Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-15
Rochester Star Trains on Milk
and Tobacco in OFF Season.
Hunts and Motors.
By 0. B. Keller.
TIME first time l ever saw Tommy
Mcmillan was in July, 1905, or


TIME first time l ever saw Tommy
1 Mcmillan was in July, 1905, or
maybe it was August. 1t really
doesn't matter, and the only reason
| am Juggling that far away date into
this narrative is so | can hang a tale
on it,
Tommy Gas of course you know Is
an Atlanta boy. He lives with his
at No. BAL Myrtle street-that is.
when he isn't playing ball with the
Rochester club of the International
League. He is one of the smallest
ball players who ever achieved big
league fame, and also enjoys the dis
tinction somewhat rare these days.
of being thoroughly satisfied with his
job and in no way inclined to dicker
with the Feds.
They think a great deal of Tommy.
up in Rochester and Tommy thinks
a lot of the club, too.
A Game of Long Ago.
That first time / saw Tommy, now.
1t was on the depot platform at
Marietta, and Tommy, with the then
celebrated Southern Bell Telephone
Company team, was changing cars to
go up the A, X. & n. to place called
Nelson, where the Southern Bell boys
were to play supposed thick" team
that day. l was going to Nelson, too,
and ! saw the game.
While the train was making up It's
mind to start, Tommy was kidding"
with slim chap about twice his
length. That was Ed LaFitte, also
Well known in baseball. They We're
just out of Tech at the time. thought
hn I
had seen. And | didn't think then
that I'd ever be interviewing Tom
my about-well, you'll see in a min
ute if you have the nerve to keep on.
WaIIoped by the "Hicks."
The city ball team had it all framed
up to romp with the Nelsonites, but
the scheme fell through. The main
reason for that was a chap named
Craig Day. Day was a side-kick IF
LaF1tte's on the Tech team, and Ed
die was amazed to see him lined up
with the ruralists. So was Tommy,
but that didn't prevent him from
cracking out a two-b base hit when he
led off in the first inning.
That hit of Tommy's was exactly
one-half of the total batting attack on
Mr.. Day. Tommy got as far as third
that inning, and that was as near as
the Southern Bells came to scoring.
The final count was to 0.
The hicks" seemed to have a pref
ty fair little ball team
A Prophecy.
Well, / watched Tommy that day
at first because / was interested in
seeing so small chap play ball, and
later because ! was interested in the
class of ball he was playing. For
one thing. he got the ball away sooner
after getting his hands on it than any
other inf1elder | had ever seen.
That evening | said to somebody Or
other: THAT Mcmillan kid will be
up yonder one Of these days, il he
keeps on playing ball"
This is the first time $50 far as
know that l have said II told you
SO"
In the Big Show.
The next thing | heard Of Tommy
he was in professional ball. Not very
much later ne was with Brooklyn
And that recalls another yarn, which
isn't so long as the last one.
It was that amazing speed in han
ding and throwing ground-hit balls
that directed the scouts attention to
Tommy and after he was an estab-
liShed star that same dash and snap
sumetim, got him charged with black
marks In the "e" column. one dav-