Omaha daily bee., 1915-12-12
WHEN HOMER MEANT GLOOM
RUDE 0ldring Laces Out Circuit
Drive in Worlds Series, but it
Brings Only Sadness,
AND THERE WERE TWO ON, TOO

There are a lot Of heartaches among
the ball tossers, some of which are when
base hits have gone Rstray by phenome-
nal catches by opponents. for a base bail
player loves his hits as he ought to love
his wife and does love his pay check.
There are times, though. when a player
gets the hit and yet isn't happy.
Report has II that RUDE Oldring 10
going to retire from the game. II Rube
sticks to that ACKNOWLEDGEMENT on one
believe that he will-he can look back
on his career and easily locate the un-
happiest hour Of his life during the time
that he wore a uniform. 1t was sad
day for Rube. and yet Il was all brought
about by his own home run hit, and that
drive was made In a worlds series game.
! Most players would look upon a home
| run hit I'm n worlds series contest as the
most momentous occasion in their lives.
To Oldring his four-bagger brought only
lot OF gloom.
II was In the fifth and what should
have been the deciding game OF the
worlds series OF 1911 that Oldring banged
out his circuit drive. This hit should
have clinched the series for the Athletics.
The hit was made off Marauard. The
game was played at the Polo grounds
In New York, oldring's home was then
only few miles from the Polo grounds.
and there were a lot Of his boyhood
chums looking on.
Two On at Time.
In the third inning. with Lspp AMI
Coombs on the bases. Oldring drove the
ball into the left field bleachers. making
the score 3 TO 0. Late In the game
Coombs incurred the injury which laid
him up for many months. but he per-
sisted In remaining on the rubber. In
the seventh inning New York scored a
run, making the score to l. All during
the game oldring was delighted at ths
thought OF that four-bagger and how he
would have fun all winter with his New
York friends.
Incidentally. Rube was dreaming Of the
offers he would get from vaudeville
agents to 60 on the stage. Then came
the ninth inning. and New York scored
two runs and tied the count. That made
Oldring's homer fade considerably in i'm
portancs.
Glamour of Feat Lost.
In the tenth inning. with Plank pitch
ing. the Giants landed another tally and
won the game. to g. The injury to
Coombs, the story that Larry Doyle had
not actually touched the home plate in
scoring In the tenth inning and the SEN
sational manner In which the Giants
had pulled the Victory out of the fire
took away nearly all the glamour from
Oldring's feat. Instead Of homo run
which would go down In base ball his
tory with Frank Bakers two four-bag-
gers In tho same series. Rube's hit be-
came a mere incident OF the contest.
There were no offers from vaudeville
agents for oldring to 60 on the stage.
His name was not blazoned across the
pages OF the newspapers as the hero OF
the final game Of the series, and his pic
ture did not decorate the front pages.
while no squad OF agents asked him TO
sign papers indorsing eigarets. dyspepsia
cures, chewing gum. soft drinks. etc.
When Rube trotted around the bases
on that memorable hit he saw visions OF
fame and fortune. An hour OF 30 later
It had all slipped away like a mirage.
No wonder oldring considers that the
unhapplest hour Of his life on the dia-
mond.