South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-24
MENKE TELLS Of
SCOUT WHO WENT
INTO COAL MINE
Signed Tom Wilson for Mime
apOIiS While Under Earth
Harvard Clears Up Nearly
100000 From Football.
BY Frank G. NIenke.

NEW YORK. Dec. 24.-Mike Ka-
hoe. scout for the Washington and
Minneapolis clubs went down into a
coal mine recently to get the sigma
ture of "A catcher who will get a trial
with the Minneapolis club in the
American association next season.
His name is Tom Wilson" said
Kahoe. 1T was told 20 go 20 Hart
ford, Nebraska, where he lived. When
/ got 10 Hartford 1 found il a town
Of about 200. In the outskirts was
coal mine. Inquiry developed the
fact that Wilson was at work in the
mine. / decided to wait until he came
out in the evening 70 sign him up, but
/ suddenly changed my mind follow
ing conversation with one OF the
armed guards near the mine.
There's going TO be trouble
around here pretty soon. mister said
the guard. The regular miners are
liable 70 come in on any train and the
troops are on the way. Kinda think
there's going 10 be some shoOtin'
hereabouts.'
That was enough for me-" con-
tinued Kahoe. Il just made for the
mouth OF that mine shaft and de-
manded to be taken down The
guards around there locked me over
/ thought sure they were going TO
risk me, but they didn't because
presented cards and letters that were
convincing proof that / wasn't a spy
Well, after going down and down
for about So miles the bucket that
was riding in reached the bottom 1
was led for three or four miles far
ther and pretty soon I came upon a
gang Of men. Ny guide pointed out
one and said:
That's Wilson
Il told Wilson that L had come to
sign him up for the Minneapolis club.
offered him terms and he said they
were satisfactory. Then he signed the
contract and l started for the top Of
the earth once more. I got there and
i got out Of town just before the sold
iers arrived.
What did Wilson look like?" Ka-
hoe was asked
say / wouldn't know him again if
] saw him on the street or in a mine. ."
answered the doubt. All those fell
lows looked alike down there. They
all were about as black and sooty as
could be. Maybe the guide gave me
the wrong steer and maybe l signed
mp the wrong man, but I took q
chance on that rather than hang
around that town any longer than
had to-"
Football as she is conducted at
Harvard is quite a lucrative sport
The total Harvard receipts for the
1914 season were $197, 600. The total
expenses were about $4,000. That
leaves $4,000 as a net profit.
And up in Harvard they resent the
remarks Of some folks who contend
that colleges commercialize sport.
The Harvard share for that Yale
Harvard game was about $4,000. The
Princeton game receipts were S4O,-
000 and the Michigan receipts about
S30 600. The rest of the money
came from the Washington and JEFF
ferson. Pennsylvania State. Tufts.
Bates Brown and Springfield Y VI. G.
4. games.
The Army Navy football dates aft
or the 1915 game is played may con
flict with the Yale-HarVard battle
dates. IL has been customary i'm the
past for Yale and Harvard TO meet on
the Saturday proceeding Thanksgiv-
ing day.
or late the Army coaches have
come out strongly against playing
their big game so late in the season,
the contention being that the weather
gets SO cold mp around West Point to-
ward the latter part OF November
that il interferes with training and
that the coaches are unable TO get the
players into the proper condition.