The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-10-13

fore the Presbytery ana told 'em all ana
stuck to the church. and after eishN
years they ordained me as ministers
And then the other day Westmfnstar
going some for an old sport that's never,
seen the inside of college, isn't it?'s
Another speed contest which ats
tracted national attention at the tfma
was an unexpected "go" with Fl. u
Johnson, man very well known In
his day. As the South Bend Tribune
tells it:
.'In the spring Of 1887, without any
special training or previous experiences
in that specific athletic line, wttho03
practice in understanding and withonk
words of encouragement from friends to
spur him on, Sunday came within an
ace Of lowering the colors of FL. II. john
son, who at that time was heralced aH
the fastest runner of the day.
Sunday accepted a challenge, left the
diamond for the day, donned track suit
dug his spikes into the sands of the track
at Chicago beach, on Lake Michigan. and
raced Johnson, who was in the pink az
condition, and who had just returne4
from capturing the Sheffield chamrfoHs
ship in England.
"'We started off like shot, said SUM
day while in reminiscent mood the othA
er day. was used to speedy work on
the diamond but not on a straight track
I led Johnson for so yards, and then he
began to crawl up on me- Everything.
blurred before me- The crowd seemed 10
swim before my eyes as l ran, but coul0
see the finish line getting nearer ana
nearer. The distance was 100 yards
johnson and I neared the line neck-anG%
neck. He ran lower than I did enQ
breasted the tape just six inches ahead
of me and won.
serhe timers had six watches on U.s.
Three caught us at 10 seconds fiat AAen
three at AS seconds. After the race
Johnson turned. grasped my hand and
told me that in two weeks time he cout0
train me so that I could beat him hy
five feet with but little training I
said, nothing doing, though and wen1
back to the diamond and played"
Quoting from another article.
Sunday probably has the longest lower
leg, that Is, from the knee to the foot, on
any man ever seen in this city. It haA
powerful bullying muscles near the knee
tapering down to actual thinness near the
ankle, runners foot in every particuA
lar"
At Steubenville, when the national
championships were drawing to q
crisis, Sunday could not refrain from
making comparison with the bali
players of his day. The conversation
is typical, in that it displays the 10y
atty of the man. both to his past ASSOC
ciates and to the calling in which he
first won recognition. The interview
says:
"You can talk about Ty Cobb. Tr1A
Speaker, Lajoie and all the others
but there isn't man that has ever come
up to Cap Arson an batter" says EvansN
gelist Billy Sunday. Cap could SWING
on that ball-my how he could swfngs-4
and you could never tell where he would
send it. He could give terrific swat an&
there isn't batter today that can sur
pass him.
"And as to pitchers. John Clarksoxs
topped them all. John was the only man
ever saw who would throw overhande8e
and make the ball go down and then urs
He used to wear his fingernails DOWN trs
the quick in throwing that ball and wSui&1
have his fingers and the ball cover0S3
with blood.
"And some Of you fellows talk ahomls
the squeeze play and other new Plays
of the diamond. Bah! We used to make
those same plays Is years ago., only we
didn't have any fancy names for therHz.
Four times that know of, scored froxr
second base on an infield hit.
mo, sir. We didn't wear any gloves
In those days. You say: oh, the bah
must have been softer Let me tell yvn
1t was hard then as 1t is today and theD
used to shoot 'em over juts as swiftfM
too. My, how GARRISON, Mccormick.
Long John Whitney, Amos Rus2e
Charles Radbourne and those fellows
could send the ball over the plate.
But you know in those days fouls efd
really responsible for the present raaM
Mike would stand up at the plate an33
sometimes foul off 20 balls before IN
would hit safely. 1t became an art ana
he'd get the pitcher tired He wonaa
stand at the plate all day IL they ha6nr8
made the new rule on foul"
1t was during his career as a base
ball player that Mr.. Sunday was com
verted at the Pacific Garden Missions
in Chicago, under the ministration OF
Harry Monroe. Naturally this event
made a decided change In his life. ana
while, by his own confession. he van
somewhat given to excuses I'm hin
earlier day, 1t is interesting to kru0vs
that in a general way his character
and his habits were Of good ordaH
He was esteemed by all who knew
him. That their standards of life were
not the standards of leaders In ethicA2
thought is a criticism Of present dan
society, and not Of the man. I'm thin
connection 1t 10 worth while to quo&&
Mr.. Frank G. Richter, editor OF "Sporh
ing Life" probably the best knowH
publication OF its class in this countr&
Mr.. Richter says:
IT never had the pleasure Of personae
acquaintance with Mr.. Sunday, and there
fore cannot speak with the authority Go
intimate knowledge Of his personality ON
character. But I never heard anythfnn
but good Of him from those who knMx
him or associated with him. Ha ntnnk
high with his team mates, and that In y
splendid credential In my opinion. an ne
hypocrite could associate long with BAN
players without being unmasked ana
per consequence, treated with merfte6
contempt and perhaps, let severely alone