The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-09-01

Il mo RNhiNAAe sunni VI buntbdils
The seedy gentleman in the Bah
Ballads" who was at once the entire
crew of the Nancy Brig had nothing
on Rupert Mills. For Mills is a
whole baseball team in himself, from
the catcher to the outermost outfield-
err; and this without having followed
the Gilbertian precedent mentioned,
by eating the other members of the
team.
After Mills had hit a ball to the
centerfeld fence, he walked over
and condescended to explain why he
alone was in the forlorn Newark
Federal League Baseball Park, when
all the other players of the defunct
club had scattered to the four winds.
Mr.. Mills stands in the neighbor-
hood of six feet four or five inches in
height, has a tremendous pair of
shoulders, and blond, pleasant, lika-
BILE face. He is a graduate of the
University of Notre Dame, Ind, and
played end on the football team of
that college for three years.
Last June" he relates, "when
was graduated from Notre Dame, a
scout of the Federal League signed
me up with this club for two years
at salary of $4,000 a year. But,
as you will remember, last winter
the Federal League blew. That left
me without an actual job in base
ball. but / still had my iron-bound
contract, with year to run. l de-
termined to have what was due me.
81 was not bought by either of
the other big leagues, but | expected
that my club would look out for me.
Finally, was offered a position with
Toronto, of the International League,
at salary of something under ST.
200 a year. In addition to this, l
was offered $500 if / would go there
and cancel my contract with the New
ark Feds. What was wanted by
Toronto. believe, was third base
man. / was not a third baseman.
| am a first baseman. If / had gone
with that team, and had failed to
make good, l should have been let
go. | would have been in $500 and
out $2,5O0i
"Mr. Powers, the owner of the
Newark club, could not get my view
point at all"
The account breaks into Mills re-
cital with an imagined vision of the
interview which took place between
them. There was Mills, determined
he would live up to his contract, and
the equally determined Powers, who
was certain no one would ever find
him paying a man for work he had
not done. The World imagines what
happened then:
"The Newark club" said Pat Pow
ers, its once owner, with lofty elo-
ounce, "died with the demise of the
parent body, the Federal League.
arm does not sur
vive the death of the frame to which
1t belonged"
THAT" said Rupert Mills in reply,
concerns me not at all. l have
a signed contract which states that
l am to be paid $4,000 for my ser
vices during the season of 1916.
That the Federal League is dead
/ deplore-but / did not kill it. And
/ don't intend to suffer by its de-
cease. It is enough to be behaved,
without being cheated out of the in
surance-money.
You'll get nothing you don't
earn" snapt Powers.
very WE'LL" said Mills. "I'll earn
it, State your pleasure, and let me
get about doing it,"
Whereupon Mr.. Powers stated his
pleasure" and in baseball annals it
was absolutely without precedent.
Mills himself recounts the rest of
the incident:
HE suggested this: was to come
here to this park every morning at
10 O'Clock and practise until IL. l
was to be back here at 2 and remain
until G. In this way l was to put
in the full day of ball-player.
81 agreed, and here l am. I'm
here before ten O'Clock and / leave
after six; I'm giving him little ov-
ertime and not charging for it. l
never miss a day. I'm here rainy
days and Sundays as well-and l will
be until we come to terms or the
season ends.
when l came here at the begin
ming of the season l was given two
baseballs. These are now raped
out, and l have put in a requisition
for more. Sometimes / have COM
pany, and sometimes / don't. At
times n few 'grass-eaters' wander in