Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-23


to make you vice president at a pretty good
salary You are about through in baseball:
so thought it would be great chance for
YOU
That's very nice of you," l said; "but
I'm not all in and I'll show you before the
end of the season OF course | don't expect
to get any better; but there are several years
of good pitching in me yet.
81 like to hear you talk that way" he said;
"but this other is better proposition. What
is your objection to quitting the game?~
For a minute | was stumped. To save my
life l couldn't explain what were my OBJ
jections. My inability to answer on the spur
of the moment irritated me. Finally blurted
out:
Il don't want any of those fellows to think
that quit because they had anything on me
in pitching"
He broke into hearty laugh, and |
blushed upon realizing the boyishness of the
remark | had told the truth without in
tending to do SO. That was all the reason |
could think of, because it was the only reason
had.
well" said the cashier, @Ill see if they
will hold the proposition open until the end
of the season. You know YOU have vote on
the subject yourself
He rose to leave and went to the door
with him.
81 hope you win your next game, he said
as he shook my hand; "but don't forget that
you are not so young as you used to be.
A T the suggestion of the manager, and in
accordance with my own ideas, | did
not pitch again for four weeks. | took the
Western trip with the team, and frequently
acted as adviser to the young pitchers; but
did not appear in the box. BY the time we
arrived home my arm was feeling fine, and
was really buoyant in spirit. My former
worry over the possibility of being "has-
been had gone.
In the opening game we were to meet the
team that was fighting us for the champion
ship, and against them it was necessary to
use pitchers of experience.
"How do you feelo" the manager asked of
me as we walked across the field together on
the first day
"All right, | think" | answered, feeling of
my arm.
@If we can grab this game, he observed,
Il think we can put it all over them in the
series. That first punch counts a whole
lot. Well probably get rid of their best
pitcher today.
go ahead and warm up he said to me
when the first half of the practice was over.
Ipicked up my glove and walked out in
the same old careless way; but, for some I'M
accountable reason, feeling of depression
came over me.
That familiar cheer of encouragement
greeted me as began tossing the ball to the
catcher On the other side of the field my
old rival was warming up, and the fans were
looking forward to great pitchers battle.
In this preliminary workout attempted no
curve at all; but contented myself with try
ing out my speed and control.
When the gong sounded and | finally
walked to the box, that feeling of depression
still chung to me. My old feeling of con-
fdence had gone, and | felt strangely ner-
vous. was very much in the same position
as when went into the box for the first time
twelve years before.
l managed to get by with the first inning
without trouble. They hit the ball hard;
but the felders worked brilliantly and were
under it every time. My presence, they
said, gave them a certain amount of con-
fidence. They knew, whether my arm was
good or not, that my experience would pre-
vent me from making a foolish play, and
that settled them down.
When certain young pitchers lose their
games the fans often have an idea that the
fielders do not want to support them. Nu-
merous errors are attributed to this sup
posed dislike on the part of veterans to the
youthful twirler The real reason is that the
4