New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-24

first I was a little worried about risk
ing the Big League, so ! said TO Bacon;
Nothing doing on Chicago. ] want
to stay right here
Take il Jp with your folks and see
what they think" advised Bacon.
After talking il over for some time
the family decided that ! might as we'll
take a chance. and / made up my mind
that would 90, more for the trip in
order TO see the big cities than for any
thing else. Il never entered my head
that ! might stick, and / had a hard
enough time doing it, as I will show in
another article. Making good in the
Big League was one of the toughest
Jobs have ever faced. Up TO this point
IN my career the limit OF my travels
had been two trips to New York.
All-Night Trip TO Join Cubs.
Oddly enough. had always been one
of the craZiest rOoters for the Giants
there ever was in Troy, and | would
have given anything if the deal had
been made with the New York team in
stead Of the Cubs. ! wanted to play
with the Giants, yet. since getting into
the Big League, have done more dam
age TO the Giants than any one man in
baseball, ! guess. | was more or less
responsible for the New York club los
ing the pennant in 1908, although
Hank" O'Day is still in there denying
IL. In fact, pretty much everything
have done worth while in baseball has
been against the New York club.
1t was on Sunday night before Labor
Day that decided 10 leave Troy 10 Join
the Chicago club, which was playing in
Philadelphia. Several of the bows. who
had been my friends from the time we
were all kids" together, rode from
Troy TO Albany on the trolley car with
me. They were escorting me off TO the
Big League where | was 10 play, al
/ though | had never yet seen a Big
League game. The first one ] ever saw
was the contest in which ! played as a
member Of the Chicago Cubs the next
day.
/ Not being an experienced traveller,
/ ! did not know anything about Pull
mans, so when ! arrived in Albany,
where | was 20 catch the train to New
I York, ! bought a lot Of cigars, boarded
the smoking car. and settled myself as
comfortably as ! could for the night.
The thirty or forty fellows who had
come over from Troy gave me a fare
well handshske, and ] was on my way
TO the Big League, even though my
Sive. From ! o'clock in the morning,
when the train left Albany, until $50.
when IT reached New York, smoked
steadily, rapidly reducing my supply
Of cigars. ] did not get "A wink OF
sleep, and / smoked until the smoke
came out Of my eyes
A cousin OF mine met me AZ the train
in New York and went TO Jersey CITY
with me helping with my bag and act
ing as guide. which ! needed. | had a
little breakfast there and then caught
the s o'clock train for PHILADELPHIA.
Ny tough luck still hung 10 me when
] reached that town, for | landed in
the middle of the Labor Day parade on
September 9, 1902, and they had a rule
that TO one could cut through the pro-
ces5ion.
This was enforced by the police. and
lost an argument with Copper"
while trying 10 sneak between the
hles. As result ! was an unwilling
spectator Of that parade for two hours.
all this time standing on the curb with
my grip in my hands. Finally reached
the old Continental Hotel, where the
Cubs were stopping, worn, dirty and
very weary.
For years had followed the base
| had never seen big league game. so
that when ! saw Bobby Lowe standing
outside Of the Continental | knew him
AZ once from pictures Of him in the
newspapers. or course, Lowe did not
recognize me.
Eyers Reports 10 Cubs.
as Selee around" ] asked him.
Lowe looked me over. and ! guess ]
presented a pretty tough appearance
after my hard night, for he said:
ayes, he's inside, but he's pretty
busy just now, and you won't be able
70 see him"
However. went along inside the ho-
tel. and found Selee very busy doing
nothing and sitting on p settee In the
lobby while doing u. No one was even
near this busy fellow. bu; ! suppose
Lowe had fgured me- /. nut from ms