Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-09
When Dad Clark Beat It.

In 1891 when old Pop Arson. once the
Chicago hero. awoke to find himself
among the discards. he at once accepted
a lob to manage the New York club.
which was at that time in mighty dis
organized state.
Arson had a hard job facing him when
he arrived in Gotham and took up the
managerial rens. but the old man was Il
born leader. and with the courage OF an
ancient hero lie frightened his belt ana,
fguratively speaking. girded up his IONS
and went into those New YORK players
like a hurricane.
The team needed waking up all TO the
merry. as they We're the LATEST PROPOSE
ton that was ever herded together.
To make matters worse the sporting
writer's of that time in New York city
used to dip their pens in vitrioic acid
whenever they sat down to write about
the Giants and instead Of calling them
by their ancient title of Giants the scribes
nicknamed them the Joints"
That spring Arson took his bunch OF
junk on their annual training trip, and
things broke badly from the start. for
several OF the Southern League teams put
it over the New YOrks. whereupon The
newspaper men made merry.
At this time Arson had working for him
in the role of pitcher the highly eccentric
and thoroughly aggravating Dad Clark,
who when he wanted to could be very,
very good. and when a contrary spell
struck him could be the opposite.
Clark had one of the best drop balls
ever seen in those days and he had gen.
orally good control of it. too. SO when
the New York team struck New Orleans,
and after il had lost two straight games
to- the young leaguers and the papers had
printed humorous accounts OF the con-
tests, old man Arson. who was OF a high
strung disposition. was nearly frantic. and
on the third day he put Clark in TO pitch
and he himself went behind the bat, as
he wanted to win that game
Unfortunately for Pops hopes. though.
Dad was in one of his contrary moods and
he wouldn't be good, and Arson. with his
use of the choicest explosives and his
fiery temper, was not the man to coax
the little iWirler into d more agreeable
me od. And Arson and Dad were
chewing the rag" all throughout the con-
test which was a decidedly close one.
Dad had repeatedly disregarded Arson 5
signals and he made it n point to pitch
something other than what the manager
told him TO pitch right along. Arson
cursed and fumed. but he held himself
down the best he knew how, as he wanted
thai game. and lie wanted it bad.
Finally. with the score 10 :: in the last
half of the ninth inning. and in the New
Yorks favor. the Pelican players came to
bat and through Dads perversity two of
them took their bases on balls. Arson
looked daggers at the grimly smiling lit
tie pitcher and said some awful things to
Clark which only made matters worse.
The next two men up flied out. and then
the champion batter of the league stepped
to the plate. Arson signaled Dad 70 vast
a couple on this fellow. with the hope
that he might swing wide at the ball In
the meanwhile the two men on bases had
moved mp on the fiy-outs. so that there
was a PLAYER on second and one on third.
Clarke didn't try to waste any balls on
the fellow. but he made him bite at his