The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-21
BASEBALL STORIES.

bASEBALL SIOklES.
 1t was during a game between the Phil adelphias and New Yorl1s, and Tim Hurst was certainly having his work cut out tor him. Every decision appeared to be the cause of protests from one side or the other, while the New York crowd was hot after the little indicator handler.
 Now. when the home team, or, in fact, my other team, gets after this game, little Celt one may expect to see the kicking side get the worst end of it, as Tim will surely come out ahead in the deal
 This particular day Clarke, the pitcher, had been giving Tim considerable back talk, and the more he talked the more of the home plate did the eccentric Dad have to cut before Hurst would credit him with strike.
 Finally, Clarke became exasperated be- cause Tim wouldn't call 'em good when he cut the corners. When Hurst had called one ball that Dad seemed to think ought to have been a strike, the excitabe Clarke, throwing discretion to the wind and with his face distorted with rage. ran up to where the umpire stood, back of the catcher. and in a voice that could be heard all over the grandstand he shrieked: Look a here, Tim Hurst, what are you trying to do? Do you want to make a fool out of me?"
 T dc not, MT. Clarke" replied Tim, with mock politeness; Tn your case feel sure In allowing nature to take it's course"
 A crowd of the Washington ball players were assembled out al the clubhouse when discussion arose regarding the number of players that each year break into the pro- fessionals. Lave Cross, now a Pelican, spoke up and said that this practice of ball players becoming members of the professions was comparatively a new stunt of the baseball man, as in the old days there were not nearly so many play CTS who were inclined to study. They usually went into business.
 Some one in the back of the room shouted out that he did not believe in professions, anyhow as they were mostly all overcrowded now, and there was a slim chance for a young fellow getting to the top In any of them nowadays.
 know of a profession" cried out Case Patten. where any young man can find room at the top.'
 And what profession is that, Case?" nterestedly inquired Hickman. while the re5t of the crowd stopped toweling them selves in order to listen
 Why. the aeronautc profession" shouted Case, as he quickly sidestepped In order to dodge the sponges which
 
 When Sandow Mertes broke into the game he was recommended to the Phila- delphia people by Hulen. one of the few ieft-handed shortstops the major league has known. Hulen was frank enough 10 declare one day out at the Phillies park, that he was not fast enough to held the job he had, but, he added: "I know a player who will show some of these ma 1or league outflelders a thing or two"
 He referred to Mertes and touted him SO highly that he was at once brought on to Philadelphia. He was a lambike ball player at that time and one could not get murmur out of him. He afterward though, made up for it.
 At any rate, in his modest period he " at the bat one day, and Tim Hurst was umpiring. Tim dearly loves to tease u new man. Mertes had been 50 un- usually quiet that Tim called a couple of wide ores, just to hear him kick, but the fellow never made a noise
 Thel Tim putting frown on his cher ubic face, turned fiercely to Mertes and said:
 "Ah, what is the matter with you? Why. you are getting to be a worse kicker than Elberfield" Mertes nearly dropped with surprise and he looked as if he going to weep as he replied: Why, upon my word of honor, Mir Hurst, l never opened my mouth. And then, when Tim roared with laugh ter the big fellow viciously swung at the next one and drove it out of bounds. Big Sam Crawford of the Detroits can surely hit the leather when he leans up against one that looks good to. him. Aside | from Sans wel-known prowess in base ball he also enjoys the reputation of be- ing one of the games humorists. While on the cars Sam's society is much | sought by the other boys. as the big fel- | low Is always in a merry mood and the | funny things he gets off are always good for a laugh. Up in Detroit the manual labor Is large | ly done by Swedes. Particularly Is this | true In the case of breweries, whose em- | pioyes are made up almost entirely of | huskies from the far land of Sweden These light-haired lads, with the thirsty | blood of the Vikings In their veins can | do a lot of things to a barrel of beer | when 1t comes to the job of emptying it. | 1t is said upon reliable authority that the | breweries allow them 100 glasses of beer | a day to drink. A Detroit paper happened | to publish this fact one day not long ago. | and Bill Coughlin was reading the fact | aloud in the clubhouse when Sam Craw- | ford. who had just come In the door, | asked Bill what he was reading. Why" said Bill, this paper declares | that the breweres in this city allow their | employees to drink 100 glasses of beer a | day" If that's fact" said Sam as he pro- | reeded to do the disrobing act. q should | think the breweries would have their | hands full all the time"