The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-04-08

Coach Simnns stared at me as II
hesitating whether to walk away
or sock me one.
"Sit down." he said.
We sat on the low south wall OF
the campus.
1.-The only chance you have that
! can see Is because you are so
sore over my report to your
brother. He asked ME to report on
your chances for making a ball
player, and as he Is the head OF
the family"
Did he tell you that2"
mo. but"
Harry has no financial inter.
est In the corporation that feeds
us. He gave his share to us. My
older sister is the head if it. They
are doing their best to convince
me that baseball playing Is no
good. I ought to take up law or
medicine or else specialize in
something that will enable me to
run our business, according 70
their plans. I don't want to. Did
you have, by any chance, any one
in your family who wanted you 10
take up preaching instead OF
sports?"
TO my surprise Coach simms
began to laugh.
And my report had made 1t
harder for you, is that 1T"
Harder? You've made it prac-
tically impossible now"
"Then my letter hasn't made me
. liar" he said. quietly.
1T has," I blazed in anger, hop
ping down from my seat on the
wall. ut sure has. because I am
going to be Q ball player in spite
Of you or my folks or anything!"
started to walk away, too
furious to trust myself.
swat, come back" he said.
I automatically oneyed him, II
college athletes obeyed their pro-
fessors half as well aS they do
their coaches they'd all turn out
honor men at graduation.
He stuck out his hand and
smiled. Il was the sort OF q smile
that warns q fellows heart.
BERT" he sald-he had al
ways called me "Rushe"-1 hope
I,m wrong about you. At least
YOU have the best single chance
there Is to make good, the over
towering desire and the patience
to practice. Go to It,. It you can
afford to practice this summer
instead Of work. do that"
Again we shook hands and
when the semester closed ! had
the same old ambition, only
greatly strengthened Ito some
day got into . professional base
bail league.
I asked 6imms to send Harry
another letter, modifying his
statement about me, but be ad-
viSed against it.
If you manage to make good
against such odds It will be more
convincing than aver" he ex-
planned.
when / got home l expected to
demand that they let me have a
vacation through the summer.
It was my intention to get on
some team, hotel team or some-
thing Of that sort, and play
steadily. But I found that / would
be q pretty thankless sort Of chap
to do that. because they were
branching out with the business.
establishing more shops and all
working overtime, That is, Sis
ter May and her able husband
and two Of my other sisters. MY
youngest sister had married .
wealthy Washington man and let
her share Of the profits 60 into
The business.
70 ! dug Into the work, but /
- mapped out Z routine. ! put
IN two solid hours Of pitching
every morning. beginning at sun
rise. I worked alone. pitched ct
2 mark. practiced curves, .prac-
Need tricks Of holdihg the ball, ar
putting = coarse, 'grippy" sub.
etence inside . finger or On o
finger tip to aid ID getting TIN
twist on tho Spheyo.
Throughout the ny I worksdqln'
the main office 81 the now bik
ex1pefy corporation, but ever3.
night until dark ! practiced With
eame good amAtelrI Come u