Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-08


we had to go up the line on a working
party. one or two OF the players would
get wounded or killed; In fact, being a
baseball player got to be u perfect
Jonah. and the Tommics commenced
getting supprstitious II one of our
team happened to be working among
ten or twelve other company men, he
was sure TO get hit. while the other
fellows came through without Il
scratch. Stewart and l also began to
get frightened. and decided to chuck
up the whole thing before we got IL
ourselves
Then we went further back behind
the lines. During this stay we rounded
out paBsnble team.
Challenge to Canadians.
a Canadian battalion. just sent out
from England. on their way to
'Wipers," went into billets about n mile
from uS. This was our chance. Stew
art went over and challenged them to Il
game for the following Sunday The
challenge was accepted.
We had weeks time i'm which to
strengthen some weaknesses and TO
teach the bunch Il little inside" base
ball Then the jinx popped lip again
On the morning of the game with
the Canadians. our clcvercs: inticldcr.
the first baseman, picked UP an old Ger
|
the billet. This man was a great souvc-
mir collector: always hamncring at
"dud' shells. trying TO remove the nose
caps.
Seeing him fooling around with the
German bomb. | told him to throw IL
away; that orc could never trust those
things. and that did not want 10 cake
any chance OF losing Il first baseman.
out oeins OF naturally curious dispo-
Stion, he refused TO do SO. Taking thc
bomb ont behind the billet, he pro.
cccdcd to take liberties with ito me-
chanism: result right hand blown off
and another vacancy to he iillcd III .irs.
base What W" said about him would
not be tit FOR publication
The game was scheduled for .
o'clock. and exactly at 80 MIR. Fritz
piunked stray 1--WE nine" shell into
our intcld between home and drs, base
making q hole big enough for n lin
her to hide "a. This ,ncrnt picks ana
sh"rels for all hands to MI in tho hole.
BY this time large crowd OF rootcr-
FOR both sides had lined themselves
along the foul lines. The compliments
that were waited back and forth made
the chaplain pack up and leave before
the game started.
Then the betting commenced II
waNcd hot and furious. | don't believe
there was "A loose penny in the crowd
after all bets had been placed. Ste
wart and ] tried TO discourage this bet
ting because we knew that IL We lost
We would be ostracized from that time
on. We explained to tho Tommies that
tho Canadians were baseball players
and that We were in for an awful trim
ianE. but they wouldn't listen, saying
that anySod.' who could make Il ball
curve in The air the way Stcwl.t could
was enough TO win for any team. and
that all the Canadians would strike
cut. We insisted no further
We came to bat first Our first man
up got bcamcd. and. instead OF taking
first base. he Went out into the pitch
cr's box to lick the pitcher. After
little argument we managed TO sc; him
Oh first.
The Canadian pitcher WAS wild. The
next ball went over tn" cntchcr's head
and our runner took second
The next man vi struck out
battcd third. hit 10 the outncld. the
! right fielder dropped the ball and I
reached second. the runner ahead OF
me moving 10 ;hird base. Then Stew
art got UP and placed II corkiII. double
| out Into left field. stewart was a fas.
! runner. ! started for home. touche
| third. the runner in front OF me plow-
ing along for home plate. He ran like
! an ice wagon. I was shouting 10 him
| to hurry up. ] could hear Stewart
pounding. behind me. The Tommys
| cap blew off. and. instead Of going
! home, he stopped to pick it up. Ste
! art was shouting. Leg il, here comes
/ ,he ball" as he slid into It'd base.
! could not precedc the runner in. SO We
we're trapped for double play
Stewards anger was bristlmg and
mine was Juggling at its chain.
! The Canadian rooters We're ticklcf
20 death their sarcastic remarks burn.
ing into Stewart and me. Stewart wa,
fast losing his temper.
The first two Canadians struck out
The third man UP got his base .;
passed third strike. My error.
Then our substitute first basema'
pulled stunt which turned the table
on the Canadians and were were some
what appeaSed
The Canadian runner was laying
few feet OF first base. Suddenly on
first bas"man shouted to him. Loot
out. ere comes a shell; duck low" III
Canadian dropped to the ground. Stew
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