,.-....
BY BILLY MURPHY.
Cy Falkenberg and Jimmy Es
mond of ihc Indianapolis Feder
i i ls; Del Galnor of the Boston Red
Sox; Jean Dubuc of the Detroit
Tigcre and Josh Devora of tho Boa
I Ion Braves are fond I telling lalvs
of the national game. Here are
some of the stories they Fpm.
S. Houghtcm Love, known to
fandom as Slim tho Human Slat,
la not an ardent worshtppar at the
shrine of Bacchus, 3u: tho sparse
slabber really owes conslderab . of
i hi rhino to the fact that h fre-
j j- quented a certain nn,i?. omp: lum
u . on Madison avenue in Memphis
once too often in tho spring of
I 1 9 1
The proprietor of .he Pllscer
Place was a vociferous bnthuaiasl
himself, he knew all the player by
their first name?, and additionally
wa.T a close friend of the manager
Naturally, when the lean and ianky
Love opened the conversational
floodgates and starte 1 a flow of
baseball chat, the pent ubaft the ' g
became keenly Interested. Finally,
after Love had redueei the free
1 lunch supply to sundry segments,
the proprietor suggested that the
athlete ought to go to work,
j "They won't glmmcachance,"
' piped Love, Inserting a smoked her
ring between his potato crunchers,
"D'yousee Bill Bernhard,"
quizzed the white-aproned per
son. "I ain't been able to see him it."
Whereupon the crop, Instructed
I 1 Love to be around bright and early
the next morning, md he would
take him out to see Bernhard. Next
l morning came, and Love was on
L I hand. Out to t ie playgrounds. Mr.
Bernhard, Mr. Love. (Proprietor
aside to Bernhard): "Give this guy
something to do. BUI: anything to
nun iru'ii my irri; iun 11
i counter. I don't think he can pitch
hay. but you may have some fun
out of him.
FACING MIGHTY LA JOT R
WITH THREES ON BASES.
Now, picture the genuine sur
prise of this Individual when two
: weeks later he sees the same big.
gawky country boy to go to the slab
L j in opposition to the heavy-hitting
Cleveland Americans. Inning after
luning he pitches with fair success.
In the seventh or eighth the ma-
jors detecting a eak point, bunt
I the bases full. Nap Lajolc. tho
1 French Fury, comes to the tee.
YjP Lov looks appeallngly toward the
managerial settle, but receives no
consolation. He returns to his
task and Lajoic fans, fans with
the bases full, and In the presence
of some 3,000 hysterical bugllnga
And there you have, gentle- gcrusr
er of the dope, the beginning of
, Love and the Incidents which crys
tallized in Love's marriage to pro
fessional baseball, r.s the vlory is
told In many a clubhouse by Cy
Falkenberg, who was then with
Cleveland.
Here Is Jean Dubuc's favorite:
Miles Mains, weight 195 pounds,
; height 6 feet 6 inches, possesses
the "tie of being the only player
i to ever come out of the South
It Michigan League and to a class AA
H elub and receive :. boost of several
hundred dollars in salary ior tho
H doing.
ft The story of Muins' long-headed -
H; ness Is one of the Interesting para
graphs of baseball s history,
j Several seasons ago. it seems,
B j Mains was a star hurler with the
j Flint club in the South Michigan
H j League. Attention was drawn to
him and finally a deal by which
Mains was to report to the Skeeters
l( . the following spring. When the
j contract came along it tailed for
$1,G00 a season and this price was
not altogether attraetise to Main.
BB jj Hitting upon a pla:i he went to
gH , some newspaper friend' In Flint and
WM they doctored up somn letterheads,
mM Mains' name was printed In c-ITec-
I j, live type at the heal and undee
. neath was the name, of the busl
HHj deS and several branches that
2B. came directly under the super-
Vision of tho player."
H) Mains then wrote a long letter to
h the Jersey City club officials on
the flxed-up stationery, declaring
that he could not afford to "leave
Hl, his business for such a paltry sal-
Hj A week passed and the pitcher
had just about made up his mind
to send In the old contract when
, another letter came ajonffl It cod-
tained a now contract and it Stip
ulated figures that were several
hundred dollars in excess of 'be
previous price.
Mains accepted. In fact almost
sprained his thumb signing his
name along the dotted line at thj
bottom of the document.
WHEN RIGLER BROKE
IN AS ARBITRATOR.
