The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-10-16
LEE KING NON
Bic Lacquer
SAYS CHARLES ]. DOYLE SPORT
WRITER OF PITTSBURGH CA
zETTE TIMES.
Tells Of Mine Disaster at Monongah-
HOW Lee King Took Day OF and
Probably Saved Life. =

How Ice king was saved from death
in the NnnonEah min" disaster several
years ago how h. took ur the good old
National game and finally landed Il berth
III the m;Lior lCaGl!" i'll II year is an m
tcrcsting feature story written by ChaS
j. Doyle. sport writer of the FittShurFh
Gazette Times yesterday about tn" for
mcr Stngir right1irldrr. The lure or
IT," skates was too much for Lc" on the
fatal day auC!--buL let Doyle tell the
story:
The river was frozen over with
thick. smooth covering Of tempting ice
on Il wincry morning. ;Ind Lee King.
1i-ycar-nld hoy who WAS Just beginning
to feel his huyi%h strength. stopped 10
EuZr at tho icy :suri;,r" while ON his way
To work IN the coal mine.
go. gee! they kin get somebody else To
drive the old mule today" the boy said
Ia himself. as 1t" irnzrn lnnGinglE at the
expansive skating rink that spread IL
self up and down the old Mnn0nEahcln.
Turning backward with his little lunch
hUN. t!r' sturdy litti" fellow walked with
Il quick step to hi sh0mc. grabbed pair
of skates. and rushing out again into
the inviEoratnE air. headed for the
mime machine shop. whore he knew tho
place III" machiniSt Kept his best iilr.
Tho m;LrhniSt was Il good friend OF his
and he knew he could get II nice edge
on the skates before giving them their
trynut.
Sixties Saves Els Life.
Eut Ice didn't reach the ice that
morning. The kid was working faith
fully on his skates when Il series or
tremendous explosions rang out on the
clear morning. These same eruptionS
undcrErounds trapped hundreds Of poor
coal miners while 1T their work and
one of the worst mine disasters in his
troy WAS recorded.
The boy who had In his cnrcfrce
youth decided not to go into tho mine
that morning wanted to assist in the
active rescue work. for hr was stronger
however. objected and the son could
do no moro than join the host OF mourn
rrS who filled the little town Of Mnnon-
gah. the stricken village just across the
river from Fairmont, w. Va.
Unusual Athletic Ability.
Lee has now reached his manhood.
and fine athletic specimen lie is.
Ture his education has been very
scant but he has plenty Of native sense
that will cultivate tho germs or
fondnesS for learning rs he did for
skating on that ercnttul morning back
in 1907.
The younester went back into the
mines Surruwfully after the giant hole
in the earth had been reopcncd for
operation. but rs he grew in years no
vowed he would get into the clear air
as soon rs possible. About this time
he started 10 play baseball with the
boys around his home town ana his
skill was commented on generally. al
though he WAS never given Il chance to
show against tho high-clasS clubs un-
I'll last fall.
Hammered Pirate Pitchers.
The Pittsburgh Pirates went to Nor
gantown Ia harnStorm one day near the
close q! last ScaSuu and their opposition
consisted OF Il bunch of youngsters who
played under the direction of Charlie
Hickman. famous in the old days. Hick
had heard about young King. and Lee
came to the surface long enough to play
for money in tho national pastim2. Ac
cording to reports he earned his coin
in his debut. for the box score cred
it"d him with n trio of hits His speed
and arm power made an impression on
all who watched him play.
This spring Lee was determined that
he could make his living on top Of the
earth and he caught on" with Harry
Smith at Wheeling. To he brief. Lee
punished the bali to the tune or .30n or
Whereabouts. and his arm cut down many
aspiring runners who thought they could
stretch their hits.
HIS Ruse Caught Baserunners.
lie" is now Il full nedgcd member OF
the Pirates. He did not dream that he
would reach the majors in ON" season.
but he has already Sccn the fire 0I ma
ior league pitching and tho null" driver
has porSis tently refused To back away
from the plate.
There is something ricturesuuc in the
makeup OF the boy that is sure In dis
tinEuish him from the ordinary player.
For instance ne duprd many Of tn" Cen
trail LeaEuc hatSm"n into 4 haS"-run-
n"r's death through Il trick that is many
years old. Lee thought it was now. but
it had been worked often while he and
his mule were pulling tho squeeze" in
tho old coal mine. King played the out
field for Wheeling and often when Il
halter singled to his territory he grab
he'd tho hall off the ground and ran to-
il. The hatt"rS generally turned first
and started for second. Leo ihcn turned
suddenly. threw the ball without Il hop
10 the bag and nearly always got his
man.
Not an Ar1n-A Gun.
Hooks Warner. another Pirate who
played with Dayton hit single TO
Kings territory. Iouks figured that
King was trying TO fool him ana he
got up extra speed going around first.
Warner thought The ball was rolling
slow enough to go through with the
play. but wonderful throw by the
young miner cut him down.
He surely does carry y gun in the
outhcld." HonkS remarked laughiugly
while relating tn" Incident.
Bill Wagner. young Pirate catcher.
who starred with T"rre Hautc. admircs
the nerve OF The young West NirEiuian.
Bill has reason Ia respect tho young
STEERS aggressivcncSs as the result of
little happening az Terrc Hautc during
tic playing season.
Hits Triple While Arguing.
There were three Wheeling players
on the bases" Wagner said, 1.-TWO were
out and Lee was AZ bat. Rcd -Ainsworth.
a clever and seasoned pitcher. was OF
the mound for us and h" tried OF get
Kings goat by worrying him. Finally
King got ma dand turning to the umpiur.
he yelled: THAT fcliuw thinks he's on n
vacation: why don't you make him get
in and Pitch?
II started To ride him then. I began
10 call him down for trying 10 toll Il
good pitcher how to pitch. but hc didn't
let me get very far. After calling me Il
few choice names hr challenged me 10
have Nainswcrth show him something. I
gave the signal for curve bail and he
was still calling me names when he
turned and hit the hall against the fence
for three bases.
II laid off that bird after that" Wag-
nor concluded.