Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-05-02
M|ATTY TELLS
some VADDELL
BALL STORIES
By cARlsrY7 MATAsWsoN.

|
natural gift If both these players
had taken care or themselves, they
might still be stars of the big leagues.
Waddell was one Of the most like.
able men that the game has ever pro.
dueed. and in spite OF all his foolish.
mess 1t was impossible for anybody to
eget sore at the big left handler, Some
of the old players on the Giants were
talking about the star after we saw
the recent notice of his death in. the
newspapers; Stories were told of him
that I never heard before, and some
of these are worth putting down. They
gave true line on his character and
show that there was never anything
mean within the big exterior e&sS
| Wadie1l was always notably care
less with money. and ne never kept
track Of how much he had or how
much was coming to him. : Harry
Puiliam, who was the president of the
National league at the time Of his
DEATH was the secretary of the old
louisville team before the National
league was reduced to an, eight club
organization. Mr. Pulliam hit on a
scheme in 1899 70 make. "Rube" save
money. - -. z {
"r'Rube,'" he said to Waddells at the
beginning of the season, II am going
to give you 81 to spend every day,
and then we will pay you the balance
LOT what we owe You at the end of the
season so that you won't be broke all
winter. The club will take cAre OF
all your living expenses"
#.AM right" replied the good natur-
Ted "Rnbe."
/ So after every game that year Mr..
Pulliam gave Waddell his 81. He was
never a high salaried player in his
Epalmiest days, and believe the fig.
lures written into the best contract he
lever had did not amount to more
than $500, which would not be much
for a star Of his ability in these
times. sRnbe' went along all right
on his 81 allowance Until the end OF
1.-The season and then Mr.. Pulliam cali
led him into his Office and showed
'Rube' some books. M :
1--WE still owe you $3.50, on the sea;
son, " solemnly said the secretary OF
1.-THE Louisville club. $3.50.
AN right, answered "Rube, who
had kept no, track of what was com.
Ling. to him. re Il u. g. !.
Nov, Be careful Of that money =
advised Mr. Pulliam, because It has
I.got to last you for long time.
Sure" said Rube." ffh$s
By the first of November Mr.. Pull
liam heard from sRube," and the re.
port said he was broke. Waddell re.
Eceiyed q response OF SIS. which lasted
him for couple 6f weeks, and he
had to repeat his rednest for money.
This occurred several times and then
Mr.. Pulliarn sent him 500 for Christ
mas. "RuBe was back after more, by
the first OF February tsh&T &"+
+'"You,te digging into the advance
money pretty strong this winter,
'Rube. - said Mr.. PnIliam as he hand.
ed over SIS. sssEsk EttS ~ "
When 'Rube,n' reported, in 1900, Mr..
Pul1iam figured it up and found that
IIWaddel1 still had $1,100 coming on
This past seasons salary. He sent
Iff$1, 900 of this to Wadde1l's father, who
Twas sheriff IN Butler, Pa, with the tip
linot to mention 1t to his son. Then
Inc handed over the 500 to RUDE"
THAT was still coming to you, for
your last seasons work." said Mr..
Pulliam. Waddell pocketed the mo.
ney without complaint. If he had
drawn his salary twice a month dur.
ing the season as the rest Of the play.
,ers did, the fmprovident Waddell
would not have had "a cent left by the
! close of the 1899 campaign. AS ii
/ was, his father put $1,000 in the bank
for him.
Pitcher Always Travelled, Light
! When WaddelI travelled, he Travelled
i light He did not have even an extra
necktfe, as rule, and, when his shirt
got dirty he would throw it away and
i buy another He pursued the same
course with collars.
After the season of 1899 Mr.. Pull
liam suggested to WaddeIl that he had
better have a couple of suits OF
clothes to go him through the win
ter, so Pulliam took him over to a
furnishing store, where the purchases
were made. Mr.. Pulliam paid for the
suits. The next spring marked the
first season of the combination of the
Pittsburg and Louisville clubs, and
Waddell, of course, went to the Pi
rates. The team trained in Thomas
vile, Ga, and stopped at a hotel call
ed the Piney Woods. "Rube" was al
ways nut about fires, and one broke
out in the hotel on a Sunday morn
ing, which did not do much damage
but caused a lot of smoke. Waddell
was right in the thick Of it and hus
tied out a swarm of trunks, carrying
them downstairs by himself-trunks
that had each taken the combined eff
forts of a couple of southern porters
to move That was characteristic OF
RUDE"
The team got to Louisville early
and trained there for ten days because
of smallpox epidemic on part of the
route, which necesstated the cancel
lation of some of the dates. The pro
prietor of the clothing store that had
sold Waddell his two suits the pre-,
vious fall met the big southpaw on
the street while he was strolling along
with Pittsburg newspaper man trav.
cling with the club. OF course he was
glad to greet the famous pitcher
How are you, 'Rube?'" said the