San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-17
old MASTER
MAY MAKE
], HIS BOW
First Home Game Lost to
Waco; Hudlin
Makes Good.

Makes Good.
Bob Couchman, the "OId Mas
ter OF the Bear pitching staff, may
make his 1926 pitching debut in
Saturdays game at League Park
with the Waco Cubs. Manager
Honus Mite, at non, was unde-
cided between Couchman and young
''Dutch" Kaiser. COuchman yeSter-
day reported himself in midSeasOn
condition. exhibiting eallOuses on
the finger-tips of his pitching hand
TO prove il. Waco is expected &c
have Roy Crumpler, left-hander, on
the hill.
Hello" said Derrill Pratt. who
used to big-league with Boston AMI
New York and Detroit and maybe
other clubs but who is now grand
marshal of Waco's baseball forces in
the Texas League Spent a big win
teri
Check replied your correspond
ent, adding that Mr.. Pratt looked well
and happy end not 50 much more
srsy-headed than a year before.
This occurred as Mr.. Pratt played
toss with one Of his henchmen just
preceding the opening game Of the
local season between Waco and the
Bears Friday.
IL being your correspondents bust
mess TO find out, the question in order
was: Whore you gonna pitch:7
HUDLIN'S FIRST GAME.
CHANGING cautiously around. Mr.
Pratt replied in a stage whisper:
'Is shall pitch none other than
Willis Hudlin. the high school won
der, from Oklahoma. I've changed
my mind about starting Crumpler.
This Hudlin boy, who is only IS years
old and never pitched in a profess
= sienal game in his life, is the party
to beat you fellows. He's got the
stuff to beat you 30 to 0. Oh,
brother, he's got it,
Your correspondent was duly i'm
pressed with this outburst.
"Where, may ] ask" he inquired
innoeently Of Mr.. Pratt, lis this Hud-
lin boy?"
Hey, hey" exploded Mr.. Pratt,
looking alarmed. You keep away
from him. Hes nervous enough now. "
And Mr.. Pratt seemed TO spread out
asa barrier between your correspond
enf and the bench. just as a hen puffs
out her feathers for her chicks 10
run under when a hawk looms in the
sISy. Mr.. Pratt did not Cluck, but
your correspondent would not have
been surprised to hear such sounds,
And the subject was changed.
SHIELDED TO THE LAST.
50 il came about that young vii
lis Hudlin, IS and husky, took the
bH against the Bears in his first
professional baseball game without
undue preliminary scrutiny calculated
to increase his natural nervousness
Mr.. Pratt no doubt feared that
Nervousness would seriously hamper
vcung HudIin's effectiveness. But his
fears were not well founded. The
vchungster offset nervousness with
wnat is best described uncOuthly as
"guts" and il came 10 pass that he
opfbattled the Bears and sent home
a4great mob Of opening day fans
very much disappointed because the
home team got beat BY the visiting
+ Waeoans, 3 10 4.
The Bears got ten hits, which was
very good, especially in view Of TIE
fact that they weren't doped as a hit
ting club in the spring. They made
three errors, however, and young Les
Fkipps lost one fly in the sun and
Ihk;udged another. and these two were
extremely costly indeed, the last one
~
the ninth inning.
Frank Watt chunked a NOBLE
article Of baseball until the seventh
when be began TO tire. An error
started a run around, 3 walk and {
hit by Davis completing the score. II
the eighth, singles began to pop righ
and left. When four Of five batter
had hit. Watt was removed for Ward
who got the side out.
The score was tied up, however
after the Bears had enjoyed a a
LEAD as late a. the sixth. and. wheI
Davis plunked the left field fence fol
two sacks in the ninth and Pratt
rafsed a long sacrifice fly 20 mVT'
him 10 third, Ward was derricked fol-
Owens
ANDY Cohen thumped the BAN on 3
line into left. Piipps dashed in fol
ia saw his mistake and attempted q
race back, but TOO late. The pellet
tras over his bead and the winning
run had scored. Cohen WIS thrown
cut trying % take third on the bit.
RALLY IN THE NINTH.
The Bears fought a losing fight
from the fourth inning, when theft
final tallying was done against Hud
Hn. Who gained confidence ag be went
Along. But il wasn't thar they didn't
Try. Thsy gave Hudlin, Pratt sr 81
: sample Of that sinking sensation
and the mob Of iaps q chance 70 stand
up and holler. IN the hone balf Of tht
niBth when fsey filled the bases.
Pinch hitter Klein singled G0nzaisi
nnikr1 and Sfrrisf Vas safe on 90.