The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1911-07-28
CantilliOn Puts One Over Un
Paris,

When Mike YCantilllon, manager Oh
the Minneapolis club, of the American
Association, sent out the announce
ment that he had signed Catcher
Mayer, "of the Paris club. the fans
throo ghout this circuit opened their
eyes in amazement and began 10 Won
der why Cantillion could get a claim
on the Paris windpad artist after the
st. Louis Americans had made the
offer Of fifteen hundred cool plunks for
the release of the Cincinnati boy.
Few around this station understand
the affair as it really is but if Cantil-
lion wants Mayer he can acquire him
without the least trouble or hitch, due
entirely to,a little deal, secretly. of
course. but which finally leaked out,
and the best Paris can do is to set up
and bemoan the fact they were the
vic inns of an unforeseen calamity, the
loss of the best catcher in the Blue
Grass and of one thousand five hun
dred good hard simoleons.
1t happened way last spring, long
before the snow had ceased to fly and
the warmth of Old Sol would permit
ball players to venture out in the open
and work the kinks out of the muscles
that had been in idleness all OF the
winter. 1t came out in a way that
Paris least expected, and the best that
can be done is to take the medicine
and let Minneapolis take Mayer.
Last April the Cantililon tribe, hunt
ing for training quarters, dropped
around in this section, while number
were sent farther into the beautiful
Southland, squad under Cymer, took
up headquarters at Hickman, later at
Lexington and then drifted into Paris.
In the squad were included such cele-
brities as Nick Althrock, RUDE Wad-
dell, Clymer and Hub Dawson, the
latter former Blue Grass Lacquer.
They were scheduled for a game
here, and McKernan was to pick up a
nine in Cincinnati and come over for
clash with the Millers. The weather
was icnlement in the extreme, and a
light fall of snow killed the chances
for the meeting on the diamond, so the
squad cSmped around the stove in the
comfortable hotel lobby, elling stories
and playing over the most exciting
games of their career.
1t was in the hotel lobby that the
foundation for the agreement was laid.
President Bacon was frequent caller
at the hostelry down town and hobnob-
bed with the players. Intimacy be-
tween the head OF the Paris club and
Clymer grew, then the latter put in a
good word with Cantillion for the
Paris president.
Bye and bye the warm days relied
around and with it came two players
for spring practice and the try-out.
With them came McKernan, and in a
few short days Walter Mayer follow
ed. Mayer played around the Queen
City and first came into prominence
when Griffith offere to take him on
the Southern trip with the Reds. He
was little thought of then as anything
other than good catcher for a bush
league cub.
The depleted pitching staff Of the
Paris club needed strengthening and
the sale of Scott made it necessary to
look around for shortstop. Who
could turn the trick better than
Cantillion. He was appealed to and
for the pick of the Pris club he was
to send down two good men. Still
Mayer was not looked upon as a big
league possibility as he had not had
the chance to make a show.
From Minneapolis came Shears and
McKelvy, the latter to fill at short and
the former to hurl. Still the club
leaders were unsuspecting. In short
time McKevly was set adrift because
he could not connect with the ball and
put into Frankfort where he played
for time.
Then came Billy Doyle. the st.
louisa merican scout, who dropped in
to look 'em over. Mayors work
caught his eye in a minute and he
made an offer of 81. 500 for the catch
er. The eyes of the club officials were
opened. What was to be done? Moth
ing, absolutely nothing. The agree
ment had been signed and lodged with
Secretary Farrell. Cantillion held the
rope. Now comes a press dispatch
from Minneapolis to the effect that
Mayer had been signed by that club as
CantiIlion will take no .chance on be-
ing short on backstops since the re-
lease of Dawson.
Seven hundred and fifty dollars each
for two men is pretty big price for a
minor league to pay. In McKelvy the
Paris club received mess of pottage
and reg lizing this he was stricken
from the roster. Shears is doing well,
the fact is he is one of the very best
in this company, but withal we think
he would be free to admit that he
wouldn't be worth that much of any
bush league clubs money even If he
possessed the throwing arm of Marty
O'Toole.