Evening star., 1908-01-19
LITTLE STORIES Of THE BALL PLAYERS.
By Revere Rodgers,

Sunday school cherub would have any
business repeating.
Bill Coughlin's Luck.
People talk about actors being super
stitious, but the professional ball player
has the actor left gasping al the post for
there is no class of people in the world so
given to sign reading as the fellow who
earns his money in the good old summer
time. playing Americas national game,
Everything has a meaning for a base
ball player but certain players read the
same sign in a different manner.
Picking up pins and horseshoes is fad
with all players. and no professional ball
player would dare go by "a pin pointing in
his direction without STOPPING to annex
the find.
1t is tho same way with a horseshoe.
Players will go u city block to grasp hold
of one of these objects and will expert
ence a feeling of elation when they get a
clutch on the affair
When Bill Coughlin. one OF Washing
tons favorites. was playing in this city.
he was out at the park one day cavorting
ABOUT third base. when he espied a large
pin. pointing straight in bis direction and
cfaftlly Bill started after that pin.
Now just Bill stopped down to get "A
hold on the useful article. two OF the
park employees came up the base line
pus hing a seven hundred pound dirt roller
between them.
Both Of these huskies were having an
animated conversation about some Inter
esbnG subject; possibly an argument Oh
the tariff or a discourse on the, copyrigh ht
Dill. AT any rate the topic must have been
an enhancing one, for just as Bill stopped
down TO pick up the pin the s:rong-arm
men gracefully showed the roller over one
of Bits feet
Bill. Of course. let out howl of pain
and then for the first time the two rolie,
men aWoke 10 the situation, but in their
excitement they madly tried to run the
roller over Bills other foot, but Coughlin
gave very good imitation of a man try
ing to win the Eop and skipping record,
nd through his agility he managed to es-
cape being crippled for life
When the othe. players got Bill in the
clubhouse and We're giving him the best
aid they could. Pat Donovan. the manager
of the club, came hurriedly in and seeing
CouSniinS s injury he said.
why. how in the name of all creation
did this come to happen. Bill?"
why they ran that million ton roller
over me. shrieked Coughlin. Just as |
was picking mp pin for luck
King Kelly's Idea of It.
When the trckiest of all base bah play
ers. the only and original king Kelly.
was the bright particular star of tie
great American national game. like many
or his associates OF those bygcne days he
was anything but a cultured man.
Of course. this did not affect his grand
qualities as a base ball player. although
it led 10 some amusing mistakes.
Kelly like all ball players. had great
passion for the theater. which of course.
was easiy aratifed, far as getting free
tickets was concerned. for professional
players and actors reciprocate in that re-
Spect.
One night in Cincinnati Kelly and Ed
Crane received an invitation to the the
ater and Kelly. who was the soul of
punctuality fused and fumed while Ed
was dressing. for Crane was II man who
took quite a pride in his clothes and was
one Of the slowest mortalS III the world
in making his toilet.
All kenys funing didn't feaZe Crane.
for he was a cool fellow under all cir
cumstances, and especially when he was
under fire. But at last he announced
that he was ready. and Kelly with his
usual mpetuosity. hustled the big fell
low out OF the door and caught down
town car.
All the way To the theater Kelly up-
bra ided Crane for being the cause Of
explain that they couldn't be but d few