Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-26


worth. the newspaper man, had
secured from Mildred Deery at her
bungalow, and which was published
in his paper, the great baseball pub
lie had heard nothing of the $4,000
player since the day late in May
when he left the hospital in Atlanta
and disappeared. The public knew
nothing Of his palatial home in the
Georgia mountains, it knew nothing
of his vast wealth, of his peculiar
life, of the tragedy of his fathers
death. 1t knew nothing Of the grand
romance Of Gordon and Mildred, or
of Gordon's conflicts with Forrest
Cain, or of his capture and detention
by the mountaineers. All the public
knew was that Gordon Kelly, the most
widely advertised ball player in the
world, the man the Red Sex had pal
the stupendous sum OF $4,000 for,
the player every fan" on the Amer
lean League circuit was most anXi-
Gus to see perform, had mysteriously
disappeared.
The name of Gordon Kelly had be-
come a byword wherever baseball
was played or discussed. Every time
a player on any team in any city or
town made home run he was a
Gordon Kelly Ball players in the
lCab ueo' tohSSe Ddll payers,
schoolboy players, and even the ur-
chins playing ball in the back lots
were always talking about the great
player. This continued all summer
long all over the country, so that de-
spite the fact that the public did not
know what had become of Gordon
Kelly, his name was constantly on
everybody's lips and he was con-
stantly referred to in the newspapers. |
Gave Up Hope.
The Red Sox management practi- !
cally gave up hope Of ever seeing him
again before the season was half over
but every pay day a check was drawn |
to his order and mailed to his last
known address in Atlanta. The first |
half Of the season was fraught with |
Injuries to the Red Sox players, and |
If ever they needed Gordon Kelly il |
was In the first few months of the |
championship season. But by the |
first of July the worlds champions
got going in their proper stride and |
won game after game in the same |
impressive manner that had enabled |
them to NOV down their opponents |
in the season of 1912 and eventually |
capture the American League pen !
nant and later the highest honors in |
baseball-the worlds championship. |
The Red Sox pitchers-the back |
bone of team-began going good"
about the first of July. The heavy
hitters took confidence and found
their batting eyes" again. The loyal
supporters of the team took heart and
hocked to Fenway Park to encourage
their favortes and squeeze hard
for victory.
That rabid Boston organization
known far and wide as the "Roya
Rooters," forgot the fancied griev-
ances it had against the clubs man
agement that dated back TO the last
worlds series, and marched to the
baseball grounds en- masse and with
a brass band playing "Tessie" The
old time Boston spirit-the spirit that
made Boston the greatest baseball
city in the world-returned as the Red
Sox forged triumphantly toward the
top of the baseball column.
Red Sox Climb.
BY the first of August the Red Sox
were in third place, after fioundering
around among the tail-enders for half
the saeson. By the first of Septem-
Der the worlds champions were in
second place only the Athletics, of
Philadelphia. standing between them
ana the leadership IN the American 7
League pennant fight. The men were
playing with a dash and vigor that
surpassed their 1912 form. Iris (
Speaker, the great center fielder, led /,
the league in batting and every day
he was getting his two or more safe |
hits, most of them solid drives for /
two or three bases or home runs |
Duffy Lewis the left fielder was close |
up in his stockwork, and his fielding |
and throwing were better than ever |
Harry Hooper in right field was hav- |
ing his best year, batting better than |
he had ever done before and running !
the bases like deer Heine Wagner. |
captain of the team and the man most |
depended upon for defensive work, |
played with a steadiness that was the |
marvel of the baseball world. Larry !
Gardner the third baseman, fully re-