Evening star., 1909-05-01

DING an ace N the nOie. Awning >o"'N
be more widely separated from the truth
as to that peculiar old man. For, as
matter of fact, he was an incessant
player of long shots. He would bet on
any old thing, and nearly always he took
the remote chance. Oddly enough, how
ever, the remote chance won for him
more often than not. The writer hereof
remembers dozens of instances in which
Baldwin beat out long shots, some OF
them crazy looking, in little fanciful bets
with his friends.
On one occasion. for example. Lucky"
was walking along Kearney street in San
Francisco with a friend. when they came
upon a dog fight. The canine contenders
were a likely-looking bull terrier and
blocky fox terrier. The bull terrier was
putting it all over the fox terrier when
Lucky and his companion swung along.
Reckon I'd better pull that terrier OF
that fox" remarked Baldwin's compan-
ion. The fox looks like somebody's pet.
and he'll be sausage in a minute"
Let 'em be-" said Lucky" in one Of
his freakish humors. THAT fox is only
stalling for an opening. He'll be chasing
that bull terrier In the direction OF the
Cliff House In about a minute. Bet you
hundred he will
you're on" said ''Lucky's'' compan-
ion. pretty eager. for it's usually about
1000 to / that a bull terrier will macerate
a fox terrier in a square mix.
But the bet was hardly made before the
fighting dogs executed a couple of rolls
in the dust. and when they got to their
feet again the fox terrier had his tusks
sunk in the bull terriers throat and was
gnawing away as il he had dog biscuit
under consideration. Then the bull terrier
made a mighty effort. wrenched himself
loose from the fox terrier, wheeled, with
his tail down. and beat 1t down the street
like coursing hound, hitting only the
high knolls and yelping like a lonesome
pup in a shed. The fox stretched his
fore legs, yawned in a bored kind of a
way and trotted into the store where he
belonged.
That's the kind Of bets that seemed al
ways to break right for Lucky Bald
win. and it was his extraordinary fortune
In beating such impossible shots that
earned him the nickname of Lucky"
long before he took UP horse racing.
On another occasion Baldwin and cou-
pie of friends were passing in front of
Al Whites waterfront groggery for man.
o'-war's men In San Francisco. when they
were halted by the sight Of a fight in the
saloon between a couple of man-o'-wars s
men. One of the bluejackets was a coal
HEAVIER more than six feet high, and the
other was a perky little bo'sun's mate OF
about five-feet-four. The two sailormen
pulled each other out of the gin mill and
punched each other all the way across the
street to the Clay street dock. When
they reached the docks edge the idea of
each OF them appeared to be to chuck the
other into the water.
That little tar'll get a ducking in a
minute" commented one Of "Luekys"
companions. Hope he knows how to
swim
Bet you a hundred he tosses the big
mutt in" promptly replied Baldwin.
Its on the sheet" was the quick come
back of .Lucky's'' friend, ard then the
other friend asked Baldwin II he would
not let him have a hundred. too, OF that
soft money, and Baldwin nodded accom-
modatingly.
Just at that instant the bo'sun's mate.
who was a wiry little chap, got the huge
coal HEAVIER slowed around so that the
latter's back was to the water. Then the
little sailor suddenly bent his knees and
bobbed downward. releasing himself from
the coal heavens clutch. at the same in
stant giving the big bunker shoveler a
butt In the stomach with his head. There
was q loud splash and a couple of min
utes later a fisherman was pulling sog-
gy. coal HEAVIER into his boat, while
"Lucky's' two companions were over
hauling their nonkeens for the foolish
currency wherewith to pay Baldwin.
One afternoon Baldwin attended ball