Josh Devore says when Killer
firt signed as n National League
umpire he was looked upon by the
rest of the staff in much the same
way that-ball players regard bush
league recruits Tim Hurst was In
the league office, according to De
von, when Rigler first reported for
duty After being Introduced to
Rigler. Tim asked him If he had
brought his umpire shoes with him
Klgler explained that he hadn't and
that he planned to get a pair while
there in New York.
In the Club House
wih Diamond Stars
All Is Fun and Play When
Ball Tossers Leave
Heat and Strife
Behind Them mf-j!
I to Talk Over WWk
Happenings of Jr1"
9 jjt
V, . - 'v " ;-' ;: f :
'if -
"Fine," said Tim. and then he
told Rlsler about the best place to
I them. He gave him a card and
hurried him away As soon as Rig
ler had left Hur.-t tailed upon a
friend at the store he had men
tioned and put him wise. When
Rigler appeared the cle-rk searched
around for his six and then said
he was sorry, but thev didn't have
It.
He urged hl.n, though, to go io
Blank's as the next best pa-c In
town. And then he called up a
friend at Blank's and tipped him
off. In this way Rigler was kept
trotting from one store to another
till finally he got wise.
Yale must have lost a student by
falling '.o .lef.'.u Princeton at the
Folo grounds In the annual bi- col
lege game. Larry Doyle, of the
Giants, who Is the father of a son.
10 years old. has Indulged in much
Speculation as to what college- to
choose for his boy.
Larry has played against Yale
several times, and the Now Haven
institution was In the lead until
Devo. of Princeton, shut out the
wearers of the blue with three hits.
"Well, are .ou going to send
your boy to Yale now?" asked a
friend.
Doyle shook his head a 11! tie du
biously, i don't know.- he an
swered. -1 think I might like to
aft him with some harder hitting
lub."
HAD TO WIN A TWIN-BILL
TO MAKE IT "FIFTi-I'Il-lY."
In a tight battle against the Yan
kees Ping liodle lost chances to win
for the White Sox by falling to slide
and failing to back up an over
throw from Schalk. These plays
cost two runs. Later on he poled
one Into the stands for a home run
and broke up the game. That night
he started out with white carna
tion In his buttonhole and his hat
plastered on one side of his dome.
He bumped Into Jimmy Callahan.
"Why all the glad Stuff?" ejuerled
Cal.
"Well," said Ping, "didn't 1 bust
one today"''
"Yes, you're a fine bool," an
swered his manager "You lost the
erne twice and only won It once.
You owe me another one tomorrow
before you break even, much less
come in for that carnation stuff,"
"A guy's sot a swell chance in
this game." muttered the morose
Ping as he pegged his carnation in
to the gutter. "I bust one tip for
blm and I still ain't broke even I
Kuess 1 got to win a doubleheader
to make it fifty-fifty."
Car) Thompson, the Atlanta
team's college pitcher, was In th..
big league once, but failed to stick.
It seems that in the first earn he
r B;
pichd for the Y'ankees his oppo
nents were the Naps. When Lajolo
came- to th- hat Thompson frankly
didn't know what to do. So he
turned around to the field umpire
and confessed his plight and asked
for advice.
"Give me a tip on what to throw,"
he said.
"Well, I tell ou. son," said the
umpire. "You throw him a straight
ball and we'll both duck
Battling Tyrus Cobb, tho wHl
known two-fisted fighter, was ten
derly nursing his battcrc.1 thumb
when a covey of reporters trickled
Into his training quarters.
"Why did jou go into the butch-
i s shop armed?" the great bat
tler was asked.
' Why do I go up to hit against
Walter Johnson with a bat"'' was
the quick retort of Tyrus, the de
mon. "A butcher, like a smoke ball
pitcher, has too many things ne
could easily throw to lay a man
out."
STRATEGY OF M'GRAW IN
TIM F. OF OR FAT STRFSS.
In 1911 when the Giant stru. k
their slump and the Cubs had
rawled to -within four games of
them thf rc wasn't a. man on the
club who could hit the ball. nri"
(lay Larry Doyle came to the bench
and declared that he had Just seen
a load of empty barrels. In sonic
way this superstitious hunch gave
lilm confidence or something. At
any rate he went out and got four
singles that afternoon McGraw, as
a rule, laughs at superstition, but
this time he encouraged Larry, and
in doing so an Idea dawned on him.
