The Washington herald., 1915-04-18

club, leader in the Eastern
League, had returned TO the
hotel after winning doublcheadcr
from the Syracuse club. For some
occult reason there was to be lay
off next day and .hcn on the follow
ing another doublc-hcader. These
double-h caderS we hated next TO ex-
hibition games. Still lay-off for
twcnty-four hours. at that stage OF
the race, was a Godscnd, and we re-
ccivcd the news with ordinations OF
pleasure.
After dinner VIC were all sitting
and smoking comfortably in front OF
the hotel when our manager, Merritt,
came ilurricdly out OF the lobby. 1t
struck INC that he appeared a little
hustcred.
Say. you fcllars," he said brusquc-
". Pack your suits and be ready
for the bus at sovcn-thirty."
For a moment there was blank.
oIninuuS silence. while we assinilatcd
the meaning OF his terse speech.
I've got good thing on for to-
morrow" continued the manager.
"Sixty per cent gate receipts if we
win. That Guelph team is hot stuff,
though"
Guelph" exclaimed some OF the
players suspiciously. where's
Guelph"
It's in Canada Well take the
night express an get there tomorrow
in time for the game. An we'll hev
TO hustle"
Upon Merritt then raincd a multi
plicitv OF excuses. Gillingcr was not
well, and ought to have that days
rest Snead's eyes would profit by a
lay-of. Decrioot Browning was
leading tho league in base running,
and as his legs were all bruised and
scrapcd by sliding, manager who
was not an idiot would have a care
OF such valuable runmakcrs for his
team. Lake had "charlcy-horsc."
Hathawav'S arm was sore. Banc'S
stomach threatened gastrits. Spikes
Doran's finger needed a chance to
heal. | was stale, and the other play
ers, three pitchers. sworc their arms
should be in the hospital.
Cut it Quit" said Merritt, getting
exasperatcd. YOU'D all lay down on
me-now, wouldn't you? Well, listen
to this: McDougal pitched today;
he doesn't so. Blake works Friday;
he doesn't go But the rest OF you
puffed-ur. high-salaricd stiffs pack
your grips quick. See? It'll cost any
fresh fcllar fifty for missin' the
train
So that was how eleven OF the
Rochester team found themselves
moodily boarding a Pullman en- route
for Buffalo and Canada. We went
to bed carly and arose late.
Guelph lay somewhere in the in
terror OF Canada, and we did not cx
pcct to get there until I o'clock.
AS it turned out, the train was late;
we had to dress hurriedly in the
smoking room, pack Our citizen
clothes in Our grips and leave the
train to go direct to the bali grounds
without time for lunch.
1t was a tired, dusty-eyed. neevish
crowd of ball players that climbed
into a waiting bus at the little sta
ton.
VIC had never heard OF Guelph; we
did not care anything about RUDE
baseball teams. Baseball was not
play TO us: it was the hardest kind
OF work, and OF all things an cxhi-
bition game was an abomination.
The Guelph players, strapping lads,
met lis with every remark OF respect
and courtesy and escorted us to the
field with a brass band that was loud
in welcome, ii not harmonious in
tune.
Some 500 men and boys trottcd
curiously along with us, for all the
world as ii the bus were circus pa |
radc cage filled with striped tigers. !
What 4 rustic. motley crowd masScd !
about in and on that ball ground
There must have been 10000,
IT, 90