The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-07-16
THE MAKING OF A BIG
LEAGUE BALL PLAYER.
u u u :. u u IL ~ u :, II u u :; {.

of one of the greatest
ball players in the United States as
told by himself to Mr.. Fullerton. This
player. of course, began the game as
a boy and passed through all the
stages from amateur to minor league
teams and then into the big league.
In his early experience he became a
great victim of the "swelled head"
and finally lost his position on the
big league team. After many ViclS-
situdes he lost his "swelled head
and got into the big league again,
where, today, at thirty-four years ut
age, he is one of the great veterans
of the game. OF his final en-
trance into the big league he says:
In June, was purchased for Il
large sum by the club which then
was the strongest in the country.
didn't say a word about money, al
though the club paid over four thou
sand dollars for me. The new man
ager sat down with me in the hotel
the night ] joined his team.
"'All want he said, is for you
to get out there and hustle and be-
have yourself. I've heard you're hani
to handle, but I'll take chance"
You won't have any trouble with
me- | assured him. "All | want Is a
chance to show that can play.
You'll get all the chance you
want he said quietly. You're III
the lineup tomorrow.
Stage fright, Did you ever suffer
il? did that night. My nerves were
iumping and a thousand times | fig
ured out plays-yes, and made them
in planning what | would do the next
day.
We were playing IA game against a
team which we figured we would
have to beat out to win the cham
pionship. | pYtured myself hitting
home runs and making triple plays,
and when ! awoke in the morning |
was nepyous, a shaky, uncertain and
scared ball player. In practice be-
fore the game everything hit my way
either fumbled or threw wild, as
my nerves were rags. The crowd
seemed to be sorry for me-when
they weren't mocking. It was a relief
when the game started.
Il was second at bat in the line =
up, on foreign field and with Il
hostile crowd roaring. The first man
flied out. Wait him out Take two,
said the manager as / picked up a
bat. The first pitc.ed ball cut the
heart of the plate. | saw it all the
way up and knew it would have been
easy to hit it hard, yet | let it go
Strike one the umpire yelled and
the crowd howled. | was cool as d
Boston east wind The second ball
came whizzing over the plate with
nothing on it, and / itched to hit it,
yet let it go for the second strike
Then | settled to hit, expecting a
curve ball. The curve went wide, u
fast one went high and wide. l fig
ured that the pitcher thought he had
a sucker at bat and would curve ono
over He came with a fast ball d
foot high and | swung at it and
struck out. My heart nearly got
spiked as it sank into my toes going
back to the bench
That's the boy" said the mana
ger, Wait him out. Make him pitch.
81 could have kissed him for those
words. went to short with my
nerves steady and my system full of
confidence. The first ball hit was a
sizzler over second. ! got the ball
with one hand and there wasn't a
chance to throw the runner out if 4
stopped to straighten up, so | threw
without looking and without waiting
and plunged forward onto my face.
The yell from the crowd told me-
The first baseman had caught it, and
as | scraped the dust out of my
eyes and trotted back to position, |
,elt at home. | wasn't excited nor
Lated, but the confidence that had |
carried me through the minor leagues
,ame back with a rush and all fear
vas gone. | was big leaguer-and
inew ii. The next time at bat |
'rowded the plate, jockeyed with the
pitcher, and watched. He whipped a
urce inside the Hate, | pertended
o dodge and let the ball hit me. 1t
lit hard and | squirmed, but as the
manager bent over me, | winked az
i'm and, letting him lift me, limped