The next afternoon Chief Meyers
reached the bench with the glad tid
ings that he had seen some empty
barrels and he also besan to bit
v.lth Iarry. The revival of spirit
seemed to affect the whole club.
Before the week was over nearly
every player on the team had seen
empty barrels and the slump was
over. Beginning with that spurt
they pounded the ball for the rest
of the season-and won out with
ease.
"To this day. though," said Arlle
Iatham recently, "they don't know
that Mac sent me out alter the first
day and hired that truckman to
drive along Klghth avenue every
UPPER left Del Gainor.
Below, from left to
right Josh Devore, Jim
Esmond, Jean Debuc, Cy
Falkenlmrg.
afternoon for an hour before the
game "
And, speaking of baseball super
stitions, ihc Athletics have one all
their own one that came near
a&UBlng them trouble In one of the
games of the last world's series
Those boys believe that they can
hange the luck at a critical moment
by hurling their bats in the air and
leltlnK them fall where they will.
Probably you fans have uften seen
them do :t. They also believe that
they can keep up their good luck
by ' ontlnuing this practice.
During the first game in which
Raker hit the home run the Ath
letlcs started tossing up their bats
the minute that ball was hit As
the bats came down Stuffy Mclnnes
couldn't yet out of the way In time,
causing ; alnful bruise. He limped
to first base and for a while Con
nie Mack was afraid he couldn't go
n with the game.
TUFA ALL LOOKED ALIKE
THIS DAY TO NOKTIIFN.
Many may recall that Hub Sort li
en made four consecutive hits in his
debut, and contributed materially to
a Brooklyn victory In his first game
In the majors.
A right-hander started the game
for the visitors. His slants were
nuts for the Southerner. Later a
substitution was made. But North
en continued to hit 'em where no
body resided.
At the close of the seventh or
eighth Inning Manager Dahlen
laughingly remarked to Northen as
he camo to the bench:
"These boys all look alike to you.
don't they, bo?"
"Look alike? Say, this guy is the
easiest thing I've struck since I left
the bushes."
So busy had Northen been piling
up base hits that he failed to notice
when the opponents sent a left
hander in to rescue tho right-hander.
It Is with reference to mysterious
Mitchell that Joe Birmingham says
that if he lives to be twice as old
as he Is now he will necr forget
his first managerial duty. That wan
the release of Walker, who had been -signed
by Manager Harry Davis.
Mitchell had done a strong-arm
)
asaSniS afl
act on the stage and could handle
any man en the Nap team as he
would a babj He also enjoyed a
peculiar dlspoaltlon. Realising these
facts, Jo-3 did not relish his task.
-i ' lally when Walker beat hint to
It l., saying very firmly:
"There in no doubt of my stick
inc. Joe, 's there'."'
Joe's nervousness disappeared.
He was almost brave again.
"You're flreel." he said. "Go to
the office and 'et your pa; "
He wondered why Walker did not
live up to his reputation anil an-
ninuate nun. ne is sum wonaenns
how he escaped. But it seems that
Walker had been released so often
that he way used to It. A week
later he bobbed up In Cincinnati and
almost induced Hank O'Day to sign
him. O'Day ouly escaped when
Walker declined to sign unless he
wero made a free agent at the end
of the year.
MAKING A "HOME RUN"
OFF FRED FALKENBERG.
Falkenberg is one of the tallest
pitchers in captivity. Every now
and then some twlrler, advertised
as being more perpendicular than
Fred Is sprung on the pilblic, but
few survive the test.
Naturally, because of his unusual
height. Falkenberg is the target for
a lot of Joshing, both from the press
and the public. Very fortunately
for Falkv the Jibe of the fans have
no effect on his pitching. He
knows be Is tall, also that he Isn't
very broad, also that he scarcely
measures up to the perfect man, so
he is content to take the kidding
with a smile. Just so long as he can
pile up a majority of victories and
draw down a fat salary.
During a game at New York two
years ago. Falky was having an
easy time of It with the Y'ankees.
Before the game was half over the J
Nap. bad assumed a commanding
lead. Tho crowd having given up 1
its hopes of victory , began to get Its
money's worth kidding Falkenberg
and roasting the umpire.
"Say. Falky, how do you make a
living in the winter?" asked a fan
after the tall pitcher had fanned in
an attempt to bunt.
