The Washington herald., 1918-01-06
BY BILLY SUNDAY.


That afternoon we payed the old
Detroit club. We were neck and
neck for the championship. That
club had Thompson. Richardson,
Rowe, Dunlap. Hanlon and Bennett,
and they could play ball too.
1 was playing right field. Mike
Kelly was catching and John G.
Clarkson was pitching. He was as
| fine a pitcher as ever crawled into
uniform. There are some pitchers
today, Bender. Wood, Mathewson.
Johnson. Marquard. but l do not
believe any of them stood in a class
with Clarkson.
Cigarettes put him on the bum.
When he had taken a bath the
water would be stained with nico-
tine.
We had two men out, they had
man on second and one on third
and Bennett, their old catcher, was
at the bat. Charlie had two balls
and three strikes on him. Charlie
Bennett couldn't hit high ball. but
he could kill them when they went
about his knees.
/ l followed to Clarkson and said.
| "One more over and We got EN-"
You know ever pitcher puts a
]
his foot when he is pitching. John
stuck his foot in the hole and he
went clean to the ground. Oh. he
could make them dance. He could
| throw over handed and the ball
would go down and up. He is the
only man on earth have seen that
/ could do that That ball would go
I by so fast that the batter could feel
the thermometer drop two degrees
as she wizzed by. John went clean
down and as he went to throw the
ball his right foot slipped and the
ball went low instead of high.
saw Charlie swing hard and
heard the bat hit the ball with a
terrific boom. Bennett had smashed
the ball on the nose. / saw the
ball rise in the aiE and l knew that
it was going clear over my head.
l could judge within ten feet of
where the ball would light. 1 turn
ed my back TO the ball and ran.
the field was crowded with peo-
pie, and l yelled. stand back and
the crowd opened up as the Red Sea
opened for the rod Of Moses. ! ran
on: as ran made a prayer;
it wasn't theological. either, l tell
you that / said God. if you ever
nElptO ultl AdA llldlAs AANAl AAAE eNA
that bail. and you haven't very much
time to make UP your mind. either"
II ran and jumped over the bench
and stocks.
thought I was close enough to
catch it 1 looked back and saw il
was going over my head, and jump
ed and showed out my left hand, and
the ball hit il and stuck. At the
rate 1 was going the momentum car
ried me on. and / fell under the feet
of a team Of horses. l jumped up
with the ball in my hands. Up
came Tom johnson. Tom used 10 be
mayor of Cleveland. He is dead now.
Here is so, Bill. Buy yourself
the best hat in Chicago. That catch
won me $500 Tomorrow go and
buy yourself the best suit Of clothes
you can find in Chicago"
| An old Methodist minister said 10
me a few years ago, why. William.
you didn't take thf so. did you p
said. You bet your life I did
l had a 3-year contract with Phil
adelphia. said TO God. Now il
you want me to quit playing hall
and go into evanEelistic work. then
you get me my release" 50 I left
il with God to- get my release he
fore the 35th day of March. and
would take that As evidence that lie
wanted me TO quit playing ball.
On the 18th day Of MarCh-St. Pat
rick's Day, shall never forget it
was leading the meeting. and re-
ceived a letter from Col. Rogers,
, president of the Philadelphia club.
stating that l could have my re-
lease.
; In came Jim Hart, Of the Cincin-
! natl team. up on the platform, pulled
out a contract for $500. A player
only plays seven months, and he
threw the cneck down for $50o. the
first months salary, in advance. He
/; said. "BiH. sign up" but l said,
!. No" ] told him that l told God
h. if He wantai me 70 quit playing
l hall 10 get my release before the
. 18th day of March, l would quit.
There l was. up against il.
went around to some of my friends
o and some said. Take it," others
. said. stick TO your promise ask,
> ed my fathcr-in-law about it, and
: he said. You are blamed fool il
. YOU don't take it." | went home
. TO bed, but could not sleep, and pray.
. ed that night Till o'clock. wher
- seemed to get the thing straight
. and said. NO. sir. ] won't do it."
+ l went to work for the Y. NJ. c. A
. and had a very hard time of it. Il
Z was during those hard times that
!. hardly had enough TO pay my hous,
c rent. but l stuck to my promise.
J. ------