The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-14
THEY PLAYED THE GAME .. NO. = Waddell, SOuthpaw All The Way, One Man Cast Of Characters, Invincible As He Was Eccentric
By HARRY CRIMSON NEA Sports Editor
Seventh of a series

Seventh of q series
 While his phenomenal pitching record is in the books for all to see, George Edward Waddell Is best rec memhered as . legendary eccentric
 That's Q pity, for while Rube Waddell, left-handed all the way. was as cratic as Mugs Raymond. he also was as able as Christy Math- oWson.
 when waddell was right" says Connie Mack, the only manager who handled the Rube with any degree uf success, we've never had another who could touch him."
 Wa0dell liked to fish, drink, tend bar, run to fires and pitch. but no baseball assignment was important enough to keep him from his first four passions.
 Waddell, the baseball dramatist and acrobat = he turned cartweels from the mound to the bench fol- lowing particularly brilliant per- aoFmences--had a corking straight man in his favorite catcher with &he Athletics. Ossie Schreckengost.
 Mack describes Schreck as the 1lzz powder in the pinwhccl that Was Waddeil. adds that the backstop was the wilder of the two in many respects.
 Two players had to sleep in one bed to save expenses in those days. when he could find Waddell. Eohreck was the Rube's inseparable roommate and companion, SO one spring insisted that clause in his pals contract prohibit his eating animal crackers in bed.
 gchreck could do more with his kIoved hand than any other catcher Wao has come along.
 wADDELL CALLED IN MATES
 Waddell calling in his flelders and pitching all by himself long ago tacaIne national folklore. He did fhis frequently in exhibition games.
 ~Waddell pitched in every game Of q six-game series in Detroit in ze02," recalls Mack. T had to hang onto his uniform to stop him. In 4I1e sixth game he called in the out flald, 90 they squatted behind the snlielders and watched the great man do his stuff"
 At 9teeIton. Pa. against a good industrial team, Waddell called the other players in and and made them aie out the ninth. Schreck sat down and caught without once getting on his feet as the Rube struck out the arfIee who faced him.
 Waddeli was c tall, deep-chested. fong-arined country boy with the strength of a bull and an untir1ng arm.
 Hls hand wrapped itself around 6 baseball as though 1t were a pea. zze was as swift as Walter Johnson and no pitcher had such varied as- s8Ktment of curves. drops and shoots. His control was the finest seer known to a southpaw.
 As crazy as he was, he could think quickly and clearly in a baseball NnffoFnn.
 In 1909, in 10 games, he famed 80, asi average Of more than 10. Tn 7Bo3 lle famed l30 in i2 games. for k4o same average. Tn 1904 he struck NElt 193 in SIT innings. which still e.ands as the modern major record Over seven seasons = i002-O8 = he
 stuffed ie0i, which is an American 8Ha9ne mark.
 O nOLE CAUSES DEATH
 Waddell won 27 games in 1905. 18s kept out of the World Series Nssssings with Mathewson of the z'nnls by . shoulder injury incurred zHllIng over a pile of luggage in q EsI.Imnn car while trying to break HMdg CoakIey,s straw hat.
 Mack and Waddell's teammates Akea of his antics, 60 the gt. Louis
 oWns had the immortal south- N6w 90 ie0e.
 In Ht. Louis. on July % of that
 ar. he struck out l6 Athletics to
 Nnie n league mark that stood uis-
 N1b FeIlers struck out i7 mem
 fa ~ the same club in Cleveland.
 n1. t8. 1e1G.
 Nadd6il contracted . severe cold