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

way players have when fellow Is getting near
a record. To remind him Of it might make
him nervous.
Things looked black for John in the eighth.
He opened it by passing McHaig. Abbott
hunted and Billy Walcott; our third baseman,
messed it up and both men were safe on his
error Billy looked like he wanted to cut his
own throat. John looked like someb body had
driven a red-hot spike in his back But those
boys Smeared themselves by trying to pull a
double steal just Castro was popping up and
we mopped up all three of the runners.
The sweat was pouring of Johns brown face
as ne sat on the bench and at the same time
he was shiverng like sick dog. He had three
more men to go. Only three. Kiley, Hill and
Dillon And Kiley leading the. league,
and Hill and Dillon were both batting better
than $50
In our piece of the eighth Hap Barlow didn't
quite beat out skinner, but Pete Lake laced
out a two-bagger Joyce moved him along with
sacrifice fly to deep right. Skip Kodwln
rolled puny one to McHaig at short. and Mac
staged boob play by trying to nail Pete Lake
at the plate Macs throw was high and Pete
slid under it, safe. One That was all;
but it looked as big as silo in bean held,
if old John could hold out.
: guess everybody that ball lot was pulling
and praying for old John when he walked out
to the box His jaw was moving up and down
his cud and his face was strained and puck
cred.
His first pitch to Kiley was yards wide. His
second slipped cut of his Land and nearly
Snackedf>a guy. in the press box Nicky
O'Boyle, his catcher, had to reach to the moon
for his third pitch. His fourth kicked up the
dust foot in front of the plate. All the play
ers clustered around John, trying to steady
him. But he passed Hill on four balls, that
had OBoyle diving around like goahe in
hockey game. Dillon hit at one bad one but
the others were too bad for anybody to hit at
and the bases damned.
O'Boyle came out and gabbed with John;
but John had more control than a mule
full of gin
pitch to EN- John. old horse" all the boys
were yelling Pitch to em, John. Well get
fem
Link Lennard was up, a wicked hitter. John
pitched to him, all right. But that ball, as it
came over, didn't look to have anything more
ON it than horSe-hide cover Link pulled
three hard fouls Gown the right-held line and
then took one across the chest for third
strike. Buck Stevenson their catcher, came
next and missed three in a row. Hank Clarity
put himself in as q pinch hitter in place of
JEFF, and Hank gave a first-class imitation of
man tanning.
Then the straw hats came sailing down on
che field and everybody whooped and they beat
John on the back and wrung his hand and
would have carried him on their shoulders, but
he ran away. In the club house we almost had
to dress him, he was in such a goofy daSe.
THREE days later the Old Man was back IN
harness without his tonsils, but chock full
of ginger, and only growing now and then
which meant he was in great spirits; but Hank
Clarity didn't look any too happy. We knew
something was in the air when Hank persuaded
the Old Nan and his missus to 60 to a show,
Hank buying the seats at eight bucks each.
Then Hank passed around the word for all
the gang TO meet in his nat. John wasn't there.
The Old Man had given him. three days OF TO
celebrate his nO-hit game
Well eggs" Hank began, looking grim
1--WE pulled fast one, all right Yes indeed.
II worked swell. just one hitch. It's going TO
bounce back and hit us right on the chin :
How Gomez" we all asked.
Like this" said Hank The Old Man is
going to start John Saturday" -'.'.-
We all whistled
II tried to talk him out of it," Hank said
But you know him. Bull-headed told him
that game on Saturday was the last one John
had in his system 1 told him it would be
shame to start John again and spoil the taste
Of his no-hitter. / told him John was through,
and the Old Man says Well gave you orders
to start Sheriff. the other day and you took it
Oh yourself to start John, and he pitched no
hit game. If Johns through, so Is the Mis-
stssippi River. So are we up against 1t, or
aTent We?'
we are that" everybody said.
Then Pete Lake piped up and said, Wen
have to tell the truth" .-..--.e
''Yeah?" everybody said!
We can't tell john" said Hank. Hes got.
his no-hit game Let him keep it."
well, we'll have to tell the Old Man, then"
said Pete Lake. IF he starts John on Satur-
day with that dead wing Of his, won't have
to tell the Old Man-hen know: and well all
be back carrying hods for a lving-that is
those of US who don't get our necks broke"
What about the other fellows?" asked
O'Beyle.
Don't worry about them splitting anything"
said Hank. Lefty Hooker will keep them in
line. Anyhow, they're regular. and besides
they'd be scared to on account of what the
hOSs would do To them"