The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-09-27
A. MOTHERS INFLUENCE
It's Part in the career'of "a Great
Base Ball Player.

u FdTI IN tne .Ssreer OF a .OTedt
Base Ball Player.
No one who has followed the career
of the man who after having been the
dominant figure in the baseball
world for so many years is now can
didate for United States senator of
California can be entirely ignorant of
the part played in his upbuilding by
his mother and of his devoted care Of,
her. Before he was seventeen, while
he was student at a commercial col
lege at Rockford, ILL.,, Spalding's fame
as a ball player had passed beyond
the boundary Of his native state. The
professional game was then in its in
fancy and no one could have forseen
che amazing future which awaited it.
The boy who was trying to absorb
the principles of n business educa-
ton fell a victim to its fascination
and announced his intention to enter
the professional ranks.
When he told his mother of his de-
termination she was dismayed but
she was too clever to deal with 1t
lightly. at doesn't seem to me to be
a regular profession-a thing to
which anybody could be called" she
temporized. 1T may go entirely out
of fashion in a few years, and then
you would be without n regular occu-
patton. It's only an experiment so
far"
ITS come to stay" he declared,
with all the positiveness of a very
Lyoung man. IT'S going to be the big
gest thing that ever struck the coun-
try Why, | can get a bigger salary
right in the beginning than | could in
the ministry after five years"
His mother would have preferred
the ministry for him even with its
less hattering financial prospects, but
she was too wise to say So What
she did was to caution him against
being precipitate. You are so young
that you can afford to take plenty Of
tine" she counseled Before you
commit yourself let us investigate a
little more and be sure it Is some
thing really worth while Let us take
six months to study IT,"
The six months probation did not
cool the young mans enthusiasm; he
was convinced still that he was born
to pitch baseball He was overjoyed
to find that his mother had come to
the same conclusion.
Il don't know what II Is going to
come to. Albert" she said, but |
know you we'll enough to see that
nothing will satisfy you until you
have given It a trial"
The friends of the family protested
and advised her to use her authority.
There could be no future, they main.
| tanned for such a hazardous expert
ment save failure. They prophesied
certain shipwreck and urged her to
reach forth and snatch this brand
from the burning.
why, It's about as bad as horse
racing" asserted a scandalized rela.
| live, "and not half so certain"
I'm not so sure Of that" said Mrs
| Spalding. "One thing | do know-Al
bert will never go wrong as long as
am living"
That was more than forty years age
and the keen.witted old lady Is still
OF the same opinion. Once convinced
that her son had made no mistake II
his calling-unpromlsi and peculiar
rs It undoubtedly was In those Pic
neer baseball days-she went int,
the business with all the enthusiasm
OF a modern fan" OF the most pro
nounced tendencies. BY the time he
son had developed into the most fam
Gus pitcher in America and the gaml
had become meat for millionaires
she was one of the best known eX
Founders OF its mysteries in IN,
country.
After Spaldlng Joined the Bostol
team. in 1871. he and his mothe
were practically inseparable. Sh
accompanied him on several OF hi
professional tours, and he always re
. garded her MS the most reliable mas
cot In the world. He has done nue.
Of his best work under the inspra
tion OF her presence. and so we'll ur
derstood was this that Il becam
proverbial balloon. whats the mat
ter with Al today?" one critical fal
called ont ~ another Seems to b
a little on his lob"
His mother hasn't shown un vet,
! returned the other. AIS pltchin
with one eve on her vacant place"
In 1883 Mr. SpauldIng organize
'ho historical round-theworld has,
ball tour. taking with him for exhib
ZION uurposes the CHICAGO team an
IN AlNmerlcan nine selected fror
/ among the topnotchers Of the profei
sion Dominating that star assen
blaze OF baseball talent. with ever
man n cavalier, her very seat
throne" was the stately mother {
the promoter. and she was the mos
nopular member OF the party. AZ n
the festivities arranged In honor {
| the Americans she took precedenC
and was the center OF attention. 4
| Honolulu the late King Kalakar
| gave the ball players native fea
IN the garden OF the queens palac
II The last Of the Hawaiian kings stos
beneath n spreading royal palm tr'
and received his guests one by one
: they were presented by Mr.. Morri
the American Minister. hut when
came to Mrs. Suaulding he show,
her the special distinction Of salutii
her with n respectful kiss after q
native fashion. Afterward. wh'
sumner was announced. the king one
ID his arm to the lady. and togcth
ihev headed the procession TO q
table which was spread on bloc
elevated about six inches from q
ground w the form If the letter
= The native poi was served In hu
"ainhashes. each ruest introducing
forennger and cnrvovi~g ne much
\, the mixture ~ adhered to Il TO h
ly " auth. A. the HIGHEST nossihle o.