Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-03
pills BEGIN final
week OF TOURING
Meet Charlotte Nine Today.
Players Mourn Death Of Smith,
First String Catcher
EXPECT STIFF OPPOSITION
BY. EDWIN j. POLLOCK

Charlotte, N. c.. April 3.--Thc
phils began their final week Of So
Journing with game here today
against the local Sally League team.
managed by Dick Hoblltzell, the for
mer Cincinnati and Boston American
first baseman. They found the mana
ger, and to lesser extent. the play.
ers, prostrated by the death Of their
first string catcher. Harry Smith.
Smith died of influenza pneumonia
in local hospital, Saturday. Today
his body is being shipped to his late
home in Baltimore. The Phils, most
of whom had been acquainted with
him, paid their last respects to his body
last night, as it lay in the rooms Of q
local undertaken.
Hobby and Smith had been intimate
personal friends, and Smith had been
HObby's lieutenant at Akron, of the
International League, in 1920, and
last year at Reading.
Hobby met Manager Irv Wilhelm In
the hotel lobby before Kize had time
to inspect his room. Kize had known
the late catcher we'll. After exchang
Ing the proper sympathy, Hobby at
once asked Kize whether he had any
loose catchers lying around.
Plenty OF Pitchers
leader. ' could @ fix fepy'eu you up spe with 'ia
catchers."
"Got enough pitchers" said Hob
by, and thus the first prospect Of a SEN
sational release of some member of the
Phils' big squad fell through. The
same party that spent such a pleasant
month at Ieesburg is now touring the
chilly Carolinas. The scene shifts to
Winston Salem, about forty miles
helmiteS expect to encounter their first
serious opposition in the form of the
Baltimore Orioles.
| So far the spring games Of the Phils
have been little more than batting prac.
tice. The local club because of theil
Al victory over Buffalo Saturday
were expected to furnish sitter oppo.
sition than the various Florida colleges
and State League teams. But the sud
den demise of their catcher has ap.
parently shaken the old morale.
The games with Baltimore will stag
n reunion between Walter Huck Belts
Of the Phillies' pitching staff, and Jesse
Jones, who is trying out with Baltimor,
as a pitcher. Jesse and Huck grew ur
together in Millsboro, Del, and wen,
Institute.
Jess was by nature a catcher, ant
Huck played the intield. In 1913 Wes
ley Institute found itself without ,
pitcher, and the two Millsboro pal
stepped reluctantly into the breach.
It was fate, no less. They alternntet
in the box for Wesley, and when Jes
was pitching. Huck donned the masl
and protector and went behind the bat
In that season and the next, Wesle!
didn't lose game, Jones and Bett
winning them all.
Sure They Were Pitchers
This convinced them they were pitch
ers, and they kept on dazzling the Della
ware scholastic and independent rank!
with their battery work until the bi.
leagues called Huck in the form of ;
Phillie scout toward the end of tn,
| 1919 summer.
Huck is now a regular member of tn.
Phils' varsity staff. The rise of Jesse
Jones has been slower. Maybe hi.
name was too much. like that Of thu
patron saint of umpircs, St. Jess,
| james, 10 make MIN popular with ball
players. But at last he has arrived
almost in the big leagues. "He'll stick
too," ahirms Huck. "He has a wonder.
| full arm. just like big Peters. ] wish
l had one like It,
! The camp was enlvened by the lonely
single letter awaiting the squad al
Charlotte. 1t was addressed to Lertor
Pinto, the Chilicothe rustic, whose left
hand pitching at Leesburg has assuret
him Of n permanent big league future
Pint" was the object Of sympath,
at Leesburg because he was relieved o
a wallet containing $40. during the visi
of one Of the Florida teams to the Phil.
lies clubhouse.
After n while Pinto cooled down. 81
guess don't lose that money. My dat
does. l didn't shuck all that corn las
summer for nothing"
So he sat down and wrote to hi
father. The letter from home cOntainet
a check for $40. He bore It to Bushes.
Manager William Shcttsline. and pre-
sented 1t.
| Shetts cashed It. but it gave him ,
laugh. 1t was signed Samuel Pinto.
and was correct in every way. Bu
underneath the line that said "fort,
and no one -hundredths, was writer
! In parcnthcsis money said to hav,
been StOlen,'