Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1954-03-05

baseball, are an old a. Winston |
Churchill.
The baseball guides Islander you.
The figures libel you. You may
have been the greatest pitcher Of
all time. But your record starts In
rs when you came up with Glove
land. That's like giving EnEio Pin
IA a birth certificate dated the
night South Pacific" opened.
You were finished then. You were
Auto-tired. time-cripplsd, train
weary. Your age became q gag.
Your greatness exists only IN
the small talk Of men who saw
you pitch years ago.
You're like an old Bessie Smith
photograph record. The voice In
there but the needle has rubbed II
vague and faint. Who bottles the
cheers from all games long played
In obscure placesH Where's the
box scores OF those forgotten In
nings2 It's there though, In the
conversation Of men In baFrooms,
on sleeper Jumps. In ball club
rooms, never complete, like the
notes OF q song blurrtly remember
ed. And whistled on a dark street
by q stranger who hits clinkera,
You're satchsi Paige from Mo-
bile. Ala. You're IS for low and
who knows the highH How many
columns Of type have you grabbed
with this mischisvous Becret7
How much has II meant for big
cars with hurting horns and for
complicated radio sets 20 play
with on the PullmanSH
IT'S q hell Of q stunt. 10
bFOuRht you money. hut II dis
figured the legend. You were .
great pitcher, but you became
famous because you're an old
man IN . boys game.
You're satchel Paige who never
had q sore arm. You pitched seven
days q week sometimes and there
were night games, too. You made
u back 20 the fl@a-baR hotel In
your clammy uniform. You stood
under O shower until the hot water
burned your arm. Then you'd rub
II with olive oil Soon a. you dried
you'd be In the car and headed for
the NEXT town.
You pitched In the Negro
leagues. for town teams. for trav.
cling baseball earnivals. on sxhi.
bition tours with big league play
srA You were paid TO put on .
show. You pitched In your bare
feet. The catcher sat In q rock.
ing chair. The Outfisldsrs sat
down. The infIeIdsrs pretended 20
turn their backs 20 tbs hIttsFs.
Voc Invented shy wfnd-Spa.
Yea came up with foolish g.
nverssa. Voc. who might have
beea Tire greatest % mn, earned
your salary As . clown.
But where was there 20 co.
VINO sent for you IN the years Of
your primsH They demanded you
Be humorous. You were q vatSds-
william bot you were q great ath-
Ists too. You were tireisms In .
casual way. VINO tabulatsd the In
nings you threw On those endless
many you won and how many you
many you won and how many you
lost when you followed tbs warm
weather and often were ambaabsd
IN the eoldF II there q history Of
you in CHA and Central AmsTiea ?
On tours you struck out hitisTs
such 90 Hack Wilson and Jimmy
F0xx by the numbers. You pitch.
ID against Dizzy Dean whsn u
meant nothing bsEt . pay day, But
VIM thinks shout prestige whsn
you're pitching for eh0par Ths
money was big but you put out
for a.
TAegs wnS ne gewuaas rotatssn-
Yes tAsrsw every tsHss ySu e@me
imsS . bah pask- Tnsy asAn't
pny - Gee q tsaaG They got ~
- - w@enh pea.
In '4s nm vSsck TOO q b>ok You
had 10 snow han, prove yCzr case.
Ma . ND OF q farm umparss said
yoa haa ths bsst eomtrol IN tia
- 49, aaaAusa a...~wSm4ss saNsss