The Washington herald., 1915-05-02
Copyright. 1881


crowd toward the bleachers. l could
not have been mistaken. He was
Old Well-Well, famous from Boston
to Baltimore as the greatest baseball
fan in the East. His singular yell
had pealed into the ears of five hun
dred thousand wo-shipers Of the
national game and would never be
forgotten.
At sight OF him l recalled friends
baseball talk. you remember Old
Well-Well? He's all in-dying, poor
old fellow, 1t seems young Burt,
whom the Phillies are trying out this
spring, is Old Well-Well's nephew
and protege. Used to play on the
Murray Hill team; speedy young
ster. When the Philadelphia team
was here last, Manager Crestline an
nounced his intention to play Burt
in center field. Old Well-Well was
too i'll to see the lad get his tryout.
He was heart-broken and said: II |
could only see one more game
The recollection OF this random
baseball gossip and the fact that Phil
adclphia was scheduled to play New
York that very day, gave me a sud-
den desire to see the game with Old
Well-Well. | did not know him, but
where on earth were introductions
as superfuous as on the bleachers?
Ii was a very easy matter to catch up
with him. He walked slowly, leaning
hard on cane and his wide Shout
dcrs sagged as he pulled along. l
was about to make some pleasant re-
mark concerning the prospects OF
fine game, when the sight OF his face
shocked me and | drew back. If ever
I had seen shadow OF pain and shade
OF death they hovered darkly around
Old Well-Wcll.
No one accompanied him; no one
seemed to recognize him. The ma
ioritv OF that merry crowd OF boys
and men would have jumped up wild
with pleasure to hear his well-remenl-
bered yell Not much longer than a
wear before. l had seen ten thousand
fans rise as one man and roar a greet
ing to him that shook the stands. So
was confronted by situation strik
ingly calculated to rouse my curiosity
and sympathy.
He found an end seat on a row at
about the middle OF the right-held
bleachers and | chose one across the
aisle and somewhat behind him. No
PLAYERS were yet in sight. The stands
were filling up and streams OF men
were filing into the aislcs OF the
bleachers and piling over the benches.
Old Well-Well settled himself COM
fortablv in his scat and eazcd about
him with animation. There had come
a change to his massive features. The
hard lines had Softened; the patches
OF gray were no longer visible; his
checks were rudy; something akin
TO a smile shonc on his face as he
looked around, missing no detail of
the familiar scene.
During the practice OF the home
team Old Well-Wcll sat still with his
big hands on his knees; but when the
gong rang for the Phillies, he grew
restless, squirmed in his seat and half
rose SeN 1dl llIllcS. ulNlISN tilS III
rortuning OF his old habit to greet
his team with the yell that had made
him famous. ! expected him to get
IN: ] waited for it. Gradually, how
ever. he became quiet as a man gov
crncd by severe self-restraint and di
rected his attention to the Philadel-
rhia center fielder.
Al a glance | saw that the player
was new to Inc and answered the
newspaper description OF young Burt.
What a lively looking athlete. He
was tall, 1.-the, yet sturdy. He did not
need to chase more than two fly balls
to win me. His graceful, fast style |
reminded me OF the great Curt WEIGH. |
Old Well-Welrs face wore a rapt ex-
preston. discovered myself hoping
Burt would make good; wishing he
would rip the boards off the fence;
praying he would break up the game
1t was Saturday, and by the time
: :. :.