The Washington times., 1912-08-25

BOSTON. Aug 25.-"Really I couldn't
tell you how I hit. l just hit 'em.
that's all I know
1t was Speaker speaking-the famous
Trist Speaker, the man who is the
Boss" in Boston and trips up pitchers
and cuts up so with the bat.
1t was not modesty, nor any affected
statement on his part-but the exact
truth. Speaker, though heis as fluent
as his name suggests, could no more
tell you how he hits 'em than an arm
less man can shake dice.
For he is the healthiest specimen Of
the natural hitter yet discovered. He is
a natural fellow, too-looks natural.
talks. eats, and sleeps just as natural
as can be. And when he gets up there
with that war club-sa-ay! he is Just
naturally the limit. that's all.
Well, that settled it. II Speaker
didn't know how to hit. who else did?
give up. I felt a little struck out
at not being able to learn a thing about
the most interesting part of him, but
! didn't rush away; maybe could tell
me something else about himself. And
he did.
Hubbard, a little city town in Texas,
He decided on that place back in 1855
I am not sure whether. that is the
reason Texas is called the Lone Star
State or not-but 1t would seem only
natural that they should at the present
time.
Just Naturally Grew Up.
Anyway, Speaker just naturally grew
up down thre in that large, airy place.
among the steers and sand lots.
His boyhood was filled with green ap-
Piles, spankings, and ambitions. Am
k1af 10 M har
little boyhoods in the United States-the
ambition to become a great ball play
er and a great pitcher.
So little iris started early-"The
sooner the quicker" he argued-and
al limb his tbst spars me nd a Ss
to playing ball. He would rather play
bali than eat-and generally did. But
little iris had work to do, schSei to to
Texas required of him. This all grated
on his ambition-it took his time and
his thoughts from the game-and any
way, doing chores and such about the
ranch was small time stun for a ball
player. It's funny why parents never
seem to understand genius. Speakers
couldn't. They could see little Iris
hopes with a telescope. 1t was differ
sTesEs Ese se aers searaSSh aSSIShn aH heS
at the early age Of ten he could see
himself the peer of baseballers, the idol
of thousands and er-the owner OF an
automobile.
So in time it was an easy matter for
Cleburne in the North Texas League,
to put him on the payroll as one OF
their pitchers.
Didn't Last Long.
Speaker did not last long with Gle
burne, and he lasted even a shorter
time as a pitcher. for when Iris once
got that natural swing to working
why he just naturally batted himself
out of the pitchers box and out of the
North Texas League into better job
as fielder with Houston.
During 1907 Triphammer iris Just
naturally ruined all the fences in the
circuit, and at the end of the season
| was leading the Hitter's Grand Marcn
SO far that he never came back.
II always could hit" was the only
comment on his batting, while l won
| dered II 1t wasn't good thing that
| Texas is such a large state, and II IT
| was not for he muchness of 1t what
| a bother 1t would have been to get ex-
tradition papers for the recovery or
Well. when the American League con-
vention met in the spring, Tris on ac-
count of his wonderful influence with
bat. was chosen as delegate by the
been one of those uninstructed dele
gates we have been reading about. for
Boston sent him down to Little Rock
| for a little more instruction. He
must have learned fast. for he was
soon promoted back to the Red Sox,
and is now the most learned man on
the Boston team-and, it's quite a cul-
tured team, too, by the way.
Speaker Is stin quite young-only
twenty -four-and as his apprenticeship
| in the bushes was very short, he still
retains that youthful interest and en-
| thusiasm that is so valuable and de-
lightful in a player. IT'S a pleasure not
| a business" he puts 1t.