Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-11

walked with q cane. For The
Stars headline read.
AL RIP VAN wINKLE"
= SCHACHT JOINS
WASHINGTON CLUB
II they thought it had taken
me q long time to reach the big
leagues, imagine how long it
+ seemed to me.
When ! reported TO Mr.. Grit
fifth ! was grinning because |
figured he'd remember me from
when I'd come up to his Cincin-
natl club from Walton long ago.
But In nine years he must have
seen q lot of rockies coming and
going. and he didn't seem to
know me.
"Oh, yes :. Schacht." he said.
well son, you work out a little
today. but don't tire yourself. !
may need you"
We were playing the Detroit
Tigers, and what a bunch of
bombers they were!
There was Bobby Veach in left,
hitting $3.50; Ty Cobb in center,
hitting "a mere 400, and Harry
Heilmann, first base, at 1875.
About the only. guy any way
connected with the ball club not
hitting over 800 was the assist
ant groundskeeper. And to
think I might make my big
league debut against this club!
Relief Assignment
:. Griff had a habit of never
letting his pitchers know until
just before game. time who was
going to pitch any given day.
This day. three of us were al
lowed to take batting practice
with the regulars. which meant
any one of us would be the
pitcher against the powerful
Tigers. Griff picked Courtney.
Courtney pitched q great game
for eight innings-and we led,
81, as the Tigers batted in the
top of the ninth. Then the
leadoff hitter socks a three-base
hit. and moment later Cobb,
singles and the tying run is
across. A base on bale and
another, and now they got three
on base and still none out.
Griff looks up and down our
bench and says, Where is that
young fellow who just joined us
today?"
Here I am answered in
small voice.
Run down to the bullpen and
warm up" he says, II may need
you quick"
BY the time I get to the bull
pen and toss about three pitches,
Courtney has three balls and
one strike on the next batter,
Harry Heilmann. Griff calls
time and waves for me. With
the score tied, nobody out and
the bases loaded, I'm to make
my debut!
I glanced around the infield,
and 1t looks like there's more
people on base than there are
In the grandstands. / stand
there. celebrating, taking all the
time I cail--hell, I want to stay
In the big leagues as long as
possible. While I'm deliherat-
ing. Cobb is prancing up and
down the third-base line, trying
to make me nervous.
Finally I 60 into my windup
and put everything I have on a
curve ball. Heilmann hit a
wicked shot OF my third base
mans ankle, almost gripping
the poor guy. scoring what
proved to be the winning run.
First Win Over Browns
The next day we played the
st. Louis Browns. and Grit let
me pitch. We beat them, 4-3.
The Browns weren't q bad club
in those days. for they had
George Sisler, who ! think prob
ably was the best first baseman
ever. But he didn't get q hit
on me that day.
I was walking on air after
winning my first start In the
American League.
-Four days later, on the last
day OF the season, I started
again, and whipped the Boston
Red Sox, 90. The Washington
club wound UP in seventh place,
but ] had a nice 30 record.
| prom the book. Ny Own Particular
screwban Copyright, 1865, by All
schecht Distributed By Doubleday
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Altrock
and Big Train.
7 i