The Republican journal., 1913-07-24

.'In June, l was purchased for large
sum by the club which then was the
strongest in the country. l didn't say
word about money, although the club
paid over four thousand dollars for me.
The new manager sat down with me in
the hotel the night joined his team.
IAN want, he said, is for you to
get out there and hustle and behave
yourself. I've heard you're hard to
handle, but III take chance.
"'You won't have any trouble with
me, l assured him. All l want is a
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 it?
| did that night. My nerves We're jump
ing and usand times | figured out
plays-yes. and made them-in planning
what I would do the next day.
eve were playing game against a
team which we figured we would have to
beat cut to win the championship. |
pictured myself hitting home runs and
in the morning | was nervous, shaky,
uncertain and scared bal! player. In
practice before the game everything hit
I
as my nerves We're rags. The crowd
seemed ito be sorry for me-when they
weren't hooking. 1t was a relief when
the game started.
Il was second at bat in the lineup, on
foreign field and with a hostile crowd
roaring The first man flied out Wait
him out. Take two, said the manager
as picked up bat. The first pitched
ball cut the heart of the plate. l 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. l was cool as a Boston
east wind. The second ball came whiz-
zng up, straight over the plate with
nothing on it, and | tched to hit it, yet
let it go for the second strike. Then l
settled to hit. expecting a curve bail.
| The curve went wide, a fast one went
high and Wild. figured that the pitcher
! thought he had a sucker at bat and
would cTrve one over. He came with a
fast hdll foot high and l swung at it
and struck out. My heart near 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
/ Il could have kissed him for those
words. L went to short with my nerves
steady and my system full of confidence.
The first ball hit was a sizzler over
second. l got the ball with one hand
and there WASH I 4 chance to throw the
runner out if 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 l
Il he, j,,,+ - j
trotted back to position | felt at home.
| wasn't excited nor elated, but the CON
tdence that had carried me through the
minor leagues came back with rush and
all fear was gone. was a big Lacquer
and knew it. The next time at bat l
crowded the plate, jockeyed with the
pitcher, and watched. He whipped
curve inside the plate. | pretended to
dodge and let the ball hit me. 1t hit hard
and | squrmed, but as the manager bent
over me, | winked at him and letting
him lift me, linped down to first-and
stole second Oh the first ball pitched,
sliding clear around the oaseman. On
my third trip to the plate | cracked a
clean hit over second base and, after be-
ing sacrificed to second, stole third be-
cause figured no one would expect re-
crult to do that. In the club house that
night the manager said, You'll do, kid,
If you don't get swelled. And l replied,
I've gone through that"