Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-01-31

ter game with Ph1laQe &caI16lrO-
phe occurred that seemingly would
disrupt its chances Of winning the pen
nant. A player named Sweeney, who
was pitt hing. was ordered to 80 Into
right field to change places with ~
Clone Miller. at that tim Il was not:
permissible to take pitcher out of the
game. WhereIpon Sweeney promptly
walked ont of the game. leaving the
team with only eight men and with
one pitcher, Charles Rad bourne.
Two men tried to cover the field !,
With the result that Providence was
completely showed under. q meeting
Of the directors was held to decide
whether 81 not the club should be; dis
banded. Certainly . prof team
was never In q sorrier plight. d
Radbournc was approached and the
proposition put to him. 81 can win 1t
all right" said he quietly and g q
matter Of fact tone.
4 And then followed the most remark
able battle for pennant that the
world has ever seen. Radbourns e.
tablfshed q record that has never been
equaled, one that VIII live when more
expensive contests VIII have been
.blissfully forgotten. OF tWenty-seven
consecutive games adbonrne won
Stwenty-six. In four games with Bos-
ton he. had three shutouts, only one \
run was scored and only seventeen
hits were made. This defeat was suf-5
fered at the hands of Buffalo BY
score Of 2 to 0, and even then only
five hits were made OF him, showing
that the defeat was not due to poor
pitching. Needless to say, Providence
won the pennant, OF, rather. Rad
bourne won the pennant $s.5
But the great play had to4pay the
price. No arm could stand the awful
strain without great agony. Morning
after morning when Radbourne arose
he could not lift his arm 40 high as (
his waist. He had to brush hfs hair
with his left hand. But he did not
give psthe game He would alp out
to the park about two hours before
the rest of The team puts IN a ap-
pearancesand would begin the excru
ciating process Of llnbering up. He
would pitch the bail only Sew feet i
when Ia would ht1slt 10 ont but 10
would Keep On trying time after time,
rubbing his arm with His left hand.
Sometimes bis face would BE drawn
up into contortions, but never Z WORD
OF complaint left his lips. 81 :s$
Nj Half m hour before the game was !.
to begin the players would slip out to
see how Old Hoss'' was getting alonx.
They would ut silently on tho bench,
waiting for his arm to get into condi-
ton. When he was able to throw
from second to home base rousinE
cheer would 10 up,Ss for they knew
that meant the winning 81 the gams
Tor them s@S iss5 5Ss
81 Radbourne claimed for lii hons
Blooming ton. III. After his great ~
son with Providence managers III Over
tho country wers upon his heels. Fiat
ter1ng Offers poured 81, and n Was not
sundsr contract with Providence I'll: tn
snsxt season either. hen tho contest
va over the late Ned Allen, presldent
s6fs the team that season, sent Tor Rad.
bourne. He laid the release before
him and close beside II 1 blank con.
tract Radbourne looked at them both
for several minutes and than sloWly
took up pen and filed tho blank out {
for q snm only q 900 higher than ~ /
had been getting and tors ups III sre. \
lease. Allen almost fell 81 II nscl
ana went for Joy.
0 Radbourne.s last year III baseball waS
With Cincinnati Al 1Ga1, but sc Va as
md sy1a ut seams - pit that IL cass
reer Sof % great : bah player should
end 70 sadl That year shis u WORK
showed great detsrior ation, tor thssaW-S
1ul strain mad tn 1884 va besinnina
to ten On his arm. AZ ths snd 81 -
season he was too proud % 10 into
minor league baseball ana "a ssntiSe1y
withdrew from tho game. Hs retufn-
ed to Bloonaipgto ton, where - openod i
billiard hall HI had little 70 slsIay ara
III unWinkinK silence would IN o IN
corner and wAtch tho young men laugh
m they played. Hs would talksabont
Aimself osly when coEnefed an6 thasi
but for q. few short words En- h6d si-
Ways been N ardsnt Ash hnntlx
and 6portlman, INT Is B says ;up IT, I
epsl, lffe Each year hias tacituFnity
Increased until A. became aImd MI
len.
After = time he gavs mp his bdlllard
haf and retired Into the obscurity 0f
his home, seldom letting people -
him: AZ last, ~ 1901, ~ feIl ~ and
soon passe1 sway Portland Orr
gcnian.