The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1913-08-15
The BALL PLAYER.
He Faces Many Trying ordeaIs
In His Early Experience.
MAKING A BIG LEAGUE CLUB.

Tribulations of a Veteran Star Who
Started In With a "swelisd Head"
and Got Fired and Then Worked his
Way Back Into Fast Company
In the American Magazine Hugh s.
Fullerton writes an article entitled
"The Making OF Big Lacquer" 1t Ia
true story Of the development 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 this early experience he
became q great victim OF the "swelled
head" hit the first ball pitched when
he went TO bat after being told to wait
FOR two strikes and finally lost his posi-
ton on the big league team. After
many vicissitudes he lost his 'swelled
head" and got into the big league
again, where today, at thirty four
years Of age. he is one Of the great
veterans Of the game or his final en-.
trance into the big league be says:
In June was purchased for a
large sum by the club which then was
the strongest in the country didn't
say word about money. although the
club paid over 81 1000 for me. The new
manager sat down with me In the
hotel the night joined his team.
a. q
get out there and hustle and behave
yourself I've heard you're hard TO
handle. but I'll take a chance
You won't have any trouble with
me-, assured him. All | want is q
chance to show that can play
You'll get all the chance you want,
he said quietly You're in the lineup
tomorrow
Stage fright. Did you ever suffer
1t? did that night. My nerves were
jumping, and a thousand times l fig-
uped out plays-yes and made them
in planning what would do the next
day
I'VE were playing a game against q
team which we figured we would have
to beat out to win the championship.
I pictured myself hitting home runs
and making triple plays, and when l
awoke in the morning | was nervous, a
shaky, uncertain and scared ball play
er. In practice before the game every
thing hit my way | either fumbled or
threw wild, rs my nerves were rags.
ha fn ha FOR
when they weren't mocking. 1t was a
relief when the game started
II was second at bat in the lineup.
on foreign field and with a hostile
crowd roaring The first man died
out. Wait him out. Take two said
the manager rs picked up bat. The
first pitched ball cut the heart Of the
plate | saw 1t all the way up and
knew it would have been easy to hit 1t
hard. vet ! let it 20. Strike one the
umpire yelled, and the crowd howed,
| was cool rs Boston east wind. The
second bali came whizzing up straight
over the plate with nothing on 1t, and
itcbed 10 hit it, yet let it go for the
second strike.
Then settled to hit. expecting q
curve ball The curve went wide. A
fast one went high and wide. | figured
that the pitcher thought he had suck
er at bat and would curve one over
He came with fast ball foot high,
and | swung at ii 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 manager
Wait him out. Make him pitch.
II could have kissed him for those
words. went to short with my nerves
steady and my system full of conf
dence The first ball hit was sizzler
over second | got the ball with one
hand, and there wasn't a chance to
throw the runner out ii I stopped to
straighten up. so ! threw without look
ing and without waiting and plunged
forward onto my face The yell from
the crowd told me the first baseman
had caught it. and as l scraped the
dust out of my eyes and trotted back
to position felt at home.
II wasn't excited nor elated, but the
confidence that had carried me through
the minor leagues came back with g
| rush and all fear was gone. was q
! big leaguer-and knew 1t. The next
time at bat ! crowded the plate, jock
eyed with the pitcher and watched He
| whipped a curve inside the plate
pretended to dodge and let the ball hit
| me- 1t hit hard and squirmed but as
the manager bent over me | winked at
him and, letting him lift me, limped
| down to frst-and stole second on the
| first ball pitched sliding clear around
| the baseman On my third trip to the
plate cracked a clean hit over second
base and. after being sacrificed to sec
ond. stole third because | figured nc
enc would expect a recruit to do that.
"In the clubhouse that night the
manager said, You'll do, kid, IL you
don't get swelled. And | replied, Tvs
| gone through that.