The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-09

In sport history long aTrer otnerS o.
ways | have had a weakness for tn
though, that the spice and flavor W
offset by worry and troubles. dol
shall never forget Bugs Raymond.
There, by the way, was one of the
greatest natural pitchers that ever
lived. He had his odd ways of think
ing while off the field, but once
in the box he knew exactly what he
WAS doing. All we had to do was to
keep him in physical condition. That.
though, was the thing nobody ever
succeeded in doing.
Say, Nc" Chief Meyers said to me
after he had caught Raymond for
the first time, that fellow can do
more tricks with baseball than any
man in the world"
Had Great Splitter
And he could. Raymond's long
suit. of course, was his spitball. He
could make the ball do the queerest
of stunts and never did he hesitate
to pull enc of these tricks when the
team was in the hole. Even though
he sorely tried me at times, ] must
admit that he was largely respon-
sible for one of our biggest seasons
successes.
Every fall Bugs would promise
faithfully to go on the waterwagon-
In the spring he would show up as
If he meant what he said. In two
or three weeks he would drop right
back into his old habits. His fond
ness for eompanionship was his
downfall. l think he knew, every man
and boy in every little town we ever
played in as we'll as in the big
. league cities.
siWOne season I tried to cure him by
Z cuttng off his money supply. 1
warned all players and the sporting
writers not to lend him nickel.
Just the same he would manage to
get what he wanted somehow.
One day I sent him out in the
bull pen to warm up. The pitcher in
the box seemed to be wabbly. In
those days the bull pen was back OF
the bleachers and out of sight of the
spectators.
Half an hour later I sent the bat
boy for Bugs. He could not find him.
The trainer then took up the hunt.
Presently he returned with the in
formation that Raymond was in a
saloon down Eighth avenue drinking
beer. He had taken the new ball that
L had given him for warming up
and had sold it to the saloon keeper.
Took Kelley Cure
One fall I persuaded him to take
the Kelley cure at a Chicago insti-
tuition. We got encouraging reports
from week to week but finally came
the news that Raymond had been
expelled for having scared his room
mate, an old business man. almost
to death by some rough horseplay.
Bugs was very proud of his term
in the Kelley institute. He even
wore a class button and very proudly
exhibited an album with photographs
and other souvenirs of his school
: @niates. He showed up at spring train
ing camp with alls these trinkets
Though expelled, he really had cult
drinking. / never saw him look bet
ter. He started like a whirlwind.
We were in Marlin. Tex, at tho
time. The newspaper men were send
ing back interesting stories of the
wonderful reform of the Bugs, as we
always referred to him. In about tive
weeks, though, I began to see omi-
nous signs. Bugs had struck up ar
acquaintance with some farmers and
cowboys.
Falls Off Wagon
We went to Dallas for an exhibition
game and Bugs fell off the wagon
with splash. In those days they
always served cocktails with the Sun
Qay night tHc Old Oilcild
hotel. All these were prepared in ad-
vance and placed on long tables in
the hotel pantry, just off the dining
room.
Knowing the head steward, Bugs
decided to visit him. He left the din
ing room and started to the kitchen
AS he stepped through the swinging
doors his eye lighted on the Iona
rows of cocktails-hundreds of then
all lined up in rows. Promptly Ray
mond started right down the first
row drinking one after another until
he had consumed more than a dozen
That was the beginning of his
downfall. The next day 1t rained and
we missed him. He came in after
midnight saying that he had beer
out with some old railroad friends.
To be sure that did not misjudge
him / had detective follow Bugs
and make a detailed report of his
activities for "a hours. Mind you
all this time the reporters were still
talking about Raymond's reform ant
the Texas papers were picking it up