Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-08
IL II EveryLo of the

following the last game of the triple
tie.
First" and Smith struck the fore
finger Of one hand with the forefin-
ger of the other, did you ever play
game Of ball before you came to
Atlanta?"
NO; I never did" answered Cor
don.
Second" tapping the second fin
ger, did you ever see a game of ball
before you came to Atlanta?"
NO, | never did"
Third" tapping the third finger,
how in h beg your pardon Mrs.
Kelly-how did you learn to play the
outfield and bat-especially bat?"
Gordon laughed heartily.
That's where l had you all guess
ing, didn't 1? But, Billy, the explana-
ton is very simple. My father bought
me a pitching gun five years ago
one of those things some of the col
lege teams tried. When mine came
it proved unsatisfactory, so my ia
Their pulled it apart and he and l be-
gan experimenting with it, and the
result was we finally built a pitching
gun that could do anything anv
pitcher in the world could do 1t
could throw a curve ball or a fast
ball, or a drop ball or a raise ball
1t could even throw a spit ball. And
speed! Why, Billy. it had Joe Wood
and Walter Johnson beaten to death
No human being could have the speed
that gun had. All you had to do was
wind the spring to the desired speed
and press the trigger.
He Heard That Yell.
THAT gun could hurl a ball further
than anyone could bat it, and so high
in the air that you could hardly see
it. used to place the gun in the
pitchers box and, with Steve, a lit
tie colored boy on my place to pull
the trigger l would practice batting
by the hour Steve would set the
spring to suit himself. and the way
those balls used to come whizzing
across the plate was a caution. l got
more batting practice in a day than
an ordinary ball player gets in a
month. Is it any wonder that l was
able to win those games for you down
in Atlanta, or that / was able to win
that game for the Red Sox this aft
ernoon?
And as for my fielding. where could
you get a fungo hitter that would
give me the practice that gun gave
me? You know how fast I can run,
Billy. l developed that the same way
I developed my batting and fielding.
Undoubtedly I am naturally a fast
runner, and doubtless ! am what you
might call a natural ball player, but
without that pitching gun, Billy,
never would have had the nerve to
apply to you for a job"
We'll, ! want to tell you some
thing" observed Smith. Did you
know you batted out Of turn in that
last game in Atlanta?"
mo. Did u"
Yes; it was Bailey's turn to bat,
but I took a desperate chance when T
told you to take a crack at the ball,
and got away with it, That accident
at the plate made everybody forget
about it, if they ever noticed it,"
Didn't l hear WhislSey's yell this
afternoon as I was going up to bat?"
yes; he's UP here"
Tell him / want to see him to-
morrow, viii you, Billy?" l can't al
low such an admirer as he is to 90
unrewarded."
THE Red Sox got their $4,000 back
when you made that hit to-day, Cor
don" remarked Smith, but they can
use you in the worlds series, all right.
Going to play in ito"
Gordon waved his hand toward Mil
dred and smiled
a few minutes later Bill Smith
wished them long life and happiness,
said "Goodbye and departed. A
bellboy delivered a telegram addressed
to Mrs. Gordon Kelly. 1t was from
Mildred's father. and it made her hap
pier than ever She raised her arms
and placed them around her husbands
neck.
Gordon, dear" she said, softly,
haven't you had glory enough out Of
baseball? You viii never want to play
again, will you, dear?"
Never, Honeybunch; all the glory
deserve to have came when | won
you"
THE END.