Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-07
-aA RAIN CHECK,D by CHARLES p. WAN LOA
"a RAIN CHECK"
Mysterious appearance of MeSsr George White and Ek Bates
The Tucson Eagles Acquire New Talent Quite by Accident
The Betting Changes Considerably.
BY CHARLES =. VAN LOAN
The worlds Most Famous writer Of Baseball Fiction.


managers over by the stand He want
to see how you work against hitters
Give him some OF that Class A stun.
The red-head went into the box
| whlrled over few preliminary balls, anc
Delaney sent his Eagles up with instruc'
tions to tear the cover on the ball.
"Dutoh" Schmidt, Tucson's famous
home-run hitter, almost broke his back
/ reaching after a fadeaway drop; mouse
| McGhee, the lighting shortstop, swung
| like n garden gate" and kid PeteTs,
Moose" Jones. and Smiling Kelly did
no better The red-head made them look
foolish with a dazzling succession of fast
| balls, slow balls curve balls and jump
| ing inshoot. which hummed as II cut the
inside corner of the plate. The Eagles
were wounded in their vanity but Patsy
Delaney was the happy man. There was
no need for Whites strong Endorsement
Can he pitch!" snorted the catcher:
"why, say, that sorrel-top has got halt
these big leaguers cheated! He's a WON
der, I tell you. Grab himV'
So the sorrel-top was grabbed. He said
that his name was ELI Bates, and he came
from Eugene, Ore, where he had pitched
ball "a little" Pressed for facts, he
modestly admitted that he usually
struck out about 10 men, had record OF
1S for nine innings, and but for MS olo
man." who II transpired, was Meth
odst minister, might have signed a con-
tract with the Portland Club, Of the Pa
ci1c Coast League He was quite willing
to work for a guarantee Of $25 per game,
but would expect bonus of Slb II he
won.
On Saturday morning the Blsbee "Griz-
zlles" came whooping into Tucson for
two-game series. The Grizzlies were
chesty aggregation, which had been MAX
rors," the Prescott "Grays" and the Cam
anea Coyotes"
The Eagles had always been easy pluck
ing for the Bisbee club, and tho sporting
men who journeyed with the team offered
to bet two to one on the game In which
Moreno would pitch, or eight to ten that
the Grizzlies would win both games. Pete
Moreno, Mexican, was their star pitcher,
with seasons record of II victories and
a single defeat.
Better get you some of that two to
one" said White to Delaney, i've taken
$50 worth myself This oregon baby will
eat 'em alive!'
Lew Kelly pitched on Saturday, and
was properly and painfully lambasted by
the Grizzlies. The only bright spot was
the work of the new catcher He threw
out the first three men who started to
steal second base, caught one man nap
ping off first and another off third, and
made three long hits out OF four times
at bat. After the fourth inning the Griz-
zlies hugged the bases and waited for the
safe hits; George White. of st. Louis, had
them glued to the sacks" as the morn
Ing paper expressed 1t.
But on Sunday the Oregon baby was
called upon to face the invincible Moreno.
and, as White had prophesled, he ate
them alive. Just as sample of what he
could do If really pressed, Ell Bates, of
Eugene, struck out the first four men
who faced him and sent the entire Grizzly
lineup back to the bench sore from
at his deceptive curves. Some
Of them drew fouls, which White cared
for; others hit weakly down the infield
and were tossed out at first base. In
about seven minutes Tucson was aware
that the red-headed recruit had some
thing" and the betting odds switched to
even money.
Pete Moreno held his own until the
sixth inning, when White smashed out
4 long triple, and the red-head followed
lim with n vicious line drive between
Moreno's shoulder and ear. White scored,
and the Mexican pitcher blew up with a
oud report. Before he recovered Dutch
schmidt whaled the ball over the left
ield fence, and three runs won the game.
The morning paper proudly called atten-
ion to the fact that Bates struck out IA
men, gave only one base on balls, and
allowed but two hits, one of which, II was |
pointed out, was OF the petty-larceny
'arlety.
Bates and White became popular he
'oes, receiving homage, "bit' cigars, and
Iind words that night at the billiard par
or. Tucson, said the followers of the |
lational pastime, was now on the base |
'all map. Let the Grays, the Coyotes
md the Terrors take notice.
The Prescott Grays brought a brass
'and with them, and 1t went away play-
ng funeral march. Eli Bates-"Get |
There, ELL" as he was christened-was
esponsible. He pitched both games, al
owing five hits in IS innings, and the
cores were to 0 and to / in favor of
he Eagles.
The citizens presented ELI with a gold
watch on the Sunday when he pitched
.gainst the Terrors; score, Eagles 2,
'errors o.
In no time at all the Eagles, once a
cam feared by none. became the terrors
4 the Arizona circuit The betting
witehed until Tucson men fought for a
nance TO bet two to one on Bates when-
yer he pitched. Patsy Delaney took his
Tub on tour. and II won eight games
ut or ten' Ell Bates scoring six shut
Delaney bought a diamond borsesbos
s big as a silver half dollar and formalIv
halenged every team west OF the Mis-
issippi River. He had won a small for
une betting on Bates games, and the
efeat ~
CONTINUED ToMoRRow.)