Evening star., 1911-06-11

never abused myself by drinking or ex-
cessive smoking. and while / was out of
the big league ! way PLAYING ball once
around Chicago. When I started in this
year didn't have to take Off weight
"Since you have been so successful why
did you want to get back in the league?"
asked.
Game is Fascinating.
Now that's the funny thing about it,"
he replied. There's fascination about
the game that can't-be shaken off. Mike
Donlin has 1t the same as have. used
to think about 1t in my sleep. I hated
people to think that / was all in, and
got back in the game just to prove that
hadn't gone back more than to show
/ could come back. Do you get me?'
Callahan Is simply born ball player
he was a star pitcher, and when his arm
began to grow weak he proved his YER
satility by going to the outfield and be-
coming a star there. After six years
absence he is today hitting $50.
Base balr has not always been a bed of
roses for Callahan, however. and his
early bumps were as severe as any that
are encountered by youngster In these
days, when the game has become such a
national institution.
Jimmy Callahan has a very keen sense
of humor. which accounts for his sue
cess as a mOnologist. He delights to tell
OF the day when he packed up his things
in Fitchburg and started for Philadelphia
to become big league pitcher. That
was in 1894, seventeen years ago this
month. After throwing up his job of
carrying bathtubs Callahan played regu-
larly with a team at Fitchburg and was
known far and wide as coming pitcher.
Finally Arthur Irwin, who was managing
the Philadelphia club, heard of the
youngster and offered him a job.
When got the Offer" laughed Gala
xette and began to study the pictures of
naked athletes so as to learn how to
train. I took two weeks for training.
and. Notwithstanding the fact that I was
head off up and down the road like a
prize fighter and then got my brother to
rub me down. After two weeks I was
so weak I could hardly play ball. but
had followed directions and l felt like a
big Lacquer"
Sent on His Photo.
The first thing Jimmy did before start
ing was to send on his photograph to
Philadelphia, thinking the whole town
would Ne interested. He then packed his
belongings-one shirt, two pairs of socks.
two collars and base ball glove-into a
little blue kiester. Get that "kiester"? !?
Well a kiester Is composed of two paper
mache eides. something like an old-fash-
ioned telescope. The clothes are put In
between them and then leather strap
binds them together.
This blue kiester was the pride Of Cal
lahan's heart, and with buoyant spirits he
got or the train in Philadelphia. BY
some strange mishap there was no CROWD
at the depot TO meet the new pitcher, and
Jimmy was keenly disappointed. He could
not understand 1t any more than he could
the fact that his picture had not appeared
in any Of the newspapers. That he blamed
on the malls.
Nursing his disappointment as best he
could, and shouldering HIS kiester. Jimmy
went to the hotel and registered, which
was quite an important formality. After
finishing his signature with a flourish. he
turned the register around. so that the
clerk could see 1t plainly. Callahan then
swelled out his chest and waited for the
shock to the poor clerk. Again there was
man had never heard Of him. and to add
Insult to injury the clerk looked him
squarely in the eye and said: ...,.
'It win be ss in advance as you have
This was another blow at Jimmy as
well as his kiester, but he paid on his last
three bucks. took tho room and said
nothing.
The next morning he reported !, at t., the h
The athletes hardly noticed him. As he
looked around the clubhouse he saw sew
eral fine leather suit cases with stickers
them and brass trinmn{s nt,n II eTsdu n1,,s
ktester was not big league stun. and he
stealthily showed It under . bench.
"putoh Hartman. the old third base
man. took pity on me-" says Callahan,
house was fpi ct the time and had to
ter At the ciubhonss and ! began to get