Evening star., 1935-07-21

0 our manager, tells me he's got
report from the bushes that there is bird
down there who looks like he has the makings
of the greatest third baseman in the world.
He tells me he amt got too much confidence in
our scout, so I'm to scram for this burg and
inspect the new ivory find.
When first lamp Willie, he is standing at
the drug store soda fountain talking with
another guy. He is tall and skinny, and he has
got freckles and big hands and feet which he
don't seem to know what to do with. Kind of
goofy-looking. if you get what mean.
He is playing third base for the local base
ball team which is in semi-pro county
league which performs twice week. The next
day they are set for game and am at the
ball park.
Well, there amt no use wasting words. but
during the game see that our scout amt far
wrong. It. this-away: When ball is hit hard.
it amt no easier to handle if country boy
wallops it or whether it is smacked by Lou
Gehrig. This Willie looks like darb to me-
and the territory around that there third base
didn't noways resemble billiard table. And
wing! Sweet mama. how that lad could
peg 'em to first!
Me and Joe Alvis exchanged couple of
teegrams. and the first thing you know have
signed this Willie lad up and sent him down
to our farm below the Mason-Dixon line. It's
class B, and fast circuit, and our club there
is being handled by an old buddy of Joes,
who can do more to develop baseball talent
than any other man in the country.
7 oil bout ho Lid of 7 har
home. because we are having troubles of our
own. BY the middle of June we are in slump,
and then just to make matters worse, Frosty
Snow, our regular third sacker. breaks leg,
sliding into second. Four days later Jimmy
Nasty, who takes his place, cracks an ankle,
and we are without any third basemen, having
to shift our infeld all around.
Joe Alvis tries to buy new third baseman
and don't have bit of luck. The other clubs
are scared of US and rot anxious to sell any
body who looks good. And one day when Joe
has reached the point where he would tear
his hair if he had any, he gets wire from our
ivory farm:
WHY NOT TRY THIS LAD WILLIE MASON
STOP HE is FIELDING LIKE A STREAK AND
HITTING FOUR ELEvEN STOP HE NEEDS
PLENTY OF SMOOTHING UP BUT HE'S
GREAT BALL PLAYER AND DON'T MEAN
MAYBE
That's how Willie Mason come to Our club.
In six weeks he had jumped from the bushiest
of the bushes, through good class B circuit
and into the majors. 1t something you would
read about and not believe.
But anyway. here he comes, and meet him
at the station. His clothes are too small. and
they fit funny. His hat went out of style seven
years ago. point him out to Joe Alvis, who
is there with me, and Joe just says "My
Gawdr'
take the lad under my wing and fix up
for him to room with me; Joe figuring that l
can keep him steady and also cram him full of
baseball dope. First night in New York l
offer to take him out, but he says maybe he
had better just stay home. So I sit with him,
and he takes out book. get curious.
What's that, Wi,lie?"
Poetry" he says. blushing.
Suffering tripe! Do you read that stuff for
fun?"
"Uh-huh."
But why9 I've read lot of rhymes, and
they usually don't make no sense to me-
He thinks that over for minute.
II tell you the truth, MIR. Morgan" he says