Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-26

~-~>~>O 1890
A queer thing happened out at the Ma
t1onal Ball Park the last day that the
Clevelands played here 1t was in the
fifth inning, when the Clevelands were
two runs ahead and things were looking
pretty blue for the Nationals. With two
of the Nationals on the bases and two
men down Pickering came to the bat. A
group of men were standing in the grand
stand, among whom were Lieut.. Judge of
No. police precinct. Lieut.. Sprinkle Of
No. 2, Chief Sullivan of the fire depart
ment, Sergt. Carl Father of No. 2 pre-
cinct, and said to be the greatest base
ball fan in the city as well as one Of
the merriest grandstand coachers attend
ing the game, and Willie Fowler, the
business manager Of the club. They be-
gan to root loudly for Pickering to do
something.
Hell bunt it," cried Willie Fowler,
and that's his proper play, too" he
added.
Hell do nothing Of the kind excit-
edly shouted Sergt. Father. hell hit a
home run in the bleachers, because am
squeezing for him."
Now. just as Sergt. Flather said this
Pickering quickly turned about and
glanced directly up into the grandstand.
and seemingly stared at no one but the
police sergeant. although it was impossi-
BILE for him, couple Of hundred feet
away, to hear what a person talking In
ordinary tones was saying in the grand
stand.
At any rate, after staring fxedly at
Sergt Father, Pickering turned around
and faced the pitcher, and at the next
ball pitched drove it into the bleachers
for a home run, with the result that the
two men on the bases came over the plate
ahead of him and the Nationals won the
game.
Now. the strangest part of the story is
that Pickering asserts that no sooner had
he let the first ball go by that Thielman
had tossed up than an uncomfortable de-
sire took possession Of him to turn about
and face the grandstand, and as he did
so he caught sight of the big police ser
geant, and just he did a voice as If
borne by on the air whispered to him to
hit it into the bleachers.
Whether Sergt. Fathers squeezing"
turned the trick is impossible to say, but
Pickering is confident that it did. and
when he was taking the train for st.
Louis the last words he said to the writer
were:
"Say. I'd like to take that big police
sergeant along for luck
Cy Young's Comment.
Cy Young, the grand old Trojan among
base ball men, is said to be one Of the
most economical men in the business.
Unglaub, the new player that Washington
recently secured from Boston, tells the
following story on Young:
1t appears that when the Boston club
was In Cleveland, which is not very many
miles from Cy Young's big farm, Cy wish
ed to telephone some instructions to his
farm manager and he resorted to the
long distance telephone as means Of
quick communication.
While Cy was telephoning Unglaub and
Mcconnell happened to stroll up to the
telephone booth. When Young had ceased
talking and was getting the necessary
change out Of his pocket to pay for his
message Mcconnell, who is a youngster
just fresh from college. said to Young:
Consider tine long-distance telephone"
YES" broke in Young with a wry ex-
preston on his countenance, as he began
counting his change, "aad see how quick
ly it makes you short"
Charley Hickman's Repartee.
Josh Clarke of the Cleveland club, and
the brother Of the strenuous Fred Of
Pittsburg fame. is not only swell ball
player. but the Cleveland men maintain