The Washington times., 1925-05-02

on the telephone and every nROfnl
nurse and ask: Flows daddy feel
I couldn't have visitors or phone
calls. / sneaked out a couple Of
kilograms by a strange nurse-but
I've got suspicious they were never
sent. They wouldn't even permit
me to do my piece for the news
papers-and that what really made
me sore. Especially when I'd read
those Yankee box scores every
morning. Poor old Hug" might
have a headache by now but his
ball club is giving me nervous pros
tration.
The bright remembrance Of this
experience will be the flowers and
the cheering messages received from
friends and from many strangers.
And of course. the kindness OF the
Sisters in charge. This being my
fourth time at st. Vincent's the
Sisters look upon me as a regular
tenant and I'm beginning 10 think
II would be cheaper for Mrs. Ruth
and myself to build a hospital all
eur own.
OF the many surprises none
were more beautiful than q big
box of roses that came all the
way from California via air mail.
Last winter I played an exhibition
game with Bob Metisel in Duns-
muir, . little California mining
and railroad town, few miles
from Mount Shasta. Bob and /
happened to sock few home
runs up into q nearby pine tree
and managed TO give the folks
GOOD show. Their population ID
less than 5000, but their pep and
hospitality is as big as all New
York. I'd like to shake hands
with the aviator who brought
their flowers.
I wish 1 could personally thank
everybody for their messages and
cheer. I never realized before what
Il means to be fiat on your back
Ike this and locked up from the
world. It doesn't make much diff
ference whether you're q rich bank
president, a poor neWsboy or a
homerun hitter, hospitals are mighty
lonesome and firing.
The nurses and doctors are kind
and gentle, but, after all, patient
a. just patient and when you're
down a week, you realize that after
all you don't really "cut a lot OF
ice." That's the truest thing in
the world.
And another thing, some folks
have the idea that a big fellow
doesn't feel pain. What g. terrible
and greasy things, until you've put
on a few rolls of fat and then let
some doctor carve you up. Skinny
or fat, pain is pain.
One OF the sisters told me about
Joe Dugan, of the Yankees, when
he was in this same hospital. And
Bob Meusel was in here, too.
There's a pair Of nice skinny boys.
but If they think they suffered
any more than have, they'll
have to prove 1t, when see them
at the ball park.
This idea that a fellow weighing
around 200 pounds is so fat and
comfortable that he doesn't mind a
toothache or a bump on the head,
is all the bunk. The fat people Of
the country ought to organize to
offset that kind Of propaganda. !
But the worst part Of the whole
affair TO me, Is the mental pain.
The other night 1 said: Doctor,
IL you don't get me out Of here
pretty soon I'll go out Of my
mind" And that's just how
felt. without any exaggerati0n.
i guess doctors are used to such
remarks. He just smiled and
said: go ahead. Try it and see.
how far you get" He knew
they'd been starving me for the
past three weeks and was too
weak to walk across the room.
But / mean every word / said
it's enough to set a man out Of
his mind. Maybe it goes worse on
q big athletic fellow who has alwlJs
been active like myself. Maybe the
news Of Yankee defeats hasn't
been any too soothing for my
nerves. But whatever il the cause,
it's an awful feeling-and I'm
thankful that it's not for long.
When I think of 50 many people,
bed-ridden for years, right. away
my crouch disappears.
Think of the hundreds OF boys
In Washington and other army hta-
tons, many OF them doomed to bed
and suffering for life. They never
happened to knock any homsrins
30 their names aren't in the papers
and they're soon forgotten. A
fellow thinks Of all kinds OF things,
laying in a sick bed and I've
thought a lot of those boys. When.
ever I get to handing myself TOO
much pity, / stop and think:
you'll be out soon and they won't. -
They keep a regular boxscore "n
q fellow in a sick room. Each day
they check me and put down the
"score" in this book Of charts. l
@w the book for the first time today
and thought of AL Munro Elias.
That is something the baseball sta