Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-10
'CUBANS TOO ROUGH
FOR DUCKY HOLMES
Player Admits He Showed White
Feather When Irate Natives Start
Nine-Block Pursuit.

"Ducky' Holmes, owner Of tho LIN
coin club. has baited umpires in their
lairs and has entered fearlessly into
dens OF growing. swapping ball play
ers. 1t Is his pride that he is a 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 destruc-
ton. Here is the story:
Holmes was an outfielder with New
York at time when "Muggsy' Nc
iraw was playing third base. 1t was
decided to take the team to Havana
Tor series OF games with a club that
Cuba.
ON the last day of tho series. with
the game standing at a tie, the ball
park was crowded. One hundred ma
tive policemen patroled the Enclosure
to maintain order. for scores of ma
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 natives by
this time had become delirious.
bowling mob. showing evident intent
Of chasing the Americans off the island
if they won the game
With one man down a Cuban took a
sturdy swing and lifted a high fly 10
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 if native had
not caught it and tossed it back TO
Holmes. The latter, his back to the
crowd. guessed the balls recovery was
observed by no one except the lone
Two co he eli jpfn hn at
of his shirt, turned around, signaled
lost ball'-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 this
time the natives were almost beyond
control of the police.
Out at the Plate.
Zipp. Bang, The native hit the ball
for an apparent home run. Straight to
left field it scared, Holmes after it.
Racing with the ball he saw the Cuban
rounding second base and galloping to-
ward third base. Holmes decided to
act. He lunged for the ball and ap-
parently 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.
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 hurl it
home for the final out. 1t took him
but second to shout Holmes infamy
to his friends in the Standard the
pursuit was on.
With hoarse yell the natives. wav-
ing 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 pur-
suers. He yaulted over the fence and
started for the American hotel, nine
blocks away. Down the street he
raced. the bowling 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 finally
convinced the natives that Holmes was
not in the building. and they left to
seek him elsewhere