Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-07-23
first paragraph. The fat man had
buried a past and was not anxious to

DurleQ q past n was not anxious to
dig it up.
Three years later Billy B!gelow was
pounding away in the first division
and praying for n more good pitcher.
In Truck Chapman he had the great
est left handler of the period, but even
Il glutton like Truck could not pitch
enough winning games to cincb q pen
nant. The rest of the pitchers were
snly ordinary performers.
Get me one more cracking good
pitcher" said Bigelow, land I'll walk
away with the pennant next year. Get
me q man who can win twenty games
and back up old Truck. and it'll be a
shame the way we go through this
bunch"
Pitchers. like gold, are where you
find them. There is no telling where
the next great pitching stars may come
from. They rise out of the mist. You
look up, and there they are, full 1edged,
born overnight. Scouts know this, and
that is why Hank Sladdin. dropping
into Tacoma on his western trip, did
not scorn the private tip that a man
named Smith at Fremontville in the
Tillamook league had a timber wolf
who was setting the forest afire.
His name is Bud Marsh said Slad-
din's informant, land Smith has had
him three years. He's Il rip roarer."
Sladdin went up to ~Fremontville on
the first train and presented himself at
Smiths billiard parlor.
From Bigelow, eh?' asked Smith.
"Lemme see the credentials"
Sladdin wondered at this, but pro-
duced his cardcase.
81 guess it's all right" said the fat
nan shortly. "l've got Il pitcher here.
l want you to see him work. III send
him in this afternoon"
That afternoon the big league scout
sat in the tiny grand stand and chew
ed up two cigars while he watched the
timber wolf shut out nine husky youTg
mel from South Yakima. Sladdin had
seen hundreds Of bush pitchers at
work, and he believed that he knew
the breed, but the first move Marsh
made in the box nailed the scouts at
tention and held it throughout the
game.
every move a picture" thought
Sladdin. "Most of these kids work too
hard-tear themselves to pieces-but
this fellow just floats them up there as
if there wasn't Il thing to it. Lordy!
But that's a swell change of pace. He
amt very old. Now, where did he
learn all that stuff"
After the game Sladdin walked back
to the town With Smith, expressing
himself guardedly, as men do when
they prepare to buy. Praise might
have sent the price %ballooning.
Hes fair, just fair said Sladdin.
"Of course he'd have to be farmel
OUT
LAY off Of that stuff growled
Smith. You can't put any of that
over on me. Where do you think l
was raised-in the woods here? Now,
I'm going to tell you something. l'ye
cen all the great pitchers of the past
fifteen years. Knew some Of 'em well
-Mayberry, Harris, Potter, Kinkaid-
all that bunch. Lemme tell you that
here's a boy that's as good today as
Mayberry ever was-yes, better. You
saw the way he handled himself. You
saw the way he used that quick re-
turn ball. Is there any man in the
big league today who can whip a re
turn strike back like that? Is there?
No, l guess not. You're whistling
there amt. l know" .
THAT return ball amt used much
any more" said Sladdin. There was
only one man ever had that down fine,
and that was Il fellow named Solomon
Lee. If he hadn't been a booze hound
he'd have been the greatest pitcher in
the world. l saw him once over in
Chicago, and somehow this kids style
reminds me of him."
"Now, I'll tell you something else"
said Smith quietly. II knew this fell
low Lee. knew him better than most
anybody. l know all his stuff. I've
seen him work when he was good. l
tell you as sure as you live this kid is
Solomon Lee right over again-Solo-
mon Lee at his best He's got every
trick that Lee used to have"
"Where'd he get 'em:" asked Slad-
din.
81 taught him. said Smith. II took
that kid when he walked into this
town looking for a job. and L saw
right away that he had everything but
the savvy. I've worked with him Win
ter and summer. I've taught him
everything he knows. I've made Of
that kid the living image and double
or the greatest pitcher that ever lived.
Every time that kid works l can see
Old Solly Lee in the box. He's got
everything Lee w had, I tell you"
Huh" said Sladdin. SIS he a booze
fighter too?'
Don't know what it tastes like!'
snarled Smith.
What do you want for him?" asked
Sladdin carelessly.
"Net a red cent" snapped Smith.
"What?"