Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-12

Down South at the training camp John was
so fuStered at being with big leaguers that
every time one of them spoke to him he tried
to pull his head inside his new store suit like
a turtle
The gang gave him the usual kidding they
gave all rockies, but they were pretty decent
to him, too, especially Long Tim" Lowe Tim
had been star thrower in his day, but tbs
Soupbone had slowed up and he was clnging
to his job with his fingerlails, and was hoping
he could bluff his way through another season
by putting 20 years OF experience and prayer
on every pitch.
1t certainly wasn't going to help Tim any to
have strong young pitcher in the outfit, but
what does Tim do He rooms with this John
Brown and tells him all he knows, which is
plenty.
zach morning he took Brown out to the
park and worked with him. Tim rugged up
kind OF gallows with pole and q crosspiece
and the rim Of a peach basket hanging on
rope about belt-high, and day after day he
kept Brown pegging them over and he wouldn't
let John quit till he shot nine out of ten square
through the rim.
John began to get some control and the Old
Man kept him when the team went north but
q couple of fellows had to be Topped off the
pitching staff before the season got very far
along. Tim Lowe worked in the first game
It was sad. The boys all liked Tim and did
hit EN- where nobody could get to EN-. So
the Old Man had TO yank Tim out and he
comes to the bench walking like each foot
weighed ton and he says, "Give the kid a
chance. He can handle EN-"
So the Old Man puts in John Brown and.
with Tim whispering to him between innings
how to pitch, Brown makes that other team
look like they were using paper dolls for bats.
couple Of weeks later, the Old Man had to
sell Tim Lowe down the river to the Sally
League and for q week after that 1t wasn't safe
to 60 near the Old Man or he'd have torn the
shirt on your back, which was his way of
showing how bad he felt about losing Tim.
Brown learned quick and won lot Of games.
He lost one now and then pitchers being hui
man like everybody else He had some bad
days. And he had some terrible clubs behind
him, too But when he was right it didn't
make much difference whether his team was q
bunch Of champs or q lot OF timber -thumbed
hoboes When he wasn't right, 1t didn't make
much Difference either. Most Of the time he
was right
He had lots Of good seasons
John Brown was well liked all around the
circuit. Sometimes the fans VIII fall for q
hashy player that the other players hate But
IN Johns case fans and players both liked him
Nobody had . bad word for John Brown. Then,
one day he happened to pick up newspaper
while getting q shine, and it said, Veteran
Hurler on Mound for Warriors Today" and he
saw it meant him. That sort Of worried John.
1 know this because knew him very we'll He
q felt his arm. Yes, the old whip felt o. K But
that veteran" stuff bothered him. It made
him remember that this was hts thirteenth
year In the big show.
You see, base ball isn't like any other BUSH
ness. Take banking for an instance. A banker
doesn't have 10 worry about his legs. IN the
banking game they don't begin to can guy q
veteran until they catch him putting his
grandSonS on the board of directors. But in
base ball you're q promising youngster" one
day. and 1t seems like only few weeks later
that they're calling you "grizzled veteran"
Now, you know, base bali players have some
funny ideas Especially pitchers. Pitchers ara
peculiar. OF course all southpaws are cuckoo
to start with, but I'm talking about right
handlers.
Everybody said John Brown had q lot of
sense, and I guess he had, but the newspaper
boys started to remind him that this was his
thirteenth year and they kept telling him to
look out for bad luck Naturally, II you expect
bad luck it generally accommodates you
John was peStered in his mind. BE began to
brood about q pet idea Of hlS It meant more
to him than anybody knew. He'd nursed 1t
since he was . kid. II waS this: He wanted To
pitch = no-hit game. He'd pitched couple of
that didn't satisfy him. He wanted to pitch
that no-hit game, because, you see, it was O
perfect job, and he was crazy to pull It on
just once before time tagged him out
EVERY time he stepped into the box he had
that In mind Maybe that's why he was 50
good The nrst hit made or him always
seemed TO hurt him as much a. II the ball had
been driven right through his chest Time and
again he seemed to be on the point Of tossing
a perfect rama and then aoraethinR happened.