The Lamar register., 1920-07-21

culmlnntion WIS Telegram from
Lurkin. sent collect, reading:
Come on and get me"
The manager Of the Giant-killers
took the first train for Punxsutawney,
which is a borough most inconvenient-
iy located northeast OF the Smoky city
He took with him corpulent roll of
yellow bills. iris Ford knew that he
must buy Larkin's release-not from
the outlaw club. hut from the trades
men of Punxsutawney.
Up Center street and down the shady
| side, Ford and Barney tramped. max
ing more calls than the letter carrier.
There were the clothier, the shoe-store
man. the haberdasher. the laundry, the
barber. every bar In town, and both
hotels to pay. and the express com
pany. Barney owed the express COM
pany for transportation charges on a
bulldog The one thing that saved
the enterprise from complete insol
yency was the departure Of the daily
train for Pittsburgh at one O'Clock In
the afternoon. H.
iris Ford did not leave Punxsutaw-
ney altogether In cheerful attitude
of mind, Notwithstanding he had cap
tured his quarry. Tor the directors OF
the outlaw club came to the train In n
body ana thanked the blg-league man
ager because he was taking Barney
out OF town. Even to the man OF Iron
nerve this was disquieting.
In the manner told was Barney Lar
kin brought to the GIant-kiliers' bail
yard. His first appearance, notably
unlike most pitching lnaugurals, was
an unalloyed triumph.
Facing Detroit. which club was then
going strong, he let the Tigers down
without hit. But twenty-seven men
went to bat. and of these Barney
struck out fifteen-a record comment
ed upon to this day. In the last inning.
with two out and that demon batsman.
"the Georgia persimmon," at bat Bar
ney walked toward the grand stand,
stopped. and then motioned the crowd
| to go home. "Ail Overw he insisted
The fans roared IN deiight-and
roared louder still when he struck the
champion batter out. From that mo-
ment Barney Larkin was the idol OF
the fans. There were times, many
times, when he caused BIZ Dart, who
was fighting disease and death In the
hospital. to be forgotten by the heart
less rooter. The eccentric left-hander
was keeping the Giant-killers in the
hunt for the pennant.
Also, he was keeping iris Ford
awake nights. No such prize problem
In mnnhandllng had been put up to
Ford In the twenty years Of his man
agement. Unerringiy Iris had sized
up Barney Larkin. The manager knew
! that whenever Barney was pitching
alright baiI-mowing 'em down-it
was necessary to keep an eye on him
about eighteen hours out of the twen-
ty-four; "going good" he was most In
clined to give rein to his bad habits.
But when he was In a slump he was
not difficult to handle. This was infre-
quent, for he was continually leading
the other pitchers In the number OF
games pitched and in games won.
Early In his association with Bar
ney Larkin. the manager of the Giant
killers decided. first Of all. that he
must let the unruly pitcher believe he
was fooling his boss. Every excuse
must be accepted as the ungtlded
truth; otherwise Barney would have
to be disciplined. and that would mean
| In short time his release. Usually
Iris Ford was "wise." But there was
that episode In st. Louis which illu-
inmates Barney's character. wherein
iris was fooled completely.
II was on the Glant-killers' second
trip West. Barney was given an aft
ernOon on He went at once to a sa-
loon near the ball park and started In
by negotiating a loan Of five dollars
from the proprietor. After the money
had gone into drink for himself and
his hobo admirers, he struck the pro-
prietor for five dollars more.
The saloonkeeper hesitated. As Sc
curity for the loan Barney offered to
"hang up the gold watch fob which
admlring fans had. presented to him
10 appreciation OF his mighty pitch
ing. Giving 1t to the proprietor. Bar
ney made this proposition:
"You let me have the five. which
will make ten l owe you. and I'll make
Iris believe I've lost my fob. Then
he'll advertise for 1t and offer a re-
ward of ten dollars"
Barney got the second five and with.