The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-01-26
t he Ten Th ousan d =
Dollar Arm


let hat old boy alone: understand. III won six hun.
dred and siXtys cent of his games last year
got. And even if nc couldn Z pitch lick on earth.
he's worth his salary for what he teach these now
kids breaking in. He's got baseball sayvy than
YOU any othcr manager IN this league. and there
start s Gng row vp with f Bo Yo8 D aT off him GTabb And
another thiugany time ne 10 You and SAYS he
Of when he's ready, aud ( won't have you ordering
him out there when he docsn feet like working That
goes and don t YOU forget 1t!
Grubb was furious. He complained that Bruno
would upset the regular routine OF the pitchers who
became 4" law unto o' He was With
The owner who liked him better than all the other
ready. and ar no other time; and he made his own
calculations with cooness which eXasPerated Gruhb
beyond the mere relief OF words.
Bruno figured that he should pitch thirty times
season and nc prepared himself for each contest as
party, This preparation which never varied. was
quite cercmoulous affair.
When the early brds--and every team has Two or
three baseball - bugs who show up at the clubhouse
noonfound ali the doors and windows closed and
would have done credit Turkish bathhouse. they
knew that Bruno was ,rea{ying mp Tor game h he
waist and soaking in the terrific heat like a saamah'
The other players complained of the neat in the
clubhouse-aud well thcy might. for the weather was
paid the slightest attention. One clock was the
hour set for 'limbering up lie wonld rise and put
bending the elbow stretching tho muscles for half
hour Then out would come & glaSs od 1aI
his left from wrist to shoulder, not forget
ting the back muscles
grammc., The rubbing. patting, plnehing kneadIng;
and sappug Of the ten-thousand dollar arm would
learned how to get at every muscle which had any
thing to do with the working of his most valuable
The Blue Jays of seven years ago Will never forget
what happened when tMajor Bones. - newly appoint
cd as official rubber Joined the club. Major Bones
a young negro who had worked IN Turkish bath,
house long enough to GET the idea that what be d,d
i.,pr- .i,, nuc tppat me
botbering 10 learn lie also ambitious to please
and it shocked him to see one Of the players rubbing
Bruno doing his work because the former
rubber had been incompetent
''Jus you lemme have that oil ahm. sun, SAID
the major, by way of Introduction LII show YOU
how I mst rub Msteh Kid Mccoy
Smczer grunted in surprise anl went on knead,
ing and pncbing his biceps Major Bones pressed
mcnt that no mere ball player could rub his
and do the Job properly Bruno who was peacetHl
for it, picked up a chair and knocked Major Bones
head over, heels through a locker door; ..u l.,
Then he calmly resumed the rubbing where he
After massage, smelzer would get INTO heavy
wooden undersbirt, his uniform shirt, and last of all
a great white sweater Bruno had three sweaters for
different sorts Of weather The hrSt one was as 'u'cN
q board and the others were THICKER
Dressed for public appearance. the old man would
caole some youthful catcher into accompanying him m
was stirring. Here he would shed his sweater and "a
pitch for half hour If the arm stelt all right o
would put on his sweater again and watch the game
from the sunny end Of the bench.
peated; and on the third ii all went WELL he would
come out from behind the blcachcrs with broad grin
ttSbe,s there today boys,'7 ne would say, BY
which he meant that the tenthousand dollar arm was
Then, of course. Grnbb had no alternative. Smell
ger would pitch and Sullivan would catch strong
friendship existed between Smelzer and sullivan 5oth
wero veterans and Sullivan had taken INFINITE pans
to learn Smokers peeuartie; With eo.cSnd SU
livan behind the bat Bruno htle strateges reacnea
their highest power, and away they would 90, with
Bruno doing the signaling and steve III ea rS out IN
to the batters. Between them they would bedcvll
The opposing players with M and Uae fire
of caustic comment and Smelzer sneaklng his
strike ball over when the batter was least expecting
BY years Of practice. Bruno had acquired alarming
proficiency IN one trick nH for catch
ing batter off his guard. Whenever Bruno began
in the box, his eyes cast down and his head bent
head to look at the batter he would take his step
and deliver his fast ball. and nine times out of ten
he would split the heart Of the plate before the amazed
bitter could recover from his surprise.
Another neat trick Of the sort required sullivan
stand netting were tossed back the catcher by play
ers from the bench. When Bruno worked, Steve Sui
the ball he would toss it back to Bruno, who would
at once step into the box ready TO pitch. Sulliyan,
he had dropped itNalways behind the batter and
from six TO ten feet away from the plate As Steve
picked up the mask he would address remark to
the batter calculated to extract reply. If the bat
ter turned his head to answer, sullivan would droP
the mask and dive Into position for the turn of the
batter's head was Bruno's to slam the ball over
for n strike Managers howled, team captains pro
tested but there nothing in the rules TO prevent
Suckers throwing the ball. and if Sullivan cared to
dash and take one without ms mask. that was
Steve's risk.
With these and other tricks, too numerous to men
ton and tedious of explanation the dollar
arm continued in the game, and Smelzer, with only a
iithe of his strength. held his place and his percent
age on the right side OF 900.
Charlie Grubb second baseman with the team Tor
six wears and playing manager for four. found his
trouble at last 4 recruit from the wilds OF Wyoming
literally eboyed the boss out of his place ut second
Charlie had no wish to become bench manager;
and he hung on as long ne could; but he could
not conceal the that he no longer hitting IN