The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-07

3LdIlASoCIOII, puDAlCIy pISSScO1 '
Pittsburgh win a National Leagu
passing all the more poignant.
Baseball has lost a strong supp
of the game at heart and, what is
of the men who play the game a
Even occupying the exalted posi-
ton as the Chief Executive Of this
country. he found time in the stress
Of business to remember the raw
boned country boy of a dozen years
ago, when we were in the midst of
a gruelling pennant fight two years
ago.
was q kid just past nineteen
years when l first met the future
President Of the United States. The
meeting was the same as many an
other and then there was no
thought Of the future greatness uf
Mr.. nardlng, nor was there any
thing in my work at that time that
destined the writer to become a big
Lacquer.
Mr.. Harding may, and probably
did, entertain hope of some day
becoming governor of Ohio, or
CECA q OAutCu OldGCo OCAAdtOES
just the same as l hoped some
day to become a winning pitcher
In one of the big leagues.
had been given a trial with the
Mansfield club. in the now defunct
ONO anu pennsylvania League. I
thought l was going good and had
a job cinched until the team was
about to start on a road trip
Then. to my surprise, I was re-
leased. when the season was just
eight days old.
That night l went down to rhe
IT, sh p, the rendezvous of the
baseball club, was known. to turn
in my uniform. Somebody there
tipped me off that the Marion
club was in need of a left-handed
pitcher.
Next morning 1 went to Marion.
but did not get much encourage
ment. There was a chance, how
ever, if "Rube" Rice, also a left
handed pitcher. did not come
through.
chance the following Saturday.
Feeling rather down-hearted, Went
back to Mansfield, packed my dnds
and went down to the farm at Nc
Connellsville.
Rice got his chance and was
knocked out of the box the follow
ing Saturday. Next week l received
q special delivery letter advising me
10 report at Marion. Still there was
some doubt as to my ability.
worked out four days and then the
team went on the road. l signed
up that night.
the time fha
club left Marion and when it re-
turned 1 learned that Warren G.
Harding. who had been defeated for
governor the year previous, was
one of the owners Of the Marion
club.
When the team returned to
Marion Nathan Mccoy, secretary
of the club. pointed out Mr.. and
Mrs. Harding sitting in the little
old wooden grandstand. 1t was
my first home game.
After the game, in which I was
defeated, Secretary Mccoy intro
duced me to Mr. Harding and his
wife. and I believe that it was the
warmth of McCoy's introduction
that made Mr.. Harding my friend
for life.
Mccoy in that introduction was
rather elaborate of nv ability and,
Notwithstanding the fact that Mr..
Harding had seen me defeated, Nc
Coy predicted that 1 would become
one of the hest pitchers the Marion
club ever had.
Taking his cue from Mr.. Mccoy,
Mr.. Harding, after good old
fashioned pumphandle handshake.
patted me on the back and told me
not to let the defeat discourage me;
that defeat would come often. de-
spite my most earnest endeavor.
and that when things looked blue
next start more determined than
the first.
It was the fatherly sort of way
the future President slapped me
on the back that won me to him
almost instantly. And / was to
receive many more slaps on the
back from him during that sea-
son when 1 turned in VICTORIES.
My seasons record with the
Marion club was sixteen victories
and eight defeats. That was a rec
ord 70 be proud of in my first
league experience, and Mr.. Harding
evidently thought so, too. Any
way, he succeeded in having me
placed with the Columbus club of
the American Association.
The Pittsburgh club purchased my
release in the fall of 1912, and since
then have been connected with the
latter club.
During my connection with the
Marion club. he Star, local paper
which Mr.. Harding owned, lost ne
opportunity TO compliment me on
my work as a pitcher.
II was not Mr.. Harding's articles,
although he frequently spoke of my
work in his editorial columns, but
the sports writer followed in the
wake of the owner and editor and
many of the kind words the young
sports editor wrote are still cher
ished possessions of my mother, who
at first was not in favor of me en-
gaging in professional ball, but who
later became one of my strongest
supporters
can picture the future Presi-
dent and his wife sitting in that
little wooden box at Marion, watch
Ing the game. They were devoted
to each other, but greatness had
not yet reached out for Harding.
He cIn IN oh hic y