Omaha daily bee., 1915-02-28
STALLINGS AND HIS HOODOO
Only Menke Says Stallings Has Many
Of Them and They Bring Con-
slant Worry.
FEW TALES OF INSIDE STUFF

NEW YORK. Feb. 21.-The score was
3 to against the Braves. This was In
a game PLAYED in Boston IN the summer
OF 1918 Il was the ninth inning. Two
men were out and the Braves had a man
on first and another on second.
Hap" Meyers the husky Boston first
sacksr. walked to the slate. LONG hit
would either tie tho score or win the
game. Hap" let the first one pass and
huntc9 the sscond He was thrown out
By al least ton feet and the game was
over The Braves had lost
Hap" ~ terror over a possible re-
uukc from Manager George stallings,
sncaked into the clubhouse. stallings
was there. enshrouded In deepest gloom.
Base bail never knew harder loser
than Staninrs But stnllngs never said
y word TO Meyers then. and Meyers
drckca out Of the clubhouse and went
hcmc thinking Stallings had overlooked
that bunt-out.
B.t staiings hadn't.
Tho next morning found stailings at
Meyers home Meyers had just got
ten up.
Hap. said stallings, Il want 90 know
why YOU hunted with two out and two
On bases"
..wtn. YOU see. boss" explained
Hap" thought I'd double-cross the
other fellows.''
"Double-cross emf" asked stsilings,
puzzled.
YES. You see they were looking for
me TO hit Il out and I thought ia catch
em asleep with a hunt
oh that's Il. ehT" said stallings,
Thought you'd doublo-cross 'om, hey?
Wen. you didn't double-cross them. but
sou did double-cross me. I've spent the
whole night trying to figure out why you
hunted. That's the reason, eh-wanted
10 double-cross the other fellows7'
yes; that's IT,"
wen. lemrne tell You this, Hap Mey-
ers." and staifngs poked menacing
finger at his big first baseman. III you
ever again try any OF that double-cross-
ing stuff theren be a funeral In this
particular nelghborhood. Good day
doubie-crosser.' And stallings walked
away.
Hides from View.
One Of Stallings superstitions Is that
Il jlnxes hts team II there Is anyone In
the box that looks directly into the
Braves dugout. To prevent thie. stall
ings always requests the home club not
10 sell that particular box.
The clubs usually grant stallingS re-
Quest. but Il sometimes happens that
folks In the grandstand wander
n into that box. such an event took
..,.e in Philadelphia.
tallings saw that the intruders were
looking eurlously into tho Braves dug
out" The game was close stailinga
wanted 20 win lt-and hero he was being
TAXED by the lnterlopers. stallings jumped
70 his feet and yelled some orders to
number OF utility players.
Two minutes later nix OF the ball players
rushed into sight draggins the huge tar
paulln that 10 used TO cover the diamond
on rainy days. They pulled the canvas
over TO a point between the box and the
Braves dug-out.
LIFT her up now commanded Stall
,ings. And the players did. completely
shutting Off the view OF the persons who
had wandered into this reserve" box and
were piping Off the Braves.
WouIa Throw Water on Fans.
same time later a similar intrusion oc-
CURED in another city. Staliings gave
orders TO hoist the tarpausin. but tho
tarpaulln was locked up somewhere ane
couldn't be located.
well. get EN- away-and set 'ern away
Quick" commanded stalilngs. pointing TO
the ihterlopers In tho box.
"whatn we do?" asked Oscar pugey.
utnty man for the Braves and ono OF
the official 'Hhoocrs' OF tho undesirable.
BUST their noses--douso 'em with water
Al anVthlnr YOU want--but get 'om
away before they hoodoo us." yelled
staiIines, growing more excited every
moment as the parties In the box CON
tinued 20 stare at the Braves in their
duR-out.
pugery rushed away, got bucket
filled Il with water and hustled back, bu'
his ''donsing services we're not needed
The intriders evidently had taken the
hint and left the sacred box while pusery
was hunting for the bucket.