The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-08-20
MAN WITH GLASSES
WATCHES BALL CAME
OF YOUNGSTERS
Then He Drifted Back to the
Time When He Used to
Play One Old Cat.


They were a noisy lot of youngsters as
they passed along swinging bats. and
gloves. One boy carried a mask and a
dilapidated chest protector. The quiet
little man with the big glasses turned and
watched them and as they passed he
CLEANED that Beany's team was "goin' to
lick the stuftin' out Of the East Side fell
lers.',
Curiosity got the better of him and he
followed the youngsters at a respectful
distance. They were garbed in a nonde-
script regalia. Some wore full baseball
suits. Others had parts Of suits; others
wore tennis shoes, one or TWO We're bare
footed and clad in overalls.
Arriving at the grounds the two teams
lined up around their captains while q
bat was chosen and thrown in the air. One
tossed 1t to the other and then hand over
hand their chubby fists mounted toward
the top. CLAW holts,'' shouted the one
who had thrown the bat. The other boy
wanted to argue the matter but the
friends Of Beany all shouted Jaw
cummon. he said it first Whereupon
Beany grasped the top of the bat with the
ward over his head. 1t sailed the re-
quired ten feet through the air and
Beany's side got first outs.
Into the field they went, pell nell, and
when they had lined up, there We're not
enough for every position. Beany stepped
iil ~ " ailo dollSd lie cay
catcher ''signalled'' for a curve ball.
Shorty be bat, n Billy on deck and Fatty
in the hole sang out the score keeper.
A big boy from the side lines mad been
agreed upon as umpire and as Beany
went through more contortions than a
snake dancer and the ball sailed toward
the plate he shouted:
"Steeee rike."
"Aw-w-w!" began a chorus of fierce par
tisans of the batter.
Shut up, you kids said the chief OF
the Beanies. THE uE,pire's doing this"
And the fierce partisans subsidized.
The batter famed.
When the East Side came to the bat in
the fifth the first man up got his base on
balls and the second Singled" Everyone
was on tiptoe. The captain called the
next batter aside and whispered: Bet
ter sacrifice,
The other nodded and picked his bat.
TIL captain ran down to third and
coached the man" on second base.
Play off. there!' he called. rs there
fypaper on that bag? Look alive, old
man"
The batter, meanwhile balanced himself
on his toes, set his teeth tightly and swung
the bat as II he were going to drive that
ball to Sergeant Bluff, and-rolled a per-
feet bunt down the first base line. The
pitcher nabbed the ball and shut out the
runner al first. The first baseman slam
med the ball across to third.
"Slide!" yelled the coach on the side
line. and the runner slid. He arrived at
the base In a cloud of dust just as the
ball got there.
Safe on third!" said the umpire, firm
ly.
There was a howl of protest from the
fans.
Safe" repeated the umpire more firm
ly and he made a downward motion with
his hand. That's all there was to it.
And the little man with the big glasses
smiled to himself as he thought how he
used to get out and play corner lot base
ball. Mentally he went back to the time
when they played lone old cat and work
up and all the good old fashioned games
OF baseball which nowadays are failing
into disrepute.