New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-20

did not do his arm any good, since age
is getting into the "old soupbone.' The
weather Just settled in it last spring
Therefore fixed up trade with Miller
Higgins, of St. Louis, which brought
Whitfield and Gather to Boston and
which sent Perdue to St Louis. Let me
state badly right here and without any
reservations that / never regretted the
trade.
Perdue pitched good ball with the
Cardinals, and | am glad of It, The
weather suited his arm better in st.
Louis than it did in Boston, and he got
good year. | had a talk with Perdue
on the last trip the st. Louis club made
East, and he was feeling pretty sore
about being out of the worlds series
cut, as it looked sure then that we
would be the next champions of the Ma
tional League, but he "kidded" about
his misfortune, as he does about every
thing.
"I'm glad I've still got my home,
George" he declared "That is some
thing 20 be thankful for, anyway. You
must have known you were going to get
into that big series when you eased me
off the club. | always cut into the
tough luck for my share"
huD Is nero ncTt'
While we are discussing Hub"
want TO relate little story of which
the big pitcher was the hero. ! have
g regular system of working pitchers
that | always stick to. pick two pitch
ers for every game, and call them No.
/ and No. 2. One day early last season
picked James for the first pitcher
and Perdue for the second. AS soon as
the contest starts No pitcher is sup
posed to hike out to the warm-up pen
and take just enough to be ready to
go into the box in case the man work
ing cracks. In this way am not caught
without a warm pitcher, and many
ball game is saved. Its purpose is ex-
pressed in our club slogan-"Always
get the percentage"
you're No. l pitcher to-day, Bill"
said to James, land Hub you're No.
g"
We were playing on the road, and so,
being the visitors, we went TO the bat
first. We tore in and made four or FIVE
runs in the first inning, which was an
unusual thing for the team in those
days. James went to work and got
away bad. He could not throw ball
near enough to the plate fer the batter
to reach it with pole, and they filled
I'D Ine bases on Dlms was btNNlilb
pretty anxious when ! happened to look
around and saw "Hub" comfortably
souched down on the other end of the
bench. My temper cracked under the
strain.
"Why, you big, numbering, lazy
| dub" said, and then went on from
there and called him a lot of names.
Didn't you hear me tell you that you
were No 2 pitcher to-day? Do you
think that assignment entities you to
ringside seat here on the bench.
Get out there and warm up or get out
Of the park and never come back"
The lacing gave Hub" was a
1 pretty strong one even for me, and 1t
curled him up like salt on snail.
| James steadied up right afterward.
and Perdue did not need to pitch. The
! incident slipped out of mind until
/ after the game, when ! found Hub"
sitting in the clubhouse looking very
/ sore.
whats the matter, 'Hub'?" asked
| him.
81 was Just trying to make up my
mind whether to try to lick you for
what YOU said this afternoon and then
blow the club or whether to take 1t.
can't afford to blow the club, ]
/ guess"
Game Talk Doesn't Go.
Listen, Hub" told him. "You
ought to have seen enough of me by
this time to know that what | say in
the heat of a game don't go. Now,
| forget it. | didn't mean anything ex-
| cept I wanted TO impress on you that
when | tell you that you are No. z
pitcher, you are too be in shape TO
/ step into that box at seconds no
tice. Many ball game has been lost
because the manager was caught with
| all his pitchers cold"
Until June / there was nothing to
do but grit our teeth and wait. The
return of the club to condition came
all at once in the latter of June
and the TEN began to improve and
play real good ball from that date.
| The players held up their heads and
the pitchers got right. From July 8,
when we started our big squirt which
took us to the worlds championship
and which made all The baseball world
gasp, the club improved every day that
the players put on their uniforms. The
Evers deal was the big thing for the
club. He helped the team very mate
rally all tn. way. AS we continued to
win the players gained confidence, and
the club went ahead day after day.
Deal was still playing on one leg,
I 4 e h. Nrhg ~ ssNT