Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-07-23

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
bulldog! The one thing that saved
the enterprise from complete insol.
vency was the departure Of the daily
train for Pittsburgh at one o'clock in
the afternoon.
Iris Ford did not leave Punxsutaw-
ney altogether In cheerful attitude
of mind, Notwithstanding he had cap
tured his quarry, for the directors Of
the outlaw club came to the train In
body and thanked the big-league man.
ager because he was taking Barney
out Of town. Even to the man of iron
nerve this was dlsquieting.
In the manner told was Barney Lar
kin brought to the Giant-killers' ball
yard. His first appearance, notably
unlike most pitching inaugurals, 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 flfteen--a record comment
ed upon to this day. In the last inning,
with two out and that demon batsman,
"the Georgia perslmmon," at bat Bar
ney walked toward the grand stand
stopped, and then motioned the crowd
to 20 home. "All over!" he Insisted.
The fans roared in dellght-and
roared louder still when he struck the
champion batter out. From that mo-
ment Barney Larkln was the idol OF
the fans. There were times, many
times, when he caused Bill 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 Glant-killers In the
hunt for the pennant.
Also, he was keeping Iris Ford
awake nights. No such prize problem
in manhandling had been put up to
Ford In the twenty years Of his MAN.
agement. Unerringly iris had sized
up Barney Larkin. The manager knew
that whenever Barney was pitching
alright ball-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 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 Larkln, 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 ungilded
truth OlueEWlSc DulHts hOuih hu'e
to be disciplined, and that would mean
In short time his release. Usually
Iris Ford was "wise." But there was
that episode in Ct. Louis which illu-
inmates Barney's character, wherein
iris was fooled completely.
It was on the Chandeliers second
trip West. Barney was given IN aft
ernoOn off. He went at once to a sa-
loon near the ball park and started In
by negotiating 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 ~
curity for the loan Barney offered to
"hang up" the gold watch fob which
admlrlng fans had presented " him
in 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 I owe you. and I'll make
iris believe I've lost my fob. Then
he'll advertise for 1t and offer a 10
ward Of ten dollars"