Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1922-03-23
Youth Gets Points
From George SiSler

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kept them amused throughout the
three exhibition games here, possibly
look on this youth as a fresh kid"
just beginning to feel his oats and
will to do anything to attract atten-
ton. Far from it.
Christensen, who boasts of having
passed % summers in this vale of
tears, has been in professional base
ball for three years and played sand
lot, amateur and semi-pro long before
that. During those three years the
little Mick (for he's Irish in spite
Of his Swedish monicker), has played
in the Western Canada League, with
Shreveport in the Texas League, a
month or so with the Yankees, and
last year finished the season with
Joplin in the Western Association.
During the winter of 1921 he pur-
sued his study of the national pas
time by getting a place on George
Sisters Vernon club, champions of
the Pacific Coast Winter League, and
always on the alert to acquire more
knowledge Of his business, the youth
picked up some of Sisters superb art
of placing the pill with the willow.
Christy takes baseball seriously in
spite of his humorous capers. The
game is a business and a serious one
for this youth, who eats, sleeps and
talks baseball, and any time in the
day will listen intently to the 'inside
stuff from veteran players who
have had many more years expert
ence and are willing to share it with
the youths who are just breaking in.
Talking the other night about his
short experience with the Yankees,
Christensen laughingly told how he
came and saw, but failed to conquer.
81 was a green kid who had never
paid very much attention to how a
ball game really was played until I
got with that BUNCH" he said. "AI
I could do was go out in the field and
run around with them and act like l
knew what it was all about, but |
never had a chance to use signals
with the clubs I'd been with, so nat
urally / couldn't hope to stick long
with that crowd of high-class mate
rial that Higgins had with him last
season. When they released me to
Joplin / wasn't downcast a bit, but |
went out there to the Western League |
determined to learn how to play the
game right"
When he got a chance to try out |
with Kelley's crowd Of Apostles, the
little Californian came a-running, for
in the sport circles Of the North a
period with Kelley is considered as
good for player as hitch with the
Mayo Brothers is for a rising young
medico. A year or so under Mike
Kelley's tutelage and if you're not
a ball player it's because you were
cut out to be something else.
On the bases this lad Christensen
is old John ]. Speed himself, and it
takes a willy catcher to nail him be-
fore he reaches second when he at
tempts to steal. His speed stands in
in good stead when covering his ter
ritory in the field, and no matter who
the hitter may be, the local fans have
formed the habit of resting easy when
the apple starts in the direction of
Christensen. Unlike majority of the
gods Of the gallery, he makes the
hardest catches look easy. His throw
ing is strong-he proved that sew
eral times in the games against the
Cardinals and Pelicans.
Whether or not the youthful center
gardener learned much about the
game, or will learn much, has been
proven by the way Kelley has taken
him into his fold and is giving him
every chance to make good. We've
only had the opportunity of seeing
him IN action in three games so far,
but he needed no spotlight to
bring him to the attention of the fans,
and in practice he never slows up.
Although a left-hander, Christen-
sen fails to live up to the rule that
all southpaws are nuts" and like
MIR. Hamlet, there is a method in the
fun-making of this yOungster. He
can win host of friends on the field
with his tricks and in few minutes
conversation be set down as a sensi-
bic young man.
Baseball is his business, and he's
always trying. Bogalusa fans, who
have picked young Mr.. Christensen
as their favorite hero, didn't make
mistake-he's good, and if this spring
training business is any augury, he