Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-08-13

citizen, easily mistaken for pros
porous travelling man-the clever de
tective. Bringing up the rear were
TWO low-browed felows-elther pu-
glllsts In ordinary or highly efficient
piano shlfters.
TITS Ford laughed. He couldn't
help 1t.
Although the team, with one excep.
tioh was not party to the deep, dark
secret, the players plainly shared the
relief which Iris experienced at sight
or Barney Larkin. They sang as they
put on their uniforms, and one would
nave supposed, to look in upon them,
that they were preparing for morning
practice In the training season, in
stead OF getting ready to fight for the
highest h0n0rs of the town--and the
popularity OF the home town.
Wild tumult broke loose at sight Of
the Giant.killers. answering the yell
which had gone up on the appearance
OF the Phillies. There were the usual
preliminarles-all before cameras.
There was snappy practice by the Ma
tlonals. Then the Giant-killers took
the field, to Timber up and get their
grip on the ball and sure fire into
their throws.
Hit 'er out I"
An acute-slghted fan jumped up In
his place back Of first, and ignoring
the shouts of "Down In front !" scan
ned the playing field from a point near
second base to the Chandeliers bench
much as an anxious mother would
look for her lost child. Then in agon-
lied accents he demanded Of space:
where's Win Shute"
Eyes by the thousand Travelled to
the edge OF the clay-base path in right
There an uneasy substitute was trying
his hardest to accomplish the impos-
slble-fll the spiked shoes of the king
OF second basemen.
What on the terrestrial ball did It
meani Was iris Ford crazy?
Tardily, fifteen minutes after the
hour set for the game to begin, the
official announcer raised his mega
phone and sing-songed the opposing
batteries. The fans howled with de-
light when they heard that Barney
Larkin was to pitch for the Giant
killers, although they knew II, of
course. But when the announcer add
ed that Pervls was to play second
base in place Of Shute,' the fans gave
loud vent to their dlsapproyal. "What's
the matter-Wln Shute hurtY they
shrleked.
Around the vast assemblage, start
ing In the press box. flying through the
grand stand, leaplng to the pavllons,
reaching at last to the bleachers, sped
the answer
Hes disappeared"
Gloom, impenetrable gloom, settled |
down upon a majority of the great |
throng-those who had come to help |
he Giant-killers win. Their quick
minds were recalling what the rival
John Marlin had given out
lfter the Giant-killers downed New
York. They remembered every word
II 1t:
81 want to go on record as saying
hat Shute Is the greatest ball player
n the world. He wins more games
or his club than any other man on the
iamond today-and winning games is
What counts In baseball. He was d.
ectly responsible for two of the games
which his team won from us, and was
here all the time in the other two vic
cries. In defensive work he was cas-
" the king-pin, breaking up our de-
ense and making sensational plays
round second base. The record
hows that he led his own team In the
tack. | say again-Shute Is the
reatest ball player in the world.
With him no major-league team would
e weak-without him the best team
ould be seriously crippled"
Seriously crippled!
Over In New York a few feet away
ON the ticker, which was announcing
lie beginning of play, Jake Singer
I'd his friends were already celebrat-
g.