Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-02-25
THOUGHT HAD CROOKED BALL
Ted Sullivan Tells Of Game Rad
bourne Pitched in Wisconsin.
SCHOOL TEACHER HARD HITTER
Arriving Too Late for the Game,
He FINDS He Csn't HIT the Bail
Any More Than the
Other Lads.

CHICAGO. Feb. 24-Ted Sullivan. the
Chicago base ball player. tells an anus
ing incident In his career. In 1sD hs
organized his fret bare bali club. the
Dubuques. which won the championship
OF the first Northwestern league Co,
miskey was only a substitute on thu
team. and Charles Radbourne was Just
beginning 10 show his ability as q
pitcher. Sullivan had arranged an ex-
hibition game at Prairie du CHEN. Wis,
but had stipulated that the game should
begin at . o'clock 10 catch . train.
When the team arrived on the ground
the manager tried to have the game
postponed until I o'clock. as the heavy
hitter Of the home team was q school
teacher. who could not eppear before
that hour. but Sullivan had 10 decline.
The farmers oplned that the reason Sui
Ivan declined was that he was AFRAID
that the school teacher would bat HIS
pitcher out OF the box, and 1t was only
a professional trick. The rest Of the
story is best told In sulllvan's own
words
well the game started. and we con.
tlnued to hit the ball around and the
Prairie boys began 10 kick II around. 80
they finally got Us out and we made
about ten runs. We took the field. and
that king OF pitchers. Radbourns. took
his position with . smile. after the first
two Du CHEN boys struck out we no.
ticcd that crowd got behind the back
stop and began peeping through the
cracks. Groups Of the spectators got on
both sides OF the catcher.r wanting 10
find out what was mystifylng about the
ball. Finally one Of their players rushed
up 10 the umpire and stated that our
pitcher was throwing a crooked ball
We nearly fell IN the field laughing
They. however. demanded to see the ball
10, see II u was crooked. Thay put In
another ball OF. their own and put
close watch on Rsdbourne. Radbourne
began to eurse the bali In all directions.
and more than ever before. Finally the
game ended % TO 10 Dubuque'n favor
Comes Like sherfdan.
"As We were picking up our bats 10
leave for the depot a trepeudous shont
rent the air. II was the sight OF Hal
Hawkins In the distance. coming down
the road with his homemade bat under
his arm. He came with the speed Of
Phil Sheridan to save the day. as Phil
did az Winchester. The school teacher
entered the grounds with q foam-flecked
horse. and another shout went up as
Hal feaped from his horse. Covered
with dust. he calls out. say. boys. has
the game startedf Yes. Hal. and Il
is over. They beat US Is to by their
pitcher throwing a crooked ball.
'Hai then says to me. Mr.. sullivan.
win you let me see 10 my boys are tell.
ing the truth? ! want 10 bat your
pitcher before he leaves. Certainly.
was my reply. Mr.. Rsdbourne. so TO
the box; boys so 10 the field. Captain
Hawkins want to sample Mr.. Rad
bourns's pitching When the crowd
heard what the teacher said they eheered
and said. That Is right, Hal; don't LEI
them ere critters leave. Just show them
that YOU can hit their pitcher An
other spectator remarked. Hal will
knock that ball out Of whooppo county
and viii straiEhten cut his crooked BALL
The first bali Radbourne pitched
went over the plate. and by Hal. like
the Empire Express passes schensetsdy-
with zip. Hal hit at It's shadow
when the catcher was about to throw
It back, Radbourne came at the yeoman
with another delivsry-with one OF those
slow. dropping. fade-aways. The school
teacher was waiting for Il. thinking
!. would never come 10 him. He made
one lunge at it-neariy hitting himself
on the shins. He then turned TO his
players and remarked. The darn. pest
ering thing After Hal had tried to hit
Radbourne's 1ns and outs drops aud
slows. he turned TO his players and said.
Yes. boys. he throws a crooked bail. with
waves on e. As We were leaving for
the depot some OF the crowd asked Rad
bourne to show them his hand, as they
thought that his fingers might have
bean crnoked ton"