Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-07

Readers Of newspapers are aware,
any great public gathering, any ex-
traordinary crime, any 100000 dia-
mond robbery. any uncommon disas-
ter, IT is the newspapers that set the
pace in gathering and distributing the
news Of the event. This fact is lost
sight Of in this narrative In this
particular case the newspapers told
all about Gordon Kelly, but later GER
tain things happened 10 him that the
newspapers we're never able TO learn.
and they will be told in the course of
this story for the first time
The news Of Gordon Kellys great
feat in his last game in Atlanta Great
ed a profound impression throughout
the baseball world. There was no
end Of praise for the player and of
sympathy for the Boston club. which.
through the accident. had lost the ser
vices for many weeks at least of a
man for whom IL had just paid that
unheard- of price OF $50. 900. The cham
piOnship races in the two big leagues
had started and were we'll under way.
In the American League, of which
Gordon Kelly was now a member al
though not able TO play, the Philadel-
phia, Washington and Cleveland clubs
had taken the lead while the New
I York and Boston clubs were off to a
bad start. Jake Stahl. manager Of
/ the Red Sox, although himself limp
/ ing around with an injured leg be.
moaned his hard luck
/ Il have the best outfield In the
/ country as IL is" he said, but could
use that Gordon Kelly Just the same.
/ Gee, ! wish he would hurry up and
/ get well before my club is out of the
I running"
Frank Chance, manager OF the New
/ York Americans, cursed his fate IF
we had only landed Gordon Kelly and
| II he hadn't broken his leg, we would
/ be right up there fighting with the
/ leaders, he declared.
/ The word IF Is 80 per cent Of base
| ball II may be remarked
/ Manager Callahan, Of the Chicago
/ White Sox, said:
"Comiskey ought TO have landed
/ Gordon Kelly All I need Is that fell
low, besides Big Ed Walsh, to win
/ the American League pennant."
on May 10 the championship sea
T
month old and Gordon Kelly was still
in the hospital al Atlanta. Mildred
Deery was still "Out Of town" That
was all the information the patient
could get from the Deery residence
The Atlanta club made a short trip
10 other cities and returned to home
grounds for a brief stay. Bill Smith,
Ions Tom Morrissey and other mem
bers of the team paid daily visits
, to see their former comrade, who
got around the hospital grounds on
| clutches, but who could not be In
duced 10 60 out TO the park and see
ball game.
Something on His Mind.
Something's on his mind" declared
| Long Tom in the club house one day
! He doesn't seem to want to talk
about baseball much And il would
not surprise me-" he added, emphat-
ically, TO learn that that girl that
rushed out on the field and took his
head in her lap is what's troubling
| him. Well / don't know as I can
blame him. at that. She was some
peacherino. you hear me-"
He'll get over IT," remarked Bill
Smith, sagely. las soon as his leg
gets strong enough for him TO run
the bases you'll see him up al the
plate with that bat Of his and he'll
forget all about the girl"
A confirmed bachelor himself. Long
Tom Morrissey had nevertheless
called the turn. Something was on
Gordon Kelly's mind, and. true TO
Long Toms prophecy, it was Mil
bred Deery. The patient tried 10
reason things out, but the more he
thought the further he went from a
satisfactory conclusion. Mildred now
knew he was a ball player, he argued
10 himself she did not disepprove,
else why did she rush on the ball
field in the presence OF that vast
crowd when she saw he was injured
DID she care for him? II so. why
did she take herself away and leave
no word for him or send him no
words Did she want to forget him
entirely? Was she ashamed OF her
act on the ball field? He asked him
self these questions and dozens of
others ike them over and over again
and arrived at nowhere
The DAYS passed and day by day
Gordon Kelly asked himself his end
less chain Of questions. The situa-
ton became unbearabls. At last they
removed the plaster cast from his leg
and told him a change Of air would
Go him more good than anything, but
warned him 10 treat his leg Jenderly.
He made a last attempt and called
Up the Deery residence. with the
same result as before
He said goodbye TO his friends al
the hospital. went 10 his room near
the ball park. packed his things, and
that hight summoned an eEpPass