Evening star., 1937-03-03


a Christmas saving check given to him
by his mother, and when they heard
Of his love for base ball, two and two
were put together and Jimmy was
figured to be headed for this camp Of
the Nationals. At Jacksonville they
lost his trail. temporarily, but it was
picked up again. Hardly had he
stepped off the train when he was
grabbed by a Oman and represent
ative of the American Legion.
Jimmy Offers Explanation.
"I wanted to see big-league train
ing camp" he said, when he was taken
to the hotel headquarter of the Wash
ington club. Nobody disputed that
statement.
The check he cashed in Washington
was for s25, but Jimmy insisted he
had left the Capital with only sll and
a little change Regular train fare to
Orlando is close to $35. How did he
do it?
IT bought railroad tickets at half
fare-children's price" he said. 7
sat in-what do they call it-a day
coach Sleeper? No. just sat up. A
sleeper costs too much"
Jimmy arrived at Orlando with 81.
He took a cab at Union Station and
directed the driver to the Empire
Hotel. a small downtown hoStelry.
There he was picked up"
Jimmy was to be whisked to Palatka
as soon as he arrived in Orlando to
await the arrival there Of an anxious
father who sped from Washington, but
when a 12-year-old boys travels 955
miles on 50 to see big-league training
camp nobody can deny him his ambi-
ton SO he was escorted to the Ma
tionals' headquarters.
There he met Griffith. He walked
into the owners suite just as Griffith
was talking Shortstop Cecil Travis
into signing contract. There was a
thrill! Peeking into real salary con-
ference!
The salary conference was dropped
Griff wanted to know all the details
of the SO excursion from Washington
to Orlando. Jimmy probably felt very
important Maybe he could tell ST.
year-old Griffith, base balls old fox,
something he didn't know Anyway.
when it was over. Griff invited Jimmy
to return to Orlando as soon as he met
his father and spend, a few days
watching the Nationals train.
"Therell be a brand-new ball in it
Jimmy" said Griff. III promise you
that every ball player on the squad
signs it. I'll promise that you see all
you care to as far as big league train
ing goes. You're great little fan"
Travis forgot he was trying to
wrangle an extra $500 or $1,000 from
Griffith. He wrung the kids hand
and said he was glad to know some-
body who felt the same way that he
felt when he was II years old.
Pretty soon Jimmy was mobbed by
photographers. They turned on flash
lights until he began to see spots
before his eyes. Bergman appeared
on the scene and sketched him. The
kid thrilled to it. Bergman, later,
got a chuckle out of it.
Here I've been called by the G-men
to draw sketches of Hauptmann and
the Mattson kidnaper," he said. Now.
right into my laps falls the victim
of q kidnapping and there are no
'kidnapers.' There is a real twist"
Finally the Justice Department agent
and the American Legion friend were
anxious to get started to Palatka.
Jimmy looked around. "If dad will
say okay," he said, "Ill be back to
see the team, Mr.. Griffith. Thanks
for everything"
Jimmy turned and looked at Travis
on the way out. He screwed UP cour-
age at last and came out with it.
80 long, Cece," he said, I'll be
seeing va"
PARENTS TRAVEL SOUTH.