The Wilmington morning star., 1946-07-08

Saturday was my day off, So
/ decided to see one baseball
game from the seats in the
grandstand. l wanted to see
Nat Andrews make his debut
with the Pirates. My mind was
made up 80. was not seeking
news nor was l worried about
making the deadline 1t
was to be an evening of fun to
argue with the fans, eat pea
nuts and drink pop.
As usual, l was a little late
In arriving at Legion Stadium,
but, l wondered what was
wrong, the light were out
and here it was way past game
time. The parking lot was jam
med with cars, so l drove
around and finally squeezed in
TO a tight spot / was at
the gate by Mr.. Blanchard and
. group of fans. They told me
the storm Friday night had
blown a fuse, but repairs were
being made and the lights
would go on in a couple of min
While l was standing in tlE
gateway an old friend of mine,
Pate Fish, who did quite a lot
of hurting for Bert Kite and his
semi-pro Pirates last year and
who, until a few days ago was
a member of the Angier-Fu-
quay mound staff, came over. 1
asked why he was not in uni
form and he told me he was go
ing to play for Wilmington and
would be in Pirate uniform in
a couple Of days -. Now, let's
again make it clear, l was not
hunting news, l was out to en-
joy myself But, here was
a story I talked at length
with Pate Fish and he told me
he was the property of the
Montgomery club and was sent
to Wilmington by them after
being released by the AT out
fit Looking around i saw
business manager Bert Kite, so
wander owe and ask him
about Pate Fish. He looked
surprised and replied to me.
II don't know anything about
it. If he is signed with Will
mington, 1 sure don't know it,"
49,. Well, Well, what is this?
Pate says he is Kite
says he is not On, Well,
Let's wait and see Per-
haps, 1 had better ask ma u
ager Gus Britain, he should
know go. But l will wait until
after the game :. The lights
came on, so l take a seat high
in the grandstand, arm my
self with a bag of peanuts and
settle down to see Nate display
his wares The big fellow
musta been tired, he did not
show up SO well. His curves
we're breaking good and his
control was good But
those Angler batters found the
range and in the second inning
the Angler batsmen pounded
the former big Lacquer for six
hits and four runs The
fans and l gave Nate the bene-
tit of the doubt and came to
the conclusion that he had not
pitched in several days and
was a little out of form go.
Cne fan remarked 'This
big crowd has made him nerv-
Gus" hardly thing it was
the crowd -. Everything went
well until the fifth inning -.
Hargrove Davis at bat, he at
tempts to swing or did swing,
l did not see the actual play.
my head was in that bag
OF peanuts. Umpire Farrow
called it a strike and said he
swung -. Davis says No 80.
out PUSHES Gus Brittian He
yells and stomps the ground
and asks that Farrow call on
umpire Mann, who was calling
TIE bases, for his opinion.
Mann tells Farrow, 1--WE don't
Know WHAT go. Brittian be-
comes mad and goes out to
flrst base to discuss the play
with Mann . Brittian argues.
stomps again, raises his voice,
and finally bumps Mann with
his shoulders Mann tells
Inc Pirate manager to get out
OF the park Shunny is
plenty mad But leaves the
field -. Things settle down
again until the seventh inning
When young Paul Smith was in
jured when be reached high in
to the air anoNagainst the fence
to knock down Ratteree's long
drive to right Smith kent
the ball from clearing the
fence, but injured his right