Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-12

came through and sat down to talk with him minute
He told that Chance, Clarke, jennings and other
managers just as democratic McGraw.
would you like to meet of the boys?' he asked,
and without waiting for answer he called several of
them over. They all gathered around on the edges of
the seats and sutcases and had tell them all
about college baseball Instead of hearing them talk
discovered that they making do the talking.
l was of novelty to them than they to
One player, great pitcher to where | was
sitting and discovered that he college In
fact he belonged to the Greek letter fraternity
that was so ambitious to Join. | talked with these
players until long after midnight, and when l went
bed that night had changed my mind about profess
sional ball players. They really quiet and
dgnifed than the college had
The players found that l going to Chicago, and
asked me to put uniform the next day and sit on
the bench with them. l should have given up my
gneerng trip gladly to have accepted that honor but
| knew it couldn't be DONE had to decline. That
night dreamed of nothing but baseball.
AS got off the train the next morning the players
still remembered me and babe me goodby. The man.
ager up at the last minute and put his hand on
arm.
wing and don't get discouraged. I'll hear about you
during the season.
l swallowed 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 follow the fortunes of the who
had been SO kind and considerable to also dscov
cred with great deal of satisfaction that the pleasant
faced young who had introduced me was a vet
and the heaviest hitter the team 1t was hard
a
could be called veteran.
7 HAD been away from college month when re-
ceived letter from my roommate He told me that
all the pitchers the ball team suffering from
and in bad shape for the big game to
be played within the next two weeks He said that the
coach had asked about me- and ntmated that some OF
the boys of the opinion that | had done mean
trick by running off and leaving the team
By this time the soreness had gone from my arm
had followed Red the rbbers advice very carefully
and lust how the muscles l went out and
threw couple of stones at squirrel That old twnge
of pain was gone We had but two more days on the
engineering work. and began to get impatient to get
back to school.
Upon my arrival at the old college town l Immediately
looked up Red and he told to report to the coach at
once.
aHe knows you got somethin' explained Red, sand
now is the time for you to get in and pull it."
My work that day on the feld-it had got warm
enough to play outdoors by then-was revelation.
Though took easy found that had lots of strength
in and that my control was almost perfect.
During my absence professional pitcher from one
of the big league teams had been engaged put the
finishing touches for the team and he was very much
interested in me. Two three days later we had
game with small college team for practice than
anything else, and sent in to pitch. worked
smoothly that with ease, and when it was over
the big league pitcher took out for walk and gave
some valuable pointers.
"Where is your catcher?' he asked. Il want to talk
to him."
We stopped by the club where he lived, and he was
elated at the opportunity to join US.
"Show your signs for the pitcher, SAID the coach
after had talked awhile.
The catcher told him that he placed two fingers in
his init for outcurve finger for drop, stuck up
his thumb for an incurve, and stretched out his five
The coach laughed 3Now,' he said you must
all that out In the big leagues only have two signs,
for and the other for fast ball. The out
curve, the sptba the drop, and all those things
under the general head of As matter of fact,
do not recognize ncurve as curve 1t is merely
a fast ball with jump on 1t.
The next afternoon tired