Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-20
WENT WITHOUT
MEALS TOLEARN
NATIONAL CANE
Hughie High, Tigers Young Re-
cruit, Has Fought Hard to
Make a Success,
THIS is a story Of a young man
who literally would rather play
baseball than eat.

y
who literally would rather play
baseball than eat.
You often have heard people use
the expression that they preferred
something else to taking their meals,
but when it comes to a showdown
they probably were not slow in lining
up for the march to the dining room.
There is one member of the Detroit
Tigers, however, who repeatedly has
missed his supper in order that he
might have more time to devote to
the national pastime.
Hughie High is the name of this
athlete who found more pleasure in
playing baseball on an empty stom-
ach than in doing anything else after
a feast. Not only did he endure the
pangs of hunger in order to engage in
the sport, but assimilated many a
parental licking for cutting his meals
besides
Mr.. High is what might be termed
a persevering person. When he
makes up his mind to do anything he
just naturally goes and does 1t. I'm
til this particular object is accom-
plished he is deaf, dumb and blind
except where hearing, speaking or
seeing will help him to attain that
which he desires. It so happens that
he was bitten by a baseball germ
early in life and from that time on
his world has revolved around the
game.
THE little fellow was not fortunate
L enough to be able to devote his
entire attention to baseball, however.
His parents decided that he had to
be useful and ornamental at the same
time, so he went to work learning the
plumbers trade. Just why he select
ed this occupation when there were
so many openings for good burglars
and porch climbers is not apparent.
Possibly he didn't like the idea OF
working nights and figured he could
get just as much money and more
regular sleep by holding people up
the daytime by means of the pipe
wrench and the molten lead.
st. Louis is Highs home and also
the scene of his plumbing endeavors.
The Founders and faucet fiXers of the
Mound City work eight hours a day,
as do most plumbers elsewhere. This
gives them one hour for actual labor
and seven for going back to the shop
after their tools. Naturally, with
eight hours sliced right out of the
daylight, Mr.. High did not have very
much time left for ball playing, but
he found that by passing up his sup
per he could get in about an hours
work on the lots in the baseball
months.
Also he managed to quit half an
hour earlier in the evening by taking
nj mil
instead of 60. Then, of course, Sun
days and holidays he did not have
to work, unless there was some spe-
cial job, which meant overtime pay
and more money to be spent for balls,
bats and gloves.
THE young plumber played hard in
the short time allowed him to en-
joy the game and his proficiency at
traCted the attention of some Of the
Trolley Leaguers. Finally he attain
ed the proud position of a member of
one of the Trolley League clubs, and
thereafter he lived just for the Sun
day battles in that fiouriShing semi
professional circuit.
By this time his people had given
up the idea of weaving him away
from baseball, and instead of bestOw-
ing a licking on him whenever he
papers Monday morning to find out
what Hugh had done in the Sabbath
battles. They still predicted that he
would come to no good end, but were
glad, since he insisted on being a
ball player, that he was a good one.
After a couple of seasons in the
Trolley League he was signed by the
Hartford club, in the Connecticut
League, where he played in 1911 and
1912, joining the Tigers from that
outfit last fall
He still works at the plumbing
business in the fall and winter months
and holds a union journeyman's card.
When not learning to wipe joints
or swipe the ball Hughie managed to
find time to give himself a fair edu-
cation. He attended night grade
school and night high school after
it grew too dark to see the horsehide,
and in the cold months when there
was no outdoor pastiming, and was
so conscientious with his lessons that
he makes a very Creditable appear
anCe in conversation. In fact he
has often been taken for a college
man The little outtielder declines to
be worried about the prospect of his
being beaten to the Tigers utility job
by Ray Powell
- POWeu can peat me IL De the
first one to congratulate him."
said Hugh. He is a fine ball player
and a fine fellow, and there will be no
hard feeling on my part whichever
way our fight for a regular job with
the Detroit club may turn out. I
know that l still have a lot to learn
about baseball, and if I am sent
to the International League to learn
l will not be a bit sore. I'll try my
best to make good wherever they
shift me- and by doing that may be
able to get another chance in the big
league next year
Il am young and have plenty Of
time, and should l fail to make good
l will not be discouraged. 1t is big
jump from the Connecticut to the
American League, or even to the In
ternational, and whichever way
Things come out am sure Of bet
ter job at a better salary than had
last season"
TROTT AND KETCHELL MATCH.
CHICAGO, July l9.-Sammy Trott,