The Washington herald., 1911-09-17

now of the ST. Louis club got his hrSt cnance
through letter written to McGraw. He was playing
ball up in Bay City, Mich. and he wrote to the little
manager.
ut was such a sincere, modest unassumlng letter.
says McGraw that 1 sent for him"
"Are you sorry that you did?"
"If hadn't l would have overlooked a great ball
player" replied McGraw But by most of the letters
can tell that their authors bad ball players as
they are writer's Here is a bunch got this morning
Her Here's SO one rs'Su for a a's start a4s0..
Dear Mgr. McGraw:-
81 pitcher, but can play anywhere on team
/ have light hair and blue eyes and weigh 165 lbs
when right 1 am right now.
81 have lots Of speed and such curves that tneH
can't get a catcher here to hold me. also fool my
catcher with my curve. 1 even fool myself some
hines think that fix my fingers for the ball to go
one way and it breaks another. &c. If fool the
catcher and myself, what chance has the batter! All
/ need is good catcher that understands me and
can hold me. Pm you must have such man on
your team.
ITO show you that this amt lot of bunk read en-
closed postal card from team played with last Sun
day.
yours PECK ONMS."
That the full force Of letter may be missed,
the enclosed postal card of recommendation must be
added. 1t goes
"shellyville, Ind.
Dear Sir:-We are sorry to say, but cannot use
you next Sunday consider you entirely too fast
for in size and pitching. Our catcher says that
he will not try hold you again, his hands are all
blsters yet We thank you for your offer, and if you
come to town Sunday come out to the games
yours truly CARL THOMAS Mgr"
OF course the above postal is addressed to Mr. Pecs
onms the man with the phenomenal speed. McGraw
admitted that he had not yet forwarded contract
TO him with the space for the salary left blank.
Listen
Dear sir:-I would like be regular lege player
on some good nine 1 heard of you and thought I'd
write you. 1 am a pitcher and played with our boys
here in Powell for three years.
LAST year pitched u0 games and struck out 163
men, and would have more but our 1st catcher got
sick and the other fellow could not hold me. I am
captain of our nine and Mgr and you also mgr
Won don't need to think that will try and get your
Job away from you If come down, but will help
YOU all 1 can, and anything you don't understand
will tell you and help you your team. No, all
want is place pitcher, and I'll certainly fan those
good hitters like do at home here know you need
pitchers for in the papers last fall where so
many teams lost pitchers by drafts.
"Weu it's their fault suppose they got
heated up and then cooled off too quick. Now have
been raised on a farm and never been sick, and If
come down there you will never lose me by draft FOR
never had a cold and drafts don't affect me at all
7 was talking to a fellow from Brooklyn and he said
rlat he would have the Brooklyn captain send for
rne but would rather play with you.
"Our boys don't want ME to go, it will break up
their nine l don't drink smoke and can run like
q deer 1 hit 675 last year and never fan out
wish you would let me know whether your grounds
Is sodded or peeled diamond so that won't practise
on the wrong field down here at home. If have to
sign any papers just them and and the Justice
of the Peace will determine to their contents and
If satisfactory will sign. I'll be on your grounds
and pitching box, as 1 don't use no prOngs on my
Shoes I've got my suit and can fetch you
darn goou cuIcner who can hold me.
"I can throw sgnals-No l. in shoot; No. 2 in drop;
No 3, OUT No A. out Drop No 5, splitter, and others
that just show my catcher Now let me hear from
you before some else grabs me. Yours truly.
SAM HIGGINS.
"P S-If Smith a pitcher writes to you from here
don't pay no attention to him. He can't pitch no
how and substitute on our team and oid nO'
play regular second nine"
And vet isn't there something pathetic in that letter.
The only fault of the writer is that he is ambitious
Are you going to sign him?" McGraw was asked
81 am afraid to take chance with my own job
The Case of Hendricks.
Hendricks is a big left handed pitcher whom tne
Giants have been trying out for a couple OF seasons
Along in the early part of this summer he hearo tna
he was going to be sent back to Newark 1or soDie
schooling Now, when engaging in private epter-
prise Hendricks runs pool parior back In Boy City,
Mich After he had heard this disconSertlRg rumor
about his deterioration the minors Hendricks went
to McGraw.
"Say Mac" he said TALL the players call him Mac),
what is this report that to be sent back to
Newark"
what is itY" asked McGraw. Il haven't heard
anything about it."
We'll" said Hendricks, 81 won't go. I'll play In
the big Town or nowhere. I'll go back to Bay City
first"
Two DAYS later he was ordered to report to Newark
Pm going back 70 Bay City," he said.
And forthwith ne wired his partner that he was
going to leave baseball fat Its back and return TO
the pool parior But Mathewson, the oracle of the
team advised him that he ought TO give himself 9
chance in the minors and find out II he could pitch
But know can" replied Hendricks.
Then convince some one else, answered Matty.
Hendricks was prevailed upon to go into the minors,