The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-05-31
DAILY SHORT
STORY
The MAKING OF A FAN


THE MAKING OF A FAN
Never in her puff-and-powder, at
tar-of-roses existence had she seen
a baseball contest. She had an idea
that they played the game In the
toys of painted Indians and that
usually It ended in a flight, IL not
m q revolution. Therefore she
amused herself with bridge and
pink teas and coquetry, allowing
her ardent admirer. Mr. PATSY"
O'Donnell, to- twirl magically-i
curved, swishing balls at the rate
of $4,000 year, with no one to
look on save bankers, clubmen9
street sweepers and the twenty
thousand or SO other gods and
goddesses Of the grandstand and
bleachers. IN
1t was not that she didn't like
Mr.. O'Donnell. But his occupation
well, she hardly regarded it as
the thing to slide on your face and
wallow in the dust with men
whose only ability was to slap and
grab at dirty ball. So that she
wouldn't say YES" to PATSY"
ODonnell, though the big pitcher
pleaded.
1t happened, however, that the
pennant race that season was the
closest on record. Thus it was that
on the day of the final game she
reluctantly relented and. in COM
pany with J. Percival Drane,
clipped out in her motor car to
Sheridan park.
When she took her seat behind
the wire netting she was surprised
to note the evident responsibility
of the crowd. The crowd yelled
There's O'Donnell! They'll never
touch O'Donnell! They'll never
touch O'Donnell!" and she felt a
little thrill of possessive pride.
The bue-and-gray "Crescents"
took the field and their fond hope.
Mr.. Patsy" O'Donnell, wound and
unwound his ten thousand-dollar
arm and whizzed the sphere at the
tense batSman.
For three innings the game went
thus. ODonnell of the "CrescentsH
was in winning form; his side had
scored two runs; it looked bad for
the Cyclones" And then some
thing happened. Patsy" O'Donnell,
coming from the box. looked into
the grandstand and saw Miss Doris
Ramsey hanging greedily upon the
words of ]. Percival Drane. She
was in reality asking enthusiastic
questions about the achievements
of the now glorious O'Donnell, but
that the great pitcher could not
know. Therefore, in the fourth in
ming, sick at heart, he let down,
and the alert Cyclones slammed
the ball against the dollar-watch
ad at the edge of the big enclosure,
scoring four runs. In the fifth and
sixth they continued; and then the
tone of the tickle crowd changed.
Take him out! O'Donnell's
blown up!" the unfaithful bawled;
and Miss Ramsey inquired of J.
Percival Drane what it meant.
"O'Donnell's given down." ex-
planned Drane.
"Oh, dear!" murmured Miss
Ramsey. Then she studied bit
Take him out! Take the Char
ley-horse out!' roared the crowd.
"Oh. dear met" repeated Doris
Ramsey. Then she wrote rapidly.
Dear Patsy: Brace up and win.
I'm fan now-I believe that's
what they call it, After you've
won the game come around and
We'll reconsider that little
matrimonial deal"
1t was the most extraordinary
thing. In the seventh. eighth and
ninth. just nine men struck 81
vain times at the elusive curves of
Patsy" O'Donnell, ten thousand
dollar beauty and accepted lover.
"O'Donnell - O'Donnell - oh,
may O'Donnell!" roared the tickle
crowd in approval as the blue-and-
gray winning run shot across,
clinching the pennant.
"Oh, my O'Donnell! chugged the
big auto on the way back to town.
1t was very sweet music to Doris