Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-09
RECRUIT
HAS WITTY TONGUE
Rehq Makes a Hit With Fred
Clarke by His Fresh
ness.

Walter Rehg, who will join the Pirates
again in the spring. has one distinction
1t is that Of being the worlds sassiest
ball player" Veterans have tagged him
as the freshest, noisiest and most cussed-
ly impudent "rOOky" that ever battled for
a job. Maybe that is why Fred Clarke
manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, likes
him. His spirit probably accounts for
the fact that Clarke put in a draft for
him and secured him from the st. Paul
club, to which he was sent last June
Rehg is well built, aggressive chap,
who is just developing. He is keen
-witted. sharp-tongued lad. who doesn't
take talk from any one. He hadn't been
in the big league long before he clashed
the clash thereof.
/ During the first series Of the season at
Cincinnati. the Pirates had a chance to
tie the. score. and Clarke ordered Rehg
to bat for the pitcher. 1t was Rehgs
first chance in the big league Did he
quake with fear? Did he show any grave
concern. or did the magnitude of the sit
uation disconeert him? Hardly.
Who are You batting for?" asked the
czarlfke Klein, In a tone that would freeze
many a yotrngster.
Why, I'm going to get a hit for my
self, old top replied Rehg, with a saucy
grin.
Don't get fresh with me. you young
busher aHgrily retorted KLEIN. What's
your namee''
"Rehg," replied the youngster. :.
How do you spell it?" demanded KLEIN
You don't spell it, yelled back Rehg.
You whistle it." =
And with that the freshest busher Bill
KLEIN had ever seen busted one of Art
Fromme's shoots on the nose and Johnny
Bates made a wonderful back-running
catch in deep center field.
That catch saved the game for the
Reds. and Rehg always remembered his
hard luck on that occasion.
One day in June this same Mr.. Rehg
was ordering a lavish, meal at Phila-
delphia hotel. Camnitz, Wilson, Gibson
and .one or two others at an adjoining
table watched Rehg keeping his waiter
busy You may bring me this and bring
me that" Rehg would say. land then you
may bring me that and bring me this
to soup. then sideways and called for
few extras. He had a meal for four men
before him.
Say, busher. are you trying to eat your
self out of the Lacquer" asked Camnitz.
ut amt none Of your business" snap
ten guarantee that I'm going to be in the
league all my life. so I'm going to eat
National League meals while I'm in the
National League. Get me-"
Rehg had called the turn. Two weeks
later he received orders to proceed at
once to st. Paul.
They could not restrain Rehg on the
bench. He. pointed out mistakes with
freedom that made everybody but his
victim roar with laughter. And he
played no favorites. He could chide
Wagner and Clarke as well as anybody.
and the older heads soon gave up the
idea of trying to cure him. With Mike
Donlin he was a terror, and Mike also
had to give it up and hope for the best.
One day In Boston Donlin kicked and
fused because Carey had missed the hit
and-run sign, causing Mike to lose base
hit. and let it be said right here that
Mike doesn't like to lose hits.
Gee whiZ,'' complained Mike. every
body in the park got that sign except
Scoops. If he had got it he would have
made second and ] would have got on"
Sure" chimed in Rehg Everybody
got that sign. Even that fellow out on
the scaffold in center field got it. and he
is painting 1t now.
Everybody looked, and there. with his
back turned to the diamond, was a paint
err finishing up sign that advertised a
brand of cigarettes"
Everybody roared but Mike. and Mike
just spluttered and raved, telling Rehg
that he was beyond the limit Of fresh