The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-22
ART PEARSON, PITCE HER

~ HE finest juvenile pitcher I ever
 A saw!" Such was the praise given to Art Pearson, fifteen
 - year-old pitcher for the Peaks vile Nine, by Harry Gray. profes- sional ball man of the highest order Gray was taking vacation for a few weeks, and while "off duty was en- toying ball games in which he was not obliged to take part. While visit ing some relatives in Peaksville, he went out to the village commons to watch a game played by the high school nine (they called themselves The Peaksville Nine). It was there that he watched with keen interest Art Pearson's pitching, and paid him the compliment just repeated above.
 When the verdict of so great a critic as Harry Gray came to the ears of Art Pearson. he was very proud boy. indeed, for he had well earned the compliment through hard work and perseverance, and had felt that none in the same class of anna teurs with himself was more worthy the place of pitcher than was he. There had been several objections to his having the place as pitcher during the last term of school, and now, with the beginning of the new school year, those old enemies had again begun to object to his holding the position another year.
 But the appearance of Harry Gray on the scene. and his subsequent yer dict on Arts work, turned the tide in favor of the young and deserving pitcher. And then 1t was that Art became more and more anxious to make big record for himself.
 All during the school year the | Peaksville Nine met and played on I Saturday afternoons. And very often 1 they played match games with neigh
 boring village teams. And many victory was won by them through their able pitcher. It may have been l this fact which so antagonized certain 1 of the envious high school boys and brought about their unfounded objec- l tions to Art. But when so great an authority as Harry Gray came into the controversy, there was nothing for Arts enemies to do but to with draw their objections.
 | But under their outward show of friendliness, Art could see the fire of envy still glowing, and he knew that they would not leave stone unturned till he was out of the team. | Also. he knew they would work se- cretly, but surely.
 During the first few weeks of the early school term, the boys compris- ing the Peaksville Nine had little | time for practice. for they were Just getting we'll established in their new | studies for the coming year. But | soon they had more me for play
 and then they might be seen on the commons every Saturday afternoon, with Art Pearson master of the ball.
 Late in September there came challenge from a neigh boring team | one a bit higher-as to the standard ] of ball-playing wiJ the Peaks vile Nine. This was exceedingly flat l tering to the Peaksville boys. espe- cially to Art Pearson. They began 'limbering up" in dead earnest for they had accepted the challenge as soon as received. Every Saturday af- 1 ternoon the mine" were out on the diamond and working like real league men. They knew they were mere high school amateurs but they meant to play like old professionals.
 | "It all depends on Artl" This was the statement of the first baseman.
 That's about the size of it. added the second baseman.
 l Yes, not so much in the Art of my name as in the real art of my
 playing" said Art Pearson seriously.
 Well, boys, I hope I'll not let the
 game down." As he said this. he
 glanced at one of the nine whom he knew to be against him.