Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-30
FRANK FoGARTY CAUGHT HIGH
ONE BUT FORGOT HOW TO
HOLD THE SECOND.
CHANCE TELLS YARN
Story Of Exhibition of White Sox In
Ottumwa Told by Peerless Lead
err in Series; Audience
Is Tickle.

league team and the White Sox, then
under the direction of James Callahan
Z IN Myrtle street park about four years
ago, will read with interest the yarn
told In the Sunday Chicago Herald by
Frank Chance. Frank FOgarty, who Is
featured In the story was one OF the
men from the two teams that respond
Il ed to the invitation of General Shields
council knights of Columbus to attend
q stag dinner in the council rooms IN
the evening following the game. Fo-
garty. as an entertainer, was superior
to Callahan himself as vaudeville
( star and RECALLED the party that even
Ing with some rare humor. The Her
& aids story follows:
Frank Fogarty made one of the
greatest catches while playing center
field for the Sox at Ottumwa, Iowa,
several years ago that ever was pulled
on on a ball field. Old fans will search
their heads in vain for recollection
OF Frank Fogarty, ball player. How
ever, II tell them that by Fogarty,
center fielder, I mean Frank Fogarty,
sthe Dublin minstrel" we'll known on
the vaudeville stage, then they will
know whom mean.
50. 40 O081u Will, rO6dlCy DO' 50 IA
the catalogue of Super Fans If he
had his ufe's ambition tomorrow he
would be ball player. But why spoil
an excellent stage artist to make an In
difrerent diamond artist? Fogarty
knows nearly every professional ball
player in the country. And they all
know him.
Close to Jimmy Callahan:
Frank Is a close personal friend or
Jimmy Callahan manager of the r.
rates. When Callahan was managing
the White Sox Fogarty seized every
opportunity he had to travel with the
team. When he was laying off from
his stage work he would be cavortlns
around the country with the Sox. act
Ing as secretary to the club or doing
any other odd job that kept him busy.
II was always Fogarty's ambition to
play in game as member OF the SoN
team. and he used to devil Callahan
nearly to death for an opportunity to
shcY his prowess.
One day in Ottumwa Fogarty got his
chance to appear in a big league line
m as a ballplayer. The Sox were play
Ing an exhibition game, and Callahan
decided to ring in Fogarty as one OF his
PLAYERS. Frank was so overJoyed at
the prospect that he was up at seven
o'clock in the morning and donned
uniform. The game was not to be play
ed until 2:3O o'clock in the afternoon,
go FoRarty had plenty of time to get
used to the feel of diamond spangles.
Introduced In Style.
Eoearty decided that his big league
debut should be attended with proper
ceremonials, so he slipped the local
umpire large "iron man" just before
the Sox took the field. According to
Fogarty's instructions, the umpire step
ned before the grand stand and bawled
out:
Crank Fogarty, playing center field
for the White Sox." =,
"a big bunch of Irish In the grand
stand gave Fogarty the mighty hand
4ust because Of his name. Fogarty dof-
fed his cap with a gallant sweep ana
5trotted out to his position.
n the first lining some strong
armed Ottumwa player took
healthy sw1pe at fast one and met
a fRirly on the nose. The ball started
on q line for center field. The White
Soy players, to a man, set up yell
'of sFbgarty! Fogarty!" Frank never
saw the ball. but he heard the crack
~ the bat as it met the leather. Then
the shouts of the other players
sounded in his ears and he instinc-
lively turned his back to the d1a-
mond and begun to churn over the
turf. He had no idea where the ball
was sailing, but he knew 1T must Dc
over his head. While he was run
ming he kept his hands extended high.
Frank says he must have been run
ming somewhere near a mile when ne
felt something strike his glove with
= thud. It was the ball, and, miracle
upon miracles, it nestled confidingly
ii the glove and stuck.
Applause For the Hero.
Well, the crowd went mad. They
had never seen anything like the
catch before, and they nearly tore
down the stands in laundering their
Franks teammates cheered
and whistled and a good time was
had generally.
OF course, Frank was all swelled
up when he walked to the bench. His
face glowed with joy that no vaude-
willie audience was ever able to STIR
within him, and he STROBE to his seat
with the air of a conquering Irish
king Of old.
Greatest catch I ever saw, Frank
remarked Callahan, with friendly ap-
preciation.
g 4 used to make those right along
said Fogarty.
The Sox had no sooner taken the
field for the next inning when a nice
easy fly scared out to center. 1t was
right in Fogarty's hands. Ed Walsh
was playing left field for the Sox,
and when he saw the fly he began
lwhistling a Jig tune and patting his
hands. Fogarty unconsciously fell
into Jig step while waiting for the
ball to come down.
fiddle dunn, fiddle dunn, fiddle
dunn, fiddle dunn chanted Walsh. !
Fogarty's feet kept time. "ln the
well, in the WE'LL roared a loud
mouthed fan in the grand stand.
Cruel of the Ball.
The ball, in the course of human
events, started to return to terra
Trina. 1t came down smack in Fo-