Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-05-20
CUBANS PROVE TOO
ROUGH FOR HOLMES
Ducky Admits He Showed the
White Feather When Irate
Natives Start Nine.
Block Pursuit.

"Ducky" Holmes, owner OF the
Lincoln club, has baited umpires in
their lairs and has entered fearlessly
into dens of growing, swapping ball
players. 1t is his pride that he is
brave man, but once he showed the
white feather; not only the white
feather, but also his heels to a pack
of bowling Cuban natives bent upon
his destruction. Here is the story:
Holmes was an outhelder with New
York at time when "Muggsy" Nc
Graw was playing third base. II was
decided to take the team to Havana
for a series of games with club that
had lust won the championship OF
Cuba. -,
On the last day Of the series, with
the game standing at tie, the ball
park was crowded. One hundred ma
tive policemen patroled the enclosure
to maintain order, for scores OF ma,
tives had come to the park armed
with knives and machetes. This was
their idea OF supporting the home
team.
Came the ninth inning and New
York was one run ahead with the
Cubans up for their last bat. The ma
tives by this time had become de.
| lirious, bowling mob, showing evident
intent of chasing the Americans, OH
the island If they won the game.
With one man down Cuban took
sturdy swing and lifted high fly
to left field. Holmes ran after the
ball, which struck foul far back IN
the park. The ball eluded him and
would have rolled under the fence Il
native had not caught it and tossed
II back to Holmes. The latter, his
back to the crowd, guessed the balls
recovery was observed by no one ex-
cept the lone native, so he slipped It
into the pocket of his shirt, turned
around, signalled "lost balp-and the
game proceeded. >.
The man was an easy out on an in
field grounder and was followed by
the star batsman of the team. by TINS
time the natives were almost beyond
control of the police. ;,
| Zippl Bang! The native hit the bail
for an apparent home rum. Straight
to left field it scared, Holmes after
| it. Racing with the ball he saw the
Cuban rounding second base and gal
i looping toward third base. Holmes de-
cided to act. He lunged for the ball
and apparently trapped it--for he was
on his feet in an instant and shot the
sphere to the home plate, catching the
runner by two feet. New York won
the game. :,
i But Holmes had not reckoned with
his Cuban friend who had SO kindly
. retrieved the first ball for him. The
native had seen Holmes miss the last
| fly, had seen him pick the other ball
!. out of his shirt pocket and furl 1T
home for the final out. It took him
but a second to shout Holmes infamy
to his friends in the Standard the
pursuit was on.
: With hoarse yell the. natives,
, waving knives and machetes, started
after him. Past the police they
surged and then it was Holmes
showed the white feather and his
heels to his Cuban pursuers. He
vaulted over the fence and started for
the American hotel, nine blocks away.
; Down the street he raced, the howl
, ing mob gaining upon him at every
| step. With a few scant yards to
, spare he reached the hotel, rushed
! through the lobby and into the
: kitchen, where he took refuge in the
. pantry. The American landlord FIN
Z ally convinced the natives that
! Holmes was not in the building and
4 they left to seek him elsewhere.