Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-05
INFLATED DEAF MUTES
ivcntures Of a Basket Ball Team
Of Fakirs.
AMPLE OF THE SPORTING LIFE
lI1dc Profitable Trips Through
Country with ouiet Quint and
Never GOT Caught
Ta1kfmg.

Ter OF TACT the name was a uLlle QlLAereuL
This team was made up Of deaf mutes,
supposedly, from an Institution for those
20 affected. AT the beginning Of their ac-
tivitles the quiet QuinJ did really and
truly consist entirely Of deaf mutes. They
were coached by one OF the best men who
ever played the game.
These deaf mute players naturally gave
signals with their hands. BY dint Of stick
ing together and studying and playing the
game hard the QUIET Qulnt. who were
physically pretty husky. eventually got to-
gether a team that was hard to beat. II
was a team that was very much in demand
among the regiments and clubs not 50 very
long ago when basket ball was being played
In every sort Of little box that might be
called a hall ana would give the home team
an u~ndeniable advantage.
50 the Quiet Quint began 20 travel
around. AVID what with being novel and
moreover a first rate team. they began to
make a lot Of money. This condition was
all right as long as the team was legiti-
mateiy one from the institution repre-
scented.
How the Change Came.
But after two or three seasons some Of
the players had to drop out because Of
business or for other reasons and then 1t
became a question Of filling their places
with other players who could keep UP the
reputation OF the team for ability so that It
would continue TO get the good guarantees
and gate receipts. For basket bail, as any
one can tell you, is the most strictly pro-
fcssional amateur game there f.
Here, Of course, was the Quiet Quint
team under pressing necessity Of getting
some good players. To the man who is an
amateur in spirit it might seem likely that
its coach simply went to work and de-
veloped some more men out Of the inst-
tuition. But he didn't He went out and
got two or three OF the crack amateur
nearly players OF the day.
At this point the objection naturally IS
made. How did these men disguise their
presence on the team? Weren't they known
under their true names TO many other
players, and how could they cover their
ability to hear and to speak? The answers
show how great is the Influence Of sport
for seif-controL.
To be sure there were players a-plenty
who faced these men who knew their true
names. but because most OF these players
had little private eccentrieities which
occasionally took them into other fields
under assumed names too they didn't
start anything about their ~semi-pros,
or rather semi-smateurs. that might have
been in the nature OF a boomerang. Thay
just let. it go at that. knowing that they
IN turn would be safe.
But the other thing. the Disgusting Of
the fact that these players could speak
and hear. was the wonderful part.
Il played against Jim for three years
on a club team" said a man who after
ward played on the same college team
as Jim. without knowing that he could
either speak or hear. You know. he isn't
much given to talking anyway"
Trained In Not Talking.
These young men-there were generally
At least two on the Quiet Quint team who
didn't belong there-xeept one season,
the last OF sll-went TO work to learn the
deaf mute language and learned also to
keep a strong hold on themselves.
They played against some pretty tough
{7ams and made long tours with the real
Ndesf mutes, but always were careful not
10 show that they spoke OF heArd-that Is
when any one wal around who might bear
tales and so spoil their chances for further
profitable engagements in the good towns
they visited, because these long trips
with a team that was a profitable attrac-
tion meant money. and often lots Of It. to
these amateur professionals.
IA Nhtee OF iour separate seasons about
i've different men learned the deaf mute
alphabet and went out with the Quiet
Ouint In each case these players after
WARD played on college teams and oeca-
sionally invaded the districts where they
hae heen before the districts where they
no noise.
occasionally these players would be oppo-
site a man who on the previous occasion
when 1t was club team against club team
had made use OF the belief that his oppo-
neut couldn't hear 10 use outrageaus Ian
guage about hin.
In these cases there was revenge some
unes an aghast follower Of the game who
perhaps the winter before saw some Of the
college players as deaf mutes would be
treated 70 a line Of language thai he knew
didn't come out Of text books from the Ips
Of the supposed deaf mute.
Hard TO Keep StiII.
The things those hearing and speaking
deaf mutes endured were nearly beyond
belief They had TO pretend they didn't
hear a thing when some opponent called
them names that didn't sound pretty, and
they had 70 clamp down their tongues from
maklng a comeback. Also Il WAS mighty
n4Fd Tor a man who Is accustomed 10 yeIl-
ING. over here. Frank" when he wanted
eN-HA 4hA AAHE MS MaAAe
or else 70 sigma wildly TO his team mate
wien ne Is ready 20 take a pass.
That too, when one night a man might
Dc playing with his deaf mute tribe and
the next night with some other club where
he was free 70 talk as much as he pleased
-or rather 81 the officials would let him.
IL got 50 eventually with this team thai
one season Il started out with never . mute
on 70. This Was the highest test OF an. be
cause these fellows all learned The language
Of the fingers and used Il on all pubu2
occasions They had TO do the real fngel
work, too. because there always were folks
who came 70 see the games. deaf mute.
themselves. who would have detected any
fraud and would have made il known tina
these lads were taking.
SO they had TO pretend from the momen.
they got into some small town that the,
were deaf mutes until later ON when they
were on the train leaving with the money
ostensibiy their manager. who was alss
TIE trainer spoken Of. was the only on,
Who could speak Occasionally he, too. 20.
into the game and became deaf and dumb
80 ORe Nearly CaashL.
So complete was the control these col