Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-12
WHEN HOY AND WILMOT CAME
TO THE WASHINGTON CLUB
Ted Sullivan Tells of the Early Days Of
Scouts, and How He Signed the
Clever Dummy"

roster tnat ne was a WONDERFUL nelOer IN
that league, but the, base hits he made
during the season were subordinated to
the silver-mounted bat that was given
to him for leading the league on paper,
and l think that was why gentle James
became infatuated with the great fielder
All the ball managers fastened to Chi
cago and cOngregated at the fremont
House, which was then the redezvous OF
| the major league clubs. My signing OF
Hoy is told in the following narrative:
which was that day the rendezvous Of all
high-class base ball men, some one asked
guardedly of the others where Hoy lived?
l had made up my mind to leave for
Ftndlay. Ohio. to sign my brave "bucko"
next day. and went to the telegraph Of
flee to inform r. G. Hewitt, president Of
the Washington club. my whereabouts.
when. to my surprise. my eyes met a
thrown-away telegram on the blank Of
the Western Union which the sender
had cast aside. as people usually do when
/, they wish to change the wording of some
telegram. The telegram read: ''W. E. Hoy.
ball player. F ndlay, Ohio. VIII leave
tonight for F.ndlay. Don't sign until
Signed-.'' I murmured to myself that
this was indeed luck. I had just one
hour to catch that train, and to Ffndlay
betook myself. But by all means I must
not let the manager of this certain league
club see me. The best man in the race
to sign this man must win, SO fastened
as quickly as possible to the depot and
got into the sleeper. 1t was about or
10 o'clock. I retired before the train
pulled out, and soon afterward I heard
the voice Of my rival asking for berth
No. 10; myself had No. 5, some distance
from it.
Before we arrived at Toledo in the
morning was up early and fastened out
would not be seen by this base ball hunt
er. He chuckled to himself: II will bag
my, rabbit before any one knows it."
AS the train pulled into the Toledo depot
my jolly rival leaped off and went into
the dining room with gay and jolly air.
thinking what a scoop he would have
on the whole base ball world. The train
did not leave Toledo that day for Find
ness to keep out of his way as much as
possible until train time.
Findlay. if think right, is about eighty
or a hundred miles from Toledo. Both Of
US were now to make our last dash to
capture the great mute. I remained
about to pull out At distance I noticed
my rival going toward the smoker.
hoped on the last coach and sat in the
rear seat with paper in my hand look
ing forward now and then to see If my
lght-hearted friend was coming back.
He RECALLED himself, however. that
afternoon, smoking rich Havana cigars,
and in the rolls of that smoke which
were Wd1IeQ from MS pSrIectO ne COuIO
see Hoy's signature at the end of a
league contract. AS the train was pull
ing into Findlay the voices of the hotel
, runners were heard. He got off the front
end Of the train and I got off the rear.
While he was in the midst Of hotel rum
ners asking which was the best hotel.
was asking of a iveryman how far Hoy
lived from the city and if he was at
home. bargain was struck at once, by
which he would take me to HoyS home
| hck ~ ko0,l
to hitch his horses for the journey, while
I watched my rival leaving the depot for
his hotel. The team was ready to take
me to HoyS home, and I hoped into the
wagon and rode three hours along road
that was Illuminated by natures torches,
the gas wells of Ohio. AS the teamster
made a turn in the road and halted in
front Of a new two-story building. big
black dog leaped from the porch to warn
US from intrusion. The teamster turned
AS it was about II o'clock at night the
household was asleep, but three calls
from the voice OF the driver called up
Hoy's father. who raised window and
UP and told him who was and wanted
to see his son. He invited us to enter
the house while he went upstairs and
woke up his boy.
After a few minutes down comes VII
liam. and grabbed me by the hand in
talk, his actions bid me thousand well
comes. I wrote on the pad what ! was
there for. and asked him II he was
ready to sign. He said he was. He said
his terms were 81 600. but as Paul Hines
was sold to Indianapolis eight days be
fore by the Washington club for $2SOO.
and as Hoy was to take nus place.
knew Washington could be little gener-
Gus with this faithful mute. So / took
out the league contract from my pocket
and put on it 81, 800 To the credit of
Hoy. he placed his autograph on the
contract before looking at the figures,
but when he saw It his eyes glistened
with gratitude, but I told him he was
entitled to that for keeping his word. /
explained the situation to Mr.. Hewitt:
president of the Washington club. and
he fully approved OF my course. In all
my dealings with ball players, which in
cluded little stars. big stars, shining
stars. none of them appreciated kind
ness like this self-sane Hoy. Nor did
deserve any great thanks for what
did He was a man that was sought