The Washington times., 1910-03-25
BOHEMIAN JOE" HOVLIK
HAS HAD BRIEF CAREER
National Twrer Began Professional Work on the Dia-
mond Just Two Years Ago-Had Difficulty In
Getting Started
By THOMAS S. RICE.


NORFOLK. Va. March Saint It
grand to be one O. them Bohemians and
never co no work and jus loaf around
all the time an have people buy you
drinks and things? No, Mabel. il amt.
The joys of the land Of Bohemia are
sung in songs by ribbon clerks on the
night after big football game. or by
people who have married money or who
for some other reason never had TO
work. For descendant Of sound Epis-
copalians To be staked TO a Christmas
dinner of greasy goose in Yiddisher
restaurant by Hebrew juEEler ne once
befriended. makes an interesting anec-
dote but a blamed sad way 20 spend
Christmas.
Why my ROsary?"'
Still. il the juggier hadn't come along
II would be worse Hence we take
cheerful view of Bohemia. despite the
hurried touches, the iaziness, and the
whisky teuOrs. BY the way. here Is a
problem the true reformers might puz-
zle over while real human beings are
working. Why is II that the hummer
the Joint and me tougher the clientele.
the oftener some rUmmy asks the
professor" 20 play and sing @ My
Rosary
Howsomever, there are Bohemians
and Bohemians and we are here today
10 speak Of a sure-enough Bohemian, 10
Wit Joe Hovlik. He is not real
Bohemian ike the ribbon clerks and the
ballroom Bows would like TO be, be
cause he works. but he is the genuine
article. born IN the old country, and
coming TO the land Of the free when he
was nine weeks old.
Joe and his parents settled IN Iowa,
and his home now is in oxford juno
ton, Iowa, which has not yet been the
scene Of a worlds fair, but undoubtedly
Will be in the course Of the next few
years II the present activity In interna-
tionaI exhibitions continues. Having
been born abroad ne can never become
President OF the United States. and a.
long as the Richmond club stands pat
he can never hope to succeed Jake
Wells as president Of the Virginia
League. but he may attain fame in
other directions-unless he should be-
come a member OF Washington anna
teur baseball commission, when ne
would be buried in Oblivion too deep for
excavation.
Has Had Short Career.
Joe is now twenty-five years old.
speaks English and also speaks Bohem-
ian other than the ''Lend-me-two-dol-
Iars-unul-I-g eJ-a-cneCk next Monday
kind. He may know that kind, but is
wise enough in his generation not 20
spring Il on ball players whose pay DAYS
have not commenced. Instead OF work
ing at being a Bohemian, Joe became "a
plasterer and bricklayer. Thus he can
point with pride and say that he built
one Of the handsomest houses I'm juno
ton City, Iowa. That would be the
real" Bohemian way OF talking. except
that # would be on the level
Joseph's baseball career began two
years ago. He signed with Clinton. Iowa.
and remained with that club without
interruption for two we Rs in which
time he never moved from the bench
except 10 make room Tor regular
player who wanted 10 reach the water
cooler. As a siU-tiEhteT ne was the
equal Of Uncle Joe as Stand-patter.
and the hook got them both just the
sa me Previous 10 this tryIng-hut not
trial--eNpeTienCe with Clinton he had
been with Davenport. Iowa, in the Three
T. where he was actually allowed to
throw the ball occasionally In batting
practice. He lasted there two weeks,
warming up the catchers-
Not until last year did our genuine
Bohemian get a chance 10 demonstrate
his worth and then he got IL all IN a
bunch. He was signed by Peoria. Ill, in
I that Three ] circuit Reversing the con-
ditiOns in Clinton. the Peoria manager
gave him no time on the bench at all
He was thought 10 need polishing and
they nearly polished him of CNsmv-
Chu-genUine Bohemian for joke. Such
a little thing as pitching him in
| both games Of a dOuble-header on Mon
! day and sending him back for another
game on Tuesday didn't worry the