Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07


i goes the undisputed
honor Of being the
IA champion bug OF
1911. There have
been other bugs who greatly rivaled
Charley Faust.
Faust. it will be remembered. Joined
The New York Giants in st. Louis one
day. He informed McGraw that clair
Soyant had told him he was to become
q member of the Giants, and help pitch
them to the National League pennant-
When McGraw asked him what he
could predict about the outcome OF
the worlds series, Faust replied he
WAS a little doubtful. but thought 1t
would be best to win the pennant
first. To this McGraw agreed. Faust
insisted that such happening was out
cf the question unless he was signed.
NIcGraw had Faust sized up at the first
meeting and told him he wanted to see
him work out before signing him He
appeared at the park In the afternoon,
was given suit and worked out dur
ing the four-game series with the
Cardinals.
Just before train time for the de-
parture east Faust came to McGraw
and questioned him relative to his con-
tract. McGraw replied that Faust ap-
peared out Of condition. That he would
out for a month or 80. and then join
the Giants on the next trip west. Nc
Graw thought that was the easiest way
10 get rid of Matty's pitching rival.
Faust was crestfallen at the news.
McGraw believed the incident closed.
Two or three days later. when NC
Graw went around to the clubhouse a!
the Polo Grounds. the first man to greet
McGraw what the famous clairvoyant had
told him. and insisted that the New
York manager was making the mistake
of his life in not signing him. he had
paid his expenses from st. Louis TO New
York. McGraw was amused. He cou!dn
quite understand this big six-foot-three
westerner, who had the success of the
Giants so much at heart that ne would
pay his own expenses to see the new
Workers cop the pennant. He decided
that such persistence should be rewarded.
Faust was signed and the part he played
in keeping the Giants In good humor IN
that strenuous battle for the pennant Is
now base ball history; That at. Fau; str was
to McGraw-that he was in doubt about
the outcome OF the worlds series. but
positive about winning the pennant.
1t seems that these mascots who insist
from n fortune teller or clairvoyant usu-
ally pick out q pennant winner. The De-
troit Tigers had several funny expert
ences with destroyers Of hoodoos when
they were battling for the American
League pennant h0nOre.
In 1907 the Tigers arrived in Philadei-
phia for very important series WITH
the Athletics. On the morning OF the
opening game fellow. rather shabbily
dressed and a trifie under the weather.
put in an appearance at the Tigers hotel.
He confided to several OF the players that
he had decided to Join the team on the
home stretch in its battle for Z e PEN
nant. None Of the boys took him 'rious-
lx, nd oil - pofoPrad him len.
nings relative to travelling with team
The players put Hughey wise o the
pest, as the stranger was dubbed. ana
Hughey managed to keep clear OF him
grounds He grabbed Hughey just as he
was about to get into the bus. and Jen-
nings thought the best way to get rid OF
him was to give him q ride to the park,
take him into the game and lose him. Or
dinarily Jennings would have paid no at
tention to the fellow, but he had an Irish
face, and Irish brogue. and. better yet.
red hair.
Hughey said he Just couldn't resist such
a combination. The game that afternoon
was a very important one. the players
We're on edge. and Hughey also inquired
that in kidding the bug the PLAYERS might
for a time get their mind on the ap-
preaching battle.
The stranger Informed the Tigers that
he felt sure they would win the pennant.
if they could induce Jennings that he
ought to be carried with the club. Nat
urally they all wanted to know what In
fuence he expected to exert over the
enemy. He had previously admitted that
he couldn't play much ball, also that ne
was neither a clairvoyant. fortune teller
nor hypnotist. He finally said he expected
through the medium Of music. Reaching
into an inside pocket he pulled forth q
musical instrument called 1.-The sweet po-
tato'' The players could hardly fathom
how music would have any different ef-
feet on the enemy than them. but they
were amused. The good-natured, red
headed Irishman had kept the Tigers
from giving the game moments consid-
Grafton.
When the contest began the musical
mascot started his program for the after
noon. He certainly could Play that in
strument and he had the crowd and play
ers in good humor all afternoon He had
repertory mile long. and always Sc
sion. Usually he tried to make the Atm
letics the object OF laughter as result
Of the tune he played. When the Ath-
ietics came in from the field. or took their
They Walked Right In. Turned Around
and Walked Right Out Again" When
tho Tigers did some base running or
scored a run. 1t was. Didn't They RAM
hlt?' that he played.
The Tigers made great showing In tne
Scries. and the players left Phfladelphia
hound to win the bunting. At every
came the pleaSant-faced son OF Erin and
his sweet potato was very much In evil
dcnce. The PLAYERS took liking TO him.
aud ne was slipped enough money to
make the going easy. He followed the
Tigers from city 70 city. No one knew
inst how he made the trips or where ne
lived but every afternoon at he would
be sitting In box at the grounds. enter
tanning the crowd.
The Tigers finished in St. Louis that
wear The winning Of one game OF the
ST. Louis series meant the pennant. The
Detro.ters cinched II in the opening strug-
gle That evening the Tigers were in a
joyous and generous mood. collection
was taken up for "Red"-that was the
only name any one ever knew him by.
a nice sum of money was realized. A
couple OF the players took him In tow
and Quilted him In fine style and gave
He accompanied the Tigers in style to
Chicago. where the series between the
two teams for the worlds championship
was TO start.
Like Charley Faust. Red lost his repu-
tation in the big series. The Tigers were
trimmed as was Red. He had sublime
confidence in Bill Donovan. had staked
his bank ron on the first game. and was
getting ready to spend II, when Bill ap-
parently had the game won as he struck
uIt Howard. A passed ball resulted In
stead of the batter being retired run
crossed the plate and the score was lie
The game ended that way. Red was sure
the Tigers would have won with a break
in luck lie let the bet stand for the
next game which the Tigers lost, and