Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1947-07-18

(SUCH B,
[ aH GLENN D.
\ - klTTLER (
(LIFE


| am hurt. All over town, base,
ball clubs have been formed and
no one has asked me TO JOIN a
team.
Of course, even if had beer
asked, l would have refused be-
cause, had I joined, l would have
been kicked off the team in short
order, anyway.
I am one of those unfortunate
fellows who has never been very
good at sports. Not that | have
not tried. My life has been one
long line of athletic failures unit
| | have developed such a complex
that l walk the other way when
l see that sportsman's CLEAN IN
other fellows eyes.
1t all started years ago when
first entered the baseball world
Several friends were playing soft
ball in the school yard and, being
short a man, asked me to fill IN
was assigned to what | believe l!
called left field.
The first two innings went
quite we'll because nothing was
hit in my direction. Then came
my turn to 60 to bat. | approach:
ed the plate as l had watched
others do: 1 swung the bat, | tap
ped the dust, I dug toe into the
ground.
The pitcher drew the ball be
hind him and l swung fiercely.
emo, no, no, no." the catcher
reprimanded me. YOU'RE to wall
until he throws it."
There then followed a heated
argument to decide whether OF
not l should be charged with a
strike, having swung before the
pitch. l was charged.
The next time l waited, but too
long. The ball was in the catcher's
hands when l swung again. This
time the catcher said nothing
Apparently, he had had enough.
But was learning from ex.
perience. l watched the next
bitch carefully. 1t travelled slow,
" and high above my head. Thi:
one would not get by, | determin-
ed. and I jumped high into the
air, swung blindly, and felt a
sharp pound against my back.
had been hit by the ball.
Gleefully, l dropped the bal
and trotted to first base.
"Where do you think you're 60
ing?" asked the first baseman
when 1 arrived. ,,,
81 have been hit" | said. u
understand I get a free base on
that"
"Not in this game" he cor
rected. "That was dead ball. Go
back to bat"
I returned to home plate, pick
ed up the bat, and resumed my
stance. The ball came racing to-
ward me, I brought out the bat.
changed my mind and returned
it to my shoulder, the ball zoom-
ed past, and for reasons l have
never understood | was told l was
out. :,
NV team mates did not speak
70 me. When I returned to my
post in the field, l had just
turned to face the infield when
I saw a ball arching in my dlrec-
iton. :,
I hurried to catch it but it
dropped directly behind me. In
my excitement, I was slow to re-
trieve the ball And when | final
ly got my hands on it, | threw 1T
fiercely into the infield where 1t
did not stop but continued flying
until it passed through a window.
I watched my team mates en-
ter brief discussion and IN a
moment one of them came to me
and said, awe have decided we
can continue this game without
your help"
Nv dilemma was never confin,
ed to baseball. l distinctly recall
my one and only attempt at foot
ball.
Again, I was an innocent by
stander, drafted into the game
because of man shortage.
"You play left tackle" l was
told.
I nodded Understandings and'
after being told the password was
GA" 1 stepped into a position
Suddenly, l heard someone say
"Where's Kittler?"
"Here," I said. ..
The boy frowned. 81 said lett
tackle, not right end. Get over
>etllopHAaE-LIxE' e. |