Evening star., 1922-03-12

warm-up. they scrambled from the
| dugout and, whooping like Indians
worked out In a manner that lived
up to advance notices. Their op-
ponents. the league-leading Badgers
| watched this performance with un-
disguised amusement The Seminoles
were certainly operating under q
magic spell. The army of royal
rooters led tho applause. and the
hometown bleacherites lent willing
| assistance.
For the first time since he could
remember. Pop Hillery found tina,
not one Of his pitchers had any alb
to offer. They were all clamoring
for a chance to work.
Lefty Taylor, veteran of a Thousand
pitching duels, had never faced q
bigger audience since he was in the
majors; and certainly not all season
had the sun beameJ down SO tor
ridly, nor the blessed oil of St
! Jacob trickled so freely down the
Taylor brow.
Look mo over. Pop" he implored
II got a hop on my fast ball like 9
| camers back, and the old hook Il
breaking just right
Forget it." said Slim Ryan. "I'n
the boy that's going to work today
amt T. Pop? I can put the old pill
! anywhere I want it; tell you I'm
right today"
What about me?" chirped Cooper
you stand in back of me, Pop. and
I'll show you what a real curve ball
looks like"
Hillery went into conference with
Catcher Buck Smith, and the latter
| voted for Taylor in the first game
and Ryan in the second, with Cooper
in reserve.
THE practice ended. the Seminoles
took the field, the umpire brushed
! Off the plate and announced the bat
teries. and the vast throng settled
| itself expectantly.
At the precise moment, q bleary.
eyed individual squirmed his way
/
in the ear OF DR.. Mario Tosca-
The latter paled, and turned for 8
whispered consultation with Peter D
Quigley. Quietly they arose and
! made their way toward the main
exit The "matchless manipulator o,
the spotlight of publicity" Jagged be.
hind DR.. Tosca-considerably behind
BY so doing he was able to perceive
two gentlemen in civilian clothe:
step up to the physician as the latter
reached the gate.
Mr.. Quigley retraced his steps, sped
he reached the fence, straddled the
top boards and lowered himself b.
the hands, dropping fifteen feet te
safety and oblivion.
Back on the diamond, the Badger:
had been retired one-two- three, ant
Rowdy MCGOWAN, lead-on man for tht
Seminoles. was taking his stand II
the batter's box and kicking the dir
out OF his clcats.
Now, physicians may disagree abou
the efficacy Of transplanted thyroit
glands. but there is no questioning
the combined effect, upon a ball team
like the Seminoles, of a hot day, Z
record crowd. the psychology O.
twenty thousand minds turned to tn,
same thought. and. above all, tn,
clink Of ghost music in the distance
1t all depends on the first ball
Realizing this, the thoughtful Nc
Gowan, perceiving that Umpire Bul
Feeney was just the least bit fius
tered. took a chance and came up I,
the plate with his favorite bat, knowl
around the circuit as the ACE O.
clubs" Every umpire in tho leagu,
knew about that bat, and it had bee,
! chased to the bench more times tha,
even Wild Bill Maloney, for it wa.
fiat on one side from excessive use
and therefore against the rules. Blu
the blue-bloused arbiter OF the dia
mond was paying more attention t,
the bandage around Rowdy's necl
| than he was to the contour of tn,
batter's club.
The Badger pitcher shot the frs
l Dali SQudISAy luS plAIe am
shoulder high. One second later i
was bounding along the distant foul
line with the right fielder in ma,
pursuit. The batter rounded frs
base in full stride, flashed pas
second and drew up at third in 1,
cloud Of dust. The crowd yelled, ant
Jiggs Carter, third baseman of tn,
Badgers, looked down at the figur,
of MCGOWAN with mingled astonish
ment and admiration.
"You old dried mackerel!" h,
erunted. You couldn't have don,
that last week on q bicycle. Say
listen, Rowdy: is that gland stuff
on the level? You know me, old pal
II wouldn't spill nothing. How doe,
the stun make you feel.7'
The Seminole took q long lead of
third. and stfove to remember wheth