' Oct wise." answered his neigh
bor. "He's a model in a macaroni
factory." Even Falkenberg had to
laugh, and he has since admitted
J lilt mill, liuiir Jl lliu -UI9 n U 1 1U -
ed him ever struck him any funnier.
Incidentally, he Is seriously con
sidering acting on the suggestion.
According to Eddie Clcotte. Kid
Oleason, the "assistant manager of
the Chicago White Sox," pulled one
of the funniest bits of repartee ever
heard on the baseball diamond, at
the expense of Amos Strunk. of the
Athletics, in Chicago one day.
"Walsh was pitching one of his
usual air-tight games, and when
Strunk hit an easy grounder to
short, Gleason started to kid the
player." said Cicotte. "Strunk re
turned the compliment and com
pared Gleason to a bit of old junk.
"The Kid gave a short laugh and
then turning to Billy Evans, who
was umpiring, exclaimed:
" 'Billy, look at the original door
knob'"
"As ho spoke Gleason pointed at
Strunk's head.
"Amos flushed to the roots of his (
hair, tried to answer, couldn't, and
then retreated to the Philadelphia
bench.
"During the remainder of the
season all a player had to say to
get Strunk's "goaf was 'door knob."
"Amos would fight at the mention
of that "
JERRY JEROME IS COMEDIAN
OF THE AUSTRALIAN RING
The American prize ring has had
its share of comedians There was
"Rough House" Burns, for instance,
who got cen on his opponents by
making faces at them from the
floor when they knocked hlmvdown.
An lhere also was Joe Wolcott,
who could be depended upon to do
something In almost every fight he
engaged in to' set the audience to
laughing. But, according to
'Snowy" Baker, who is full of in
formation as to the boxinir camo In
his part of the world. the real
comedian of the ring is to be found
In Australia.
This funny man's name is Jerry
Jerome. Jerome, states Baker, is
4 5 years of age and weighs lot
pounds. He tells time by the sun
and counts In sevens
To Illustrate: Jerome Is In need
of money and comes to Baker for
an advance on his next fight,
"Can I have a little money?" he
asks; "the kids at home are in
need of shoes."
"How much do you want?" asks
Baker.
'Guess 7 will do," says Jerry.
"That's too much.' declares Bak
er, "with 7 you could buy shoes
for all the colored kids in Aus
tralia." 'All right," says Jerome, "then
let me have 14; I'll try to make
that do."
GOF.S BY THE STJN.
Jerome, as stated, counts In sev
ens, and according to his way of fig
uring, fourteen Is the next number
to seven. That he is asking for
twice as much as he did at first Is
something which must be explained
to him.
Then perhaps Baker will want to
make an appointment with Jerome
to discuss a prospective match.
' What tlmo can you meet me to
morrow, Jerry?" he asks.
'Ihe black fellow takes a careful
squint at the sun and does some
' '.arklatlng."
"Ah meet you here at 7 o'clock
in the morning," he will finally say.
"That's too early," declares Bak
er, who. though not so backward
about leaving his bed tn the mornlns
as some American promoters, does
not like to be aroused at unseem
ly hours.
"Make It 11 o'clock." he suggests.
Next day he puts In an appear
ance at 4 o'clock In the afternoon.
"What's the matter. Jerrv?" dp-
mands Baker; "you're late."
The colored man looks his sur
prise. "Why," he declares, "its 11
o'clock.
"It's 1 o'clock." declares Baker.
Jerome takes a squint at the sun.
' You're right, Mr. Baker, you're
right," he declares, "it shuah am
4 o'clock. All my fault The sun
ain't running right today."
As a fighter Jerome Is no mean
antagonist for any man to tackle.
He knocked Jack Cordel stiff in a
punch and went seventeen rounds
with Dave Smith. If he trained
there Is no telling what he would
accomplish In the ring. But Jerome
has a dread of hard work. He has
absolutely no conception of respon
sibility and must be watched con
stantly before a fight lest he go
away to some neighboring town In
quest of a crap game and fall to
put in an appearance at the ring
side On one occasion, the night before
a fight, states Baker, he had Jerome
sleeping in a shanty al! by himself,
while hired men kept watch on the
structure. But in the wee hours
of the morning Jerome escaped
and St required a hunt of several
hours In taxicabs before ho was lo
cated. Jerome fights with right hand ex
tended and hits only with his left.
The right is used merely as a guard.
I