The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1911-11-08
THE BUSHER.


ting about the porch of the little
Georgia hotel on mild March
evening. Most of them wore
shirts with cuffs attached, which
in itself was enough to draw a
strong line of demarcation be-
tween the vasual visitor and the
resident. Even in their rough
tween the casual visitor and the
look and the air of a great city
about them; not a strange thing
when it is remembered that their
summers were spent skipping
from one great centre of popula-
ton to another. The young men
loafing about the hotel porch
composed the first training squad
of a great National league base
ball club.
Up the street from the depot
came the manager of the team.
Off the diamond he was as gentle
a spirit as ever threatened to slit
an umpire's throat or climbed q
pitchers family tree. Johnny
Merry was a survival of the good
old days when the best fighter
was the best player, and every
thing was fair If the umpire hap
pened to have his head turned the
other way. 1t was he who in
vented the trick of pinohing his
upper arm before letting a pitched
ball Craze the sleeve of his shirt.
Thus he was always able to show
the umpire the exact spot where
the ball hit him.
Among his other assets, Johnny
had keen sense of humor. The
deep indentations at the corners
of his mouth, the heavy proboscis
with its sharp, inquiring point, the
understanding light which flick
cred in the deep blue eyes, all
betrayed the lighter side of the
managers nature.
AS he came strutting down the
street on his short, stocky legs,
all the signals of good humor
we're flying. Beside him sham
bled a tall, loose-jointed young
man with red wrists, clad in a
faded green summer suit of the
kind one sees in the back pages
| of the magazines when some
lclothing manufacturer is moved
to show the difference between
his clothes and the other fellows.
1t did not need the shiny black
lvalise or the celluloid collar and
made-up tie to complete the pic
ture. Any city youth would have
taken one look at the stranger S
hands and feet and pronounced
him a hick, a rube, or a farmer
A baseball player would have
Icalled him busher, which means
THE same thing.
A busher is a baseball player
from a small league. From" is
a highly important word in that
Isentence, as you will learn if you
ever go into a small league and
call a player busher. In other
words, the busher is not a busher
so long as he remains at home
he gains the title when he begins
to climb.
"Pinky" Hamilton, one of the
humorists of the team, was first
to note this phenomenon. Pinky
put the front legs of his chair
long, comprehensive look.
"Wa-a-all, b'gosh!" he drawled,
after the fashion of the stage far
mer, who is as rare in real life as
the stage Englishman or the stage
Weeterner, "ef hyar amt ole Reu-
ben Clues only son!"
The other players grinned Ian
guidly. They were all stiff and
core, and their softened muscles
were crying out against the linn
| bering-up process with which
each seasons work begins.
'Bet you he hit million in the
Oskaloos league!" grunted Doc
| Culver, one of the regular
pitchers.
Then there was a silence which
lasted until Johnny Merry towed
his prize to the steps leading VI
on the porch.
J Boys" said Johnny cheerfully
this is Jones. He's from Texas
and they tell me he's some ball.
playerl"
Jones blushed and grinnet
sheepishly, and as each famous
name was mentioned, he bobbed
his head and murmured:
PLEASED to know you, subj"
"You better come In now anC
III fix you up for your room, ;
said Johnny.
Jones stumbled up the steps
and over the threshold.
Know anything bout him?'
asked Slade, the second baseman
! 81 do" 1t was Cartwright who
spoke, the star pitcher of the club