Evening star., 1925-01-06

the family nnanCeS. 50. when | hnI
my mother it was time Tor me TO hel!
She wanted me TO continue school
for few more wears The only work
! could do. she pointed out. would be
In the coal mines Size saw little OF
real future there. knowing my am
bition to he a professional base bali
PLAYER some day. she said:
sonny, yon'll have TO work so hard
that YOU Wont have = chance 10 play
bail. You're frail now. 1t worries me-"
I'm all right, mother" l told her.
81 can stand as L.uch most o: the
biggest rs around here now. Hard
work doesn't seer" 10 hurt me. 1t
won't hurt me-.
Old Beyond His Years.
was only g . the time--a skinny,
active Kid. and Old beyond my years
Life in Il mine town gives a younsster
a mature viewpoint on many things
lie knows that he has to so to work
to help keep Il home together. and he
doesn't waste any tine wishing for
an easy life. He realizes that if he
is to eat he has to work-or did
when ! was a boy.
We had been living in Pittstou since
] was } years old. having moved to
Pennsylvania from Port Jervis. y. Y.
where I was born on November s.
1896. BY a coincidence. the house in
which I first saw the light of day was
on Ball street. That was good
start for base ball player. anyhow.
Living as long as we had in Pitts
ton, | knew how TO go about getting
a job in the mines W. p Jennings.
superintendent Of No. 9 mine Of the
Pennsylvania Coal Company a. the
time and now a high official with that
organization. was . neiGhbor. With
my mother still protesting and in
sisting that We could manage. l called
on Mr.. Jennings.
so YOU want job, eh"" he asked
Tired of SCHOOL,"
At ~ Cents an Hour.
Yes, sir. And. anyhow, I'm big
enough to help earn my own living
now"
| spoke the truth, too I was tired
OF school, just as most BOYS are in
their teens. Later ! realized that
had much TO learn from books, and
Went to night school As things have
turned out. l didn't make mistake.
/ certainly would have done SO 'had
stopped my schooling when I fin
ished the sixth grade.
Mr.. Jennings gave ne a job At
the same time he pointed ont that ]
shouldn't neglect study just because
! was wage Garner. 1t viii always
be thankful for his advice. He put
me in the washery. along with some
other youn gsters. Our job was to
help tend the pickers which separate
the slate and coal.
The task required active fingers
rather than any brains or skill. II
meant working nine hours day, with
half-hour allowed for lunch. For
this l received IL cents an hour. or
S6.4S q week. My first pay envelope
carried big thrill with it. I took
from the hours, the Ia Dor was not
hard. l must say thrived on it. I've
found that work. either in the mines
or on the base ball diamond, doesn't
harm any one. That holds true for
whatever a man does.
Didn't Mind Cold supper.
had been playing base bali from
the time | was 8 or years old
Holding down a JOB didn't make me
forget the sport. Only, instead OF
playing after school, I d:d 50 when
work at the mine was finished. In
the long days of Spring ard carly
Summer I would practice until dark,
after having put in nine hours work.
1t didn't make any difference whether
/ had a cold supper or not.
My mother would frequently pro-
test
sonny, you'll be nothing but
rack Of bones if you keep this up"
she would say as she prepared me q
bite to cat.
NO. I'm going to be ball player
some day. Then you won't have any
thing to worry about" ! would tell
her. I'm learning M" business every
day by staying out laso 10 play. And
its a lot of fun, toe"
The scrub Samcs <u@rished tho
main recreation for tla youngsters
in the mines. ohtaiHiar g regulation
hasc ball with Wlicn 70 play was an
event. Most often sc used a bal!
made by wrapping = small hard-rub-
her core with string and then cover
Ing 1t with tape. y new glove or bat
was n thing to plan ald save for
weeks in advance. NVhIt we lacked
in equipment we certainly made up
in enjoyment. No completely out
fitted bunch Of boys could have had
more fun. We had to Work hard. and
As result appreciated better what
time We did have for play.
4 Chance for More Ball.
After six months at the mine picE
ers Mr.. Jennings sent for me and told
me there was d job vacant as Office
boy of the Butler ColIfery. NV
mother and brother advised me TO
take it. They argued that the chances
for promotion were better And
Merle shrewdly observed:
May be you'll get a chance to play
more ball
Copyright. 1925,
TOmOrrOw-An Ecye to the Main
Chance.