I could out
run anybody in the Chicago Nationals
| had made the run from base to bas
u in IA seconds, and had signed con
tract to run hundred yards agains
Lathrop of the st. Louis team.
When Sunday BacksIid.
'"The contract said that the race wa
to be run on Sunday. I went to Ca
n Arson after I had worried about tn
thing quite while, and said, Cap,
i can't run that race What h
shouted, why Bill, you won't show TIL
4 white feather, will your l told him
was sure I could beat Latlrop, but
couldn't run on Sunday. Oh he salt
Well, Bill, I've got $4,000 on you, an
! / know fellow at Pullman with $12,
600 UP on you, and by the time of tn
i race there'll be all Of $4,000 or 800.
900. If you don't run that race or
you should lose, it would mean that a
of us boys would lose our seasons sal
aries and would eat snowba1ls thi
> winter Then Cap Arson suggested
> plan. Bill he added, YOU just ru
t the race and fix it UP with God whe
you get through
ITO make a long story short, 1 wef
to st. Louis and ran the race on Sun
day. beat, of course. Seven watche
! kept time on us. Four caught me
10 seconds fiat and three in ga.