The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-17
BATTLE
OF THE
CANVAS

into a book II he nArrLE
is good work OF THE
man, the book will CANVAS
be whole lot bet
ter reading than some OF the biograph-
zeal data that Is now going the rounds.
In all sincerity can II be said that
there was more doing on the Orioles
famous lot during the middle nine
ties, than has ever been the case on
ar. ball yard.
The old combination is scattered all
over the face OF baseball now and
some OF It's members have passed
from the public eve. Those who re-
main are all In responsible positions
and there Ii nothing they love so well
as TO bark back, to the golden days
OF the Hanlon regime.
A prominent, though unostenatious
member or the combination was Tom
my Murphy. the Baltimore ground
keeper. now the lawn tonsorialist OF
the Detroit park. Tommy had the
reputation In those days. OF preparing
the diamond differently for every
series. Sometimes, to At the Hanlon
plan of strategy, he would rebuild the
OF the pitchers mound. dropping the
grade OF the lines TO first and third
bases and performing other evolu-
tons which tended to work to the
common END of Baltimore victory.
II don't suppose any OF us ever
worked elsewhere as we did In those
days." remarked Murphy one day in
the baseball headquarters II know
that simply couldn't now. For one
spell had to keep the grounds in
shape and run q canvas fight at the
same time, and the canvas thing itself
was enough to turn a mans hair gray.
"The trouble started when the
telegraph company refused to let joe
Cummings, one OF the Baltimore sport
writer's, send In his story each after
noon, over a telephone wire. They
served notice on the club to keep Joe
from getting the news or stringing q
wire. Hanlon put II up to me.
We'll. Joe took his telephone to a
house that overlooked the field. and
the next afternoon laughed at me over
the fence.
II got busy that night and strung a
wire with canvas screen hanging
on 1t. that cut on Joe's view Of the
field. That made the series one
apiece between us.
The following day Joe came out
with one of those wagons they use
for fixing trolley wires. The top gave
him a fine view of the field That
day he won. The next afternoon
was ready for him with canvas that
cut OF his best view. He moved along
though, and managed to see the play
from place farther away.
II got force Of men that night and
rigEed a wire that ran the full length
OF the field, along the street. Joe
came out with his wagon and when
he moved, I moved my canvas along
the wire, with him. We galloped up
and down that field all the afternoon,
kidding each other. and the crowd
laughed 'emselves black In the face.
II was hot day too, believe me!
After that | lost track OF Joe for
several days. I'd look at the house
hut nobody but the women who lived
there seemed to be using the window.
I'd have put my screen up there again,
only was afraid that Joe and his
wagon would come back, and I only
had one sheet to work with. Joe's
paper kept getting the news right
along and we finally gave up. Hanlon
told the telegraph people they'd have
to stand for Joe's telephone and was
mighty glad too. Then Il came to
light that Joe had taken q bright wo-
man reporter to that house, and had
her describe the plays to him, while
he kept out Of sight"
Bat Masterson Is gaining doubtful
fame as the one New York sport writ
err who thought wolgast had things
ever with X. o. Brown. Bats eye
sight and judgment are apparently
the same as when, some seasons ago,
he appeared as referee In Detroit
The crowd Is throwing gloves at
you, and there's a horseshoe in every
one OF 'em, George" remarked Allie
Day from Paul Sikora's corner to Mr..
Leatham at Windsor the other night.
"Al, never want anything easier
than this guy came from Leatham's
battered lips, and he stopped another
left with his jaw. Got to give Il to
the old boy! Hes game, anyhow.
Chattanooga has unconditionafIy re-
leased Pitcher Eddie Siever. Chatta-
nooga Is located In Tennessee.
That declaration by Walter John
son that he will pitch but 20 games
this year indicates that he has tum-
bled to the fact that there Is one way
Of getting fame as member OF Wash.
ington's baseball club. and that lies
over the lonely route. rather than by
immolation on the altar OF team play
Answer to Inquiry.
Sporting Editor of The Times: |
wish you would please answer the FOL
lowing question In your paper:
A bet that the National league
players and all taken as whole, IS