Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-12-26
MONTANA SPORTS TALES
(By Joe L. Markham

4 Morse was enthusiastic as he tolg
me Of the meeting and chinning with
the Governor.
WAS the Governor really q good
football player2" / asked Earl
He was q sweet player" fired back
+ Morse sHe certainly was good when
he played Billings that day. Does that
( answer your question:"
I II did. and said so.
The Great Middleton
The other day / was telling Austin
Middleton, warden at the state pent-
Tertiary, about my conversation with
Morse. Austin Is former resident Of
Miles City. and stated that he played
on the Miles City high school team
when Billings was defeated by Holt
& Co.
Il guess Elmer was a pretty good
football player" was a statement I
made to Austin.
Good? Why. he was the second best
player on our team, was Austin's
comeback.
I didn't wait to ask Austin who the
star of the team was. knew the an
swer he would give me. II you don't,
ask Austin Middleton some time, but
be prepared TO hear Austin sing the
praises of a guy named Middleton.
Tim Harrington New Fan
Tim Harrington is rs years old. Two
thirds Of Tim HarringtonS life has
been spent in western Montana. Phil
ipsburg has been the home of Tim for
years, though Butte, Helena. Anaconda
and Missoula we're postoffice addresses
he used in his first is years Of Mon
tana residence. Tim Harrington was a
good boxer in his day. He managed
fighters when he quit as a combatant
Tim played baseball, too. It has been
As years or more since Harrington wore
a uniform, yet he keeps in contact with
the paStime from his lookout In the
stands, and absorbs the major league
doings, as they appear in the news
papers.
Recently, while in Philipsburg, I
asked Tim If he enjoys going to ball
games
IT certainly do" replied Harrington.
I've always been a fan, and like
the present rules. In my day, back in
the sos. we played under different
CODE"
How do you mean different2" was
my retort.
Now, don't interrupt. and I'll tell
you, said Harrington. You can ask
questions when I'm through"
In the TwO-ShOrtstOp Era
When I played" said Tim, I'VE
had 10 men on a side. We had two
always played right short /
stop" He looked at me forbiddingly, /
as a question was on my lips.
VIII you keep quiet2" Tim chal- |
lenged, though / hadn't said q word, |
but wanted to.
THE second baSeman would station |
himself on the bag, between the two
shortStOps, or would line up back of /
the pitcher, If he felt like it." con- I
tinued Tim. Now, our catchers never /
wore q mask, or shin-guards-no |
gloves, either. None of us had gloves, /
though they have purpose nowadays. I
The catcher took up a position about
20 yards back Of the plate, and would
to catch all pitched balls on
the bounce. On strikeouts, the catcher
had several ways Of retiring the bat
ter. He could catch the struck ball on
the fly; on the first bounce, or throw
It to first base ahead Of the runner"
AS lighted q cigaret, Tim squinted
lt me and said: us 1t a drink you want,
Mr.. Fidgety PERSON."
moi" I answered, don't drink"
"A man does better without it" Tim
'eplied.
Out on Bouncing Fouls
We'll, said Harrington, Il want that
Iou should quit interrupting me. Where
vas I? Oh, yes. If batsman hit a :
oul, he could be put out, if the ball
Tas caught on the first bounce. And
stem to this, young man. The batters
Tould tell the umpire, who would tell
be pitcher, the kind of a ball wanted
We could ask for a high, low of fair
all. Fair meant anywhere between
ne shoulders and the knees. A base
n balls required nine bad pitches-not
)ur."
Tim waited on q customer who want
/ a magazine. A kid came In for some
andy After the register sang its song,
e moved to the counter where / was
arked.
did you know We had only one UNI