El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-09-02
The Shortstop's Story
By Bark G. sheppy.

| was not often that you could get
| BIZ Perkins to talk for the papers
Fact was he hardly talked at all
that is, when not mixed I'D in the ex-
cltement and action of the game. On
those occasions he was always loquac-
ious In the one instance: Heads
| up, old boy, stick 'er over: lots o.
smoke; in the other: some class to
you; you couldn't make that shot if
the balls was mile big Yes he was
loquacious all right on those occasions.
but never did he really say anything.
Nobody seemed to know where Bill
Perkins came from or how he happened
to become a big Lacquer Any fan
could tell you that he was traded to
the GTa-s from Benga1s but who or
what he was before that, not even the
wfsest could guess. And SO 1t had re-
manned mystery until that night
1 was sitting in one of the high
armed chairs up against the wall of
the smoke clouded little billiard room.
The other members of the outfit were
ranged along either side of me- and
there we all sat enjoying the game,
which was adequately described by
Chunk Rose, at my side, as decidedly
some
Long Lanky Bill was bent over the
table, looking much like a broken fish
hole. but he was clicking off the shots
to fare-you-well. His opponent, Red
Aker, was keeping pace with him, how
ever, and 1t looked like an even bet
Finally they got within five points of
the end, both OF them going like
blazes. when some one suggested that
they start over again and make it for
the championship Of the team. All Of
which was readily agreed to and the
boys then began putting up their
spare change on whoever happened to
be each individuals favorite Must
have been a little over a hundred
altogether
Then the game started. What Bill
Perkins didn't do to that redhead amt
on the books. He just naturally
cleaned up from start to finish When
1t was over, he pulled in the change
Just as though he was used to that
kind of thing. The boys were all
specializing about what had happened:
whether Perkins had been playing easy
with the boys all along and had been
waiting for a chance to make n big
cleanup.
It remained for Bill himself to clear
up the question. He stortcd out bv
telling the boys TO take their money
back. OF course they wouldn't listen
to It, but he made them take 1t. adj
ding that 1t was too easy which
Mustered up Red Aker. but Bill eased
up by cutting loose his life story
for the first time.
I just been playin' wild you cuIlies."
he began. 'T never like to have II too
one sided, so I always took 'er kinda
slow to make the games close and ex-
citing. I usta be champeen of Texas
In every game that's played wild tho
iveries- I don't like to steal money,
so I give your coin back"
The psychological moment had ar
rived, thought each of the boys. I
pulled out box Of cigarets and passed
1t along the line. Eacn took one and
settled back in his chair, with crossed
legs putting at his pill and waiting for
Bill to go on. He went on
Il usta to pitch for the team at
Crooked Bar ranch. We had the best
bunch in that part OF the state. hard
hitters and good on defence The fame
o my pitchfn' got to somebody cut
around Austin and a fellow dropped in
one day and offered me hundred Il
would ring in for the state university