New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-12

came through, and sat down TO talk with him minute
He told me that Chance, Clarke, Jennings and ober
managers were just as democratic as McGraw
"Woud you like to meet of the boys?" he asked
and without waiting for he called several -
them over They all gathered around on the edges of
the seats and on SuCaScS and had me tell then, al
about college baseball Instead Of hearing them tall
discovered that they were making me do the talLina
was more of a novelty to them than they were to me
One PLAYER great pitcher came over 20 where was
sitting and discovered that he was a college man II
fact he belonged to the Greek letter fraternty
that | was so ambitious to join. talked with tbeSe
PLAYERS until long after midnight, and when went 10
bed that night had changed my mind about PROBES
siOnal ball PLAYERS. They really more quiet and
dgnifed than the college men | had seen.
The players found that was going to Chicago, and
asked me to put on a uniform the next day and sit on
the bench with them. | should have given up nv en-
pinccrnp trip gladly TO have accepted that honor b,t
/ knew it couldn't be done, 50 had to decline That
night dreamed of nothing but baseball.
As we got off the train the next morning the PLAYERS
still remembered me and bade me goodby. The man.
agcr came up the last minute and put his hand my
Remember now" he said, take good care Of tina.
wing and don't get discouraged I'll hear about you
during the season.
| swallowed a gulp Of regret as they left me; but
knew that had my work ahead of me, and that |
should have to wait From that day on | watched the
papers closely to follow the fortunes Of the men who
had been 50 kind and considerable to me- also discoy.
cred with great deal Of satisfaction that the pleasant
cran and the heaviest hitter the team. l. was hard
for me to understand how young fellow Ike that
could be called a veteran
HAD been away from college a month when / re-
1 ccived letter frommy roommate. He told me that
all the pitchers on the ball team were suffering from
sore arms and in bad shape for the big to
be PLAYED within the next two weeks lie sad hat the
coach had asked about me, and mtlmatcd tha' One Of
the bows were Of the opinion that had don. IL mean
tricl, by running off and leaving the team.
BY this time the soreness had gone from 20" arm.
had followed Red the rubbcr's advice very FULLY,
and Just to see how the muscles were went ."t and
threw a couple Of stones at a squirrel That or Tinge
Of pain was gone, We had but two more day N the
engineering work, and began to get mpaticn. 20 get
back 10 school.
Upon nv arrival at the old college town mm lately
looked up Red and he told to report to the Zach at
"IIc knows you got somethin, explained Re-, and
now is the time for you to get in and pull It.
Nv work that day the feld-it had g.. warm
enough to play outdoors by then.wa$ Re-" ..ion.
Though took it easv found that had lots Of ng.h
in reserve and that my control was almost pcr....
During my absence a professional pitcher ir.n one
Of the big league teams had been engaged % rH N the
finishing touches for the team and he was very much
interested in me. Two or three days later w. had
game with small college team, more for prao.a ,han
anything else, and was sent in 70 pitch worked 50
smoothly that we won with ease, and when T. was over
the big league pitcher took me out for walk and gave
me some valuable pointers.
"Whcrc is your catcher" he asked. 81 want 10 talk
to him"
We stopped by the club where he lived, and he was
catcd at the opportunity to Join Us.
SHOW me your signs for the pitcher, sal. III. coach
after We had talked awhile
The catcher told him that he placed two fingers in
his NIT for an outcurve, finger Tor drop, tuck up
his thumb for an incurvc, and stretched ora. " i've
fingers for a slow one.
The coach laughed. "Now," he said, YOU n..-, GU.
All that out In the big leagues we only have signs
! 10 thor for hal.