The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-02-15

record of 4:25. He also has done a
quarter in 81. His victories have
been as numerous as notable. Among
these are the senior championship of
the Amateur Athletic Union at the
Lewis and Clark exposition and the
1,500-meter run at the Olympian
games in Athens in 1906. In the
1,80O-meter run at the Athens tourna-
ment he was second by ten inches,
and he won several smaller events
there. Lightbody was almost barred
from participating in the Athenian
games because of being conditioned
in his studies at Chicago university,
but by hard work he managed to make
up his deficiency and had the condi.
lions removed. This has taught him,
however, that it is nearly impossible
to be a good student and a good ath-
lete at the same time, he says, and as
he does not expect to make athletics
his life occupation, he believes it his
duty to devote more time to his men,
tai equipment than he has been do
Ing.
Sensitiveness is one of the charac-
.eristics of baseball playing, many
members of the profession being
touchy in spots and some all over.
They dislike to have their work criti-
cized in derogatory way, as it units
them for duty and keeps them in a
disturbed state of mind. They keenly
feel the stings of sarcasm or the
gibes of disappointed fans. In other
words, adverse criticism breaks them
Ill up. While the majority of present
day managers advise their players to
keep plugging away and ignore criti-
cism, many are unable to follow that
sensible advice. They cannot stand
the gait of adverse comment. Base
ball history tells Of number of good
players who chose to retire from the
profession rather than be subjected
to remarks which ranked within their
bosoms and upset their equilibrium.
Posing as they do in the continual
limelight as public celebrities, ball
players should possess natures i'm
pervious to attack, but all are not
built alike. When the bleacherites
get after a player the music begins,
and is continuous unless the offender
turns the tide by making good play
and is forgiven. Baseball fans are a
tickle class-always have been and al
ways will be. They are very apt to
hand ball player bouquet one day
and lemon the next. Few fans are
lenient in judgment, but once player
makes good with them he possesses
an army of friends who hold him up
as an idol until the passing years
bring stiffness to his joints and he
drops out of sight into lesser league
Many good story is told on Tom
Sharkey, but Tim McGrath, the fam
Gus trainer, and Eddie Graney, the
Honest Blacksmith" and peer of all
referees, vie with each other in the
spinning of yarns about the famous
heavyweight Here's Graney's story:
AItSI luSpCCIiu6 q UuuCu VI SuTlSC-
mas turkeys in butcher shop, Shar-
key decided on one weighing 18
pounds, and paid for it. When the
bird reached Toms house the latter
decided to weigh it, because he is
suspicious of everybody. He found it
weighed only 13 pounds. AS angry
as a March hare, Sharkey set off
with Mr.. Turk for the butcher shop.
What's the matter with this birdr he
asked angrily. When bought it it
weighed Is pcxnds; now it weighs
only 49, We'll, Mr.. Sharkey,' said
the butcher, you bought the turkey
undressed. In getting it ready for
the table I suppose we dressed away
about five pounds of it. rs that the
case?' asked Sharkey tartly. Well,
in the future none of this three
o'clock weighing in for me. When
buy turkey / want ringside weight.
Good-day That's all"