The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-07-27

nave OCCu Iiidiiy OIilClo Dut IHCoC
are the ones who still remain longer
in memory.
Crazy Schmidt went out to pitch
with glove, a baseball and note
book he carried in his hip pocket.
The contents of this book noted the
weakness of every man he had
pitched against-a high one or a
low one-a curve or fast one. AS
the batter came to the plate Schmidt
would take out the notebook con-
tanning some 100 names to check on
his weakness.
"What have you got written
against Hans Wagner's name?" one
of his teammates once asked.
"a base on balls" Schmidt said.
Germany Schaefer was one of the
stars in this field. He was then
playing second base for Detroit. /
recall a game years ago where
Schaefer was playing in Cleveland.
Around the third inning it began to
rain. During the fourth inning it
poured. Tommy Connolly was UNI
piring and Germany kept squawk-
ing to have the game called. Con-
molly refused.
When the fifth inning opened Con-
molly looked around and found
Schaefer playing second base with
high rubber boots, raincoat,
Gloucester fisherman's hat and hold
ing big umbrella over his head.
Connolly charged Schaefer with a
roar and told him to remove his
deep sea makeup. Schaefer refused.
81 have a very bad cOld," he
told Connolly, (which is now bor-
dering ON pneumonia. II I get rid
of my rubber boots, my raincoat
and my umbrella will be in the
hospital in less than two hours and
/ will certainly sue you and the
league" Connolly called the game.
Schaefer had keen, quick wit
and could always draw laugh.
Waddell had the Athletics goofy by
buying mockingbird owned by the
proprietor of a popcorn and peanut
stand that had whistle attached.
All the mockingbird could do was
wake up the entire floor shortly
after daybreak by singing his only
song - the song of the peanut
whistle, with an added screech.
Ping Bodie and Dizzy Dean
1t was the immortal Ping Bodie
with the Yankees who bought par
rot and spent weeks teaching said
parrot TO keep saying over and
everything made good" - "Ping
made good"
But after all, Dizzy Dean in many
different ways was the top of them
outside of Schacht. Dizzy was
loaded with pranks, as well as
pretty homely wit.
There was the time in Florida
when Dean had reported as a rookie
from the Texas league. Jimmy Will
son, the veteran catcher, began
missing his silk shirts. Finally jim
my caught Dean bedecked in one of
these garments and the idea of
raw rookie wearing his silk shirts
was too much to stand. He started
in to bawl out Dizzy when the
rookie stopped him cold with this
comeback:
'Now wait just a minute, jim
N.Y." Dizzy said, "you wouldn't
want the greatest pitcher baseball
has ever known to go around a
month wearing single shirt, would
your"
Jimmy let him have the shirt.
I was walking with Dizzy by
hotel in Bradenton one day when he
said he had a phone call to make.
He was gone some time. He finally
came out wearing wide grin.
"Well," he said, 81 just called up
Sam BreadOn in st. Louis. / told
him had changed my mind about
signing for any $4,000. We had a
long hot argument. He threatened
to have me thrown out Of baseball.
We musta argued 20 minutes. Then
1 finally told Sam had already
signed and sent my contract in"
"What was the idea in doing
that?" I asked.
Dizzy arinned, 81 had the charges
reversed and it cost Sam S4S."
There was also the time on a
blistering day in St. Louis, temper
ature liz, the crowd melting, when
suddenly wisp of smoke came up
in front of the Cardinal bench.
There sat Dizzy decked out in a
heavy overcoat, warming his hands
in front of a fire he had just built.
And I still recall his classic re.
mark after his arm was about gone
when he was warming up for the
Cubs to pitch a world series game
against the Yankees.
"How you feeling, Dr." asked.
''Well," he said, 81 amt what !
| used to be. But who in hell ISL"