The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-07-28
HIS FIRST BIG GAME
Described by Famous Ball Player, Then
in Middle West.

In the August American Magazine, one
of the greatest baseball players in the
United States tells the story OF his life.
He was country boy and, of course,
took up the game early, His father had
a hired man, named Ned, who in his
earlier years was professional ball
player. In the course of his story, the
, big Lacquer describes, as follows, the
first big game he ever saw:
Our village was within one hundred
miles of Cincinnati, and we commenced
to read baseball in the papers. Rem
milford was my authority. Often Ned
would sit with me at night explaining
plays or, more likely, reading the story
OF the game and telling me not only
what the players had done, but what
they We're trying to do.
Zone of my chief ambitions was to
save money enough TO 60 on one of the
dollar excursions TO Cincinnati see Bid
McPhee play second base and Bug Hol-
liday play outfeid and Harrington
catch. That fall | had saved nine dol
lars out of what was paid me for play.
ing games, and father gave ME permits
sion to take Ned on the Sunday excur-
sion. He instructed me to see the zoolog-
ical gardens, the suspension bridge, to
visit the fountain and ride up the incline
to Eden park ! remember Ned wnked
at me gravely across the table while ia
ther was talking We saw all father
told us to see long before noon. and were
~, ~. . L..
gates had been opened ten minutes.
1T was the greatest sensation OF my
life, and I've had many since that day.
Cincinnati was playing Chicago. Arson,
LANCE, Dahlen, Ryan-all the heroes |
had read about-were ont there, and
Ned pointed them out. Dywer was
pitching for the Reds, and when the game |
started little dark-skinned fellow,
scarcely bigger than a schoolboy, was
sent to pitch for Chicago.
'Of course / wanted Cincinnati to win, |
but not have the game given to them;
the idea of Arson sending out boy not |
as big as | was to pitch seemed shame,
and my disappointment was voiced in
bitterness to Ned. Sonny he said,
were licked now. If ever you see as
good a pitcher as that, tell me about it,
That's Griffith The idea of that little
fellow being the great Griffith was too
much, and / accused Ned of 'codding me.
Griffith, seeming not to throw anything,
toyed with my heroes. Ned sat leaning
forward watching, and once in while he
grunted with satisfaction. Great head
he muttered, crossed him with that slow
Dne' 'Outguessed him. | was getting
my first lesson in real baseball / only
vaguely understood how Griffith was
beating them, but he dido to 2.
''Ned got drunk, missed the train and
got us both into disgrace, as father
again forbade me to play after learning
hat | had attended a game on the Sab
bath. But when Ned returned and was
restored to favor we played that game
over a hundred times, play by play and
Dall by ball. | had not dared mention it
% anyone, but my mind was made up to
become professional player. One day,
ate in the winter, Ned and / were in the
rib husking corn, and | confessed my
inhibition.
Don't he advised shortly.
Don't you believe ] eould?' / de-
handed.
"Yes,' he said slowly, 4 believe you
ould if you behaved yourself and
worked hard but the chances are You
wouldn't do either
1--WE argued the question all afternoon ,
nd finally he said Well, Jim. if you're
determined to break in, 60 ahead But
lodge the boozers and the all-night
lunch, listen to the manager, do any
hing he tells you to do, right or wrong,
nd keep your temper q
"He sized up baseball in a sentence. :
nd if I had listened-but what is the
se? Few of us ever listen"