New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-14
Many a Boy Applies for
Job as Mascot of
DOnOVan's Men.
LAD OUT-LARDNER'S
ONE-RING LARDNER
Practically Certain Powers and
Sinclair Will Put Feds
in Newark.
By HAYWOOD BROUN.

BY HAYWOOD BR0UN.
An impression prevailed in this town
once that nobody loved the Yankees
Ii is false. A committee of newspaper
writer's sat down shortly after noon
yesterday 10 consider the letters OF
boys who wished to be mascots for Bill
Donoyan's team, and when dusk fell the
tally OF the applicants had not been
completed
From New Jersey, from Brooklyn and
even from The Bronx came scores OF
letters, the writers of which not only
admired and venerated the Yankees but
had done so for years. Usually the
services of one mascot are considered
sufficient TO produce victory, but al
ready Bill Donovan has the good wishes
Of many hundred prospective harding
ers Of fortune.
A few of the letters were pert. but
! for the most part tone of extreme po-
/ likeness was adopted as the surest
sesame TO the job. Almost without ex-
! ception the boys testified that they
were of exemplary habits. and one lad
, in particular declared that if he got
! the appointment he would see TO il that
the Yankees went to church in a body
every Sunday.
In not few of the letters there was
q trace of the hand of some elder per-
son. and one or two sounded suspicious
| ly like the work of practical jokers.
But there can be no question that if
the mascot letters are a criterion the
boys Of New York are passionately in
terested in the fate of the Yankees.
One writer disclosed himself as a fin
ished exponent of the Ring Lardner
school. II the letter is genuine, it is a
great human document. and il a fake, il
was at least penned by an artist of
skill. Here it is:
al am fourteen years Of old and my
father ticks me, He drives a bakery
Wagon when he works when | was
three years Of old caught the hopping
cof measels and croop when was FIVE
years Of old got diptheria and scarled
fever. When | was 10 years Of old /
got my adnoys and appendix cutten out
and last year ! had my big toe frozen
which had TO be cutten off.
81 forgot to mention my rite ear is
twise the sise of my left ear because
my father pulls it like door bell. All
my life ! had hard luck. But | amt
looking for sympathy but here's the
point. Your luck gotta change some
time so is the Yanks luck gotta change"
One lad, who evidently is not num-
bered among the exemplary army.
wrote: 81 am the luckiest and best
baseball player in The Bronx. An eX-
ample of my luck is when ] came into
a big crap game with one () cent, and
hu4 tho pame in one shoot
A poetical application in seven
stanzas seems destined to bring the
writer up among the prominent con-
tenders, out when he rhymed mascot
and "heart" there seemed to be
marked reversion of feeling. Twenty
Of the best letters were set aside for
tomorrow. The writers of these will
be called to the Yankee offices so that
the mascot committee may size them
up.
Newark need worry no longer. Al
though an official announcement is still
lacking, it is practically certain that
Pat Powers and Harry F. Sinclair will
place their tenn in the New Jersey
city. There is still chance for The
Bronx, however, as a movement Is on
foot to shift the Indianapolis team to
some more profitable point;
The Hoofeds won the championship
of their league last year, but did not
get a 500 mark on the books oil the
club. A club which lost money, even
though it captured pennsht, con
WINGED the club owners that ihdlsh
apolis was not big league city, and
,ians for q change OF base have been
pnder confederation for some time.
Kenny Kauf, who was the one SEN
sation of the Federal League last sea
con is member Of me Indianapolis
club and it is argued by some that ne
would prove a good card in New YORK
IL Manhattan or The Bronx is not IN
vaded. Cleveland will get the Hoofeds'
Mr.. Gilmore has an option on an eH-
cellent site in Cleveland, and Pat
Powers is said to be dickering with
Deyery for permission 10 use tne
/ Kinpsbridge tract which was under
I consideration by the Yankee owners
Tommy Leach, who has stuck to the
game in Just that fashion, is through
/ Az least, Roger Bresnahan says he is
/ rot good enough for the Cubs. Pos
| siblv the Feds are after Leach, or, al
/ any rate, IL is likely that some other
/ club will pick him. up. He has been IN
the game for ever and ever so long
/ but there were no special indications
last season that he was slowing. up
/ His health was sufficiently good TO
/ Kermit him 10 play in 1853 games and
/ he picked up a batting average Of .263.
/ Ne felded for 96s, and was second
/ only 70 Zach Wheat in the number OF
/ chances he handled.
I Can il be that Roger has cast Leach
odrift on account Of Chicsgo's new law
I forbidding child labor?
Those Of the Yankees who are 10 be
boiled LETT for Hot Springs, Ark, yes
1 terday. Ray Heating, the hurler OF the
! emery ball. was the only member OF
he gariy 10 start from New YORK.