Omaha daily bee., 1914-08-23


Leagues in Omaha
MIR. Rourke the originator of ladies' day in
the Western league and has been sponsor of the
movement in organized base ball to have national
childrens day each year the proceeds to be turned
over to the public Fairgrounds fund. Mr.. Rourke
will push this matter at the convention this fall.
over 10000 children attended the last child
rens day game when Mr. Rourke turned over the
whole direction of the affair to Mrs Rourke. be-
he too busy to attend to It. All the
children OF the public institutions we're especial
guests OF honor and many OF the children came up
to her after the game to thank her for tho treat
and ask that 1t be repeated next year,
Mrs, Rourke is very much interested in keeping
the Omaha club and all that pertains TO It up to
the standard and is very proud of the electric score
board in use at the park, the only one in the West
ern league. She is personally interested in each
of the players she In each at the tee-
phone company and likes to watch them travel UP
to the major leagues. II they make a pretty play.
cheers louder than she. They have two
pennants. that Of 1904 and 1907 and a number OF
base ball pictures in their home, of which they
very proud
Fans are being educated nowadays" said Mrs
Rourke. The base ball crowds are different than
they used to be. They come to look at a scientific
game and don't much about which team
wins. It's only the newspaper and scoreboard road
ers. who never attend the game, that holler about
team has to win and go out to see the sport.
1t used to be win, no matter how'-now they want
to a scientific performance. Then there is al
ways fascination about the breaks luck and
otherwise"
Mrs Rourke is very proud OF the mascot of the
team. her little 3-yesr-old nephew Hugh McKenna,
her sisters She bought him a complete play
er's outfit and on his birthday PA" bought him
glove and ball.
I'Yn 1,on
Hugh, but you'll have to get a mask, too"
AT the telephone company, officials vie with
each other in saying splendid things about Mamie
Her genial smile. big-heartedness, Irish wit and
efficiency endeared her to everyone with whom she
came in contact. She had been with the company
for nearly fifteen years, having started as an
operator later stenographer, then private score
tary and cashier. She was invaluable to the heads
OF the company
we never found anyone to take her place
when she left and never will" said w. A. Pixey
general auditor regretfully IF she had been
man. she would have risen to the managership OF
the Omaha exchange, and indeed, many times she
did the work of manager. Not that we discrim-
mate against women" he explained apologetically
but, You see can't tell what day they will uu
and leave us to get married. We consider that
because of her loyal service she helped build up the
telephone company in this city"
Mamie herself tells the following incident of
those days. My name is Mary Ellen, but everyone
calls me Mamie or by my initials M X One day
an old gentleman, slightly deaf, had occasion to
stand by my window for time and heard the
office force call me Familiarity M. X At last he
could stand II longer. and approaching the win
dow, he raised his glasses to his eyes, made trum
pet of the palm of his hand to his ear and asked
ENORMOUSLY:
Young woman, you Aunt Kate to all
these people here? "
Oh aIu
other employees, who often came to her for advice
when they we're in trouble, and she looked after
many OF their bank accounts
why, come to think of Il, she used to take
care OF my bank account, too said one OF the high
officials. When my wife wanted anything done
she never called me. She used to say. IN call
Mamie Kelly. She'll get It done for me. Maybe
you'll think of it and maybe you WON'T"
The public would tell all their troubles to
Mamie. Sometimes dissatisfied patron would
come in who didn't wish to pay a bill or had some
complaint to make, but Mamie always got the
money And when It came to matching wits Mamie
was there and over
''One Of the worst half-hours / ever spent in
my life was one that Mamie gave me when she was
bent on mischief one day" said w. b. T. Belt. gem
eral superintendent.
"One morning eight toll operators came into
my office and informed me that they leaving.
to be married within the month. That was in the
days when our working force seriously de-
moralized because there had been many mar
riages depriving of our experienced girls Well,
you know it takes a long while to break girl into
the toll work, and l was dreadfully put out about
IL. However l comforted myself for I thought
NAMES here she'll take care of the situation all
right
Upon returning from luncheon that day, my
heart jumped into my throat when l CHANGED to
notice diamond solitaire cleaning on NAMES en-
gagement finger. l put out l couldn't say
a word to her about it, but later called her into
the office and asked her what the ring on her
finger meant. Then she told me that she had worn
il only to tease me. My, but was relieved.
Mamie a winner at everything that she
undertook. Why. look forward TO a winning base
hall team now that Mamie has taken hold of H.