The Washington times., 1925-12-23

8Oyston Reds had built me up
am not immodest in saying that
boy who had never had any exE
had the fundamentals. ] could
can do these things naturally al
finer points of the game. / was
For days and days we talked
about Van Bagwell being up there
among the minor leaguers-a pro
fessionaI and making good. It fired
as ar with ambition and wonder.
Finally we got a letter from Van
Bagwell telling all about the pro
fessional league, how the players
acted. what was expected OF them
and so on, He told about the life
IN hotels. Every line OF his letter
was fascinating. read It and re
read Ii. / didn't realize 1t Tor 8
long time but my future had been
mapped out Tor me. Nothing could
keep me from satisfying my ambi
ton Of showing that could be az
good as any Of them.
i was ssiH too modest to think
Of the Southern League. There
was . professional team at
Augusta. my present home, which
WAS nearer. Augusta was In 3
league grade lower than the
Southern. the Southern Atlanta
League.
The Van Bagwell letter having
given us all 8 new line OF thought.
friend OF mine wrote to Con
Strouthers, manager Of the Augusta
team, about me. Later Con Strotlth-
ers wrote to me. wanting me 30
come TO Augusta and talk to him
-at my own expense.
20 into all this. detail for the
purpose Of showing just how the
Average professional balIplayer gets
his start. All Of them 70 through
the same thing or nearly so.
The letter from Strouthers was d
bombshelI In our home. To say that
] was excited would be putting it
mildly. was fairly consumed with
D desire to display my ability on a
league diamond with professional
ball players. Ny father was shocked.
Never In my life had I had an
argument with my father. Boys
In my section Of the country accept
Cd family discipline as a matter of
course. We were supposed to
respect our fathers wishes without
whining or clubbing. knew that
the biggest moment Of my life
faced me. / would have 10 face
my dear father, man to man, and
have it out. My mind was made
hp. knew that nothing would
Turn me. At the same time I did
not want to oppose him.
Ny father called me into his
study. Beginning I'm q calm voice
be tried to dissuade me by point
ing out the loss was bound to
sustain by giving up the career
thai had been planned for me.
He didn't understand anything
about professional baseball, but
c00uM see no future In such an
HIS arguments were sound and
logical. knew that. Just the
tame wanted to satisfy my am
bition. I was eager to enter into
competition. We discussed 1t for
fully an hour. the son getting more
Dbdurate all the time.
"An right, son." he finally said,
q note Of sadness. in his voice. AS
consent for you to go. l want you
TO go right through and be q gen.
Eleman.p
From a drawer he drew a. check
book and proceeded to write out a
check. I hadn't expected that. The
check was for fifty dollars.
II you are embarrassed let me
know and / viii send you more,
Ind az long as you are determined
On this experiment, want you to
win. You must keep in touch with
me-"
My father was not a rich man
and, realizing what this meant to
him. q lump came up in my throat.
/ had never realized up to that
moment just how wonderful a man
my father was. have an idea that
be thought I would get through
with this adventure and come home
ready to start life on a sound basis
Stewart Brown. now a famous
surgeon, went with me to Augusta.
We both carried our Royston uni.
forms OF that brilliant red.
My meeting with StrOuthers
Impressed ms. He gave me q
trial and agreed to sign me for
800 . month. ] presented to him
q letter Of recommendation from
cur preacher as to my character
and bringing up. / didn't under.
stand then why Strouthers
smiled.
~But you'll have to get rid Of
kfa4 red unifrom," he told me.
Well get one of the regular uni.
forms for YOU"
Ordinarily there wouldn't have
been much chance for me to get
Ia = game but Harry Bussey, a
veteran, had been declared ineligi.
!|o.'|I: I.II.a|.E trade I5