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Title: You Know Me Al
A Busher's Letters
Author: Ring W. Lardner
Release Date: July 29, 2016 [EBook #52670]
Language: English
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YOU KNOW ME AL
RING W. LARDNER
YOU KNOW ME
AL
_A Busher's Letters_
BY
RING W. LARDNER
[Illustration]
NEW YORK
GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
Copyright, 1916,
BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
COPYRIGHT, 1914, BY THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I A BUSHER'S LETTERS HOME 9
II THE BUSHER COMES BACK 45
III THE BUSHER'S HONEYMOON 83
IV A NEW BUSHER BREAKS IN 122
V THE BUSHER'S KID 166
VI THE BUSHER BEATS IT HENCE 208
YOU KNOW ME AL
YOU KNOW ME AL
CHAPTER I
A BUSHER'S LETTERS HOME
_Terre Haute, Indiana, September 6._
FRIEND AL: Well, Al old pal I suppose you seen in the paper where I
been sold to the White Sox. Believe me Al it comes as a surprise to
me and I bet it did to all you good old pals down home. You could of
knocked me over with a feather when the old man come up to me and says
Jack I've sold you to the Chicago Americans.
I didn't have no idea that anything like that was coming off. For five
minutes I was just dum and couldn't say a word.
He says We aren't getting what you are worth but I want you to go up to
that big league and show those birds that there is a Central League
on the map. He says Go and pitch the ball you been pitching down here
and there won't be nothing to it. He says All you need is the nerve and
Walsh or no one else won't have nothing on you.
So I says I would do the best I could and I thanked him for the
treatment I got in Terre Haute. They always was good to me here
and though I did more than my share I always felt that my work was
appresiated. We are finishing second and I done most of it. I can't
help but be proud of my first year's record in professional baseball
and you know I am not boasting when I say that Al.
Well Al it will seem funny to be up there in the big show when I never
was really in a big city before. But I guess I seen enough of life not
to be scared of the high buildings eh Al?
I will just give them what I got and if they don't like it they can
send me back to the old Central and I will be perfectly satisfied.
I didn't know anybody was looking me over, but one of the boys told me
that Jack Doyle the White Sox scout was down here looking at me when
Grand Rapids was here. I beat them twice in that serious. You know
Grand Rapids never had a chance with me when I was right. I shut them
out in the first game and they got one run in the second on account of
Flynn misjuging that fly ball. Anyway Doyle liked my work and he wired
Comiskey to buy me. Comiskey come back with an offer and they excepted
it. I don't know how much they got but anyway I am sold to the big
league and believe me Al I will make good.
Well Al I will be home in a few days and we will have some of the good
old times. Regards to all the boys and tell them I am still their pal
and not all swelled up over this big league business.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, December 14._
Old Pal: Well Al I have not got much to tell you. As you know Comiskey
wrote me that if I was up in Chi this month to drop in and see him. So
I got here Thursday morning and went to his office in the afternoon.
His office is out to the ball park and believe me its some park and
some office.
I went in and asked for Comiskey and a young fellow says He is not here
now but can I do anything for you? I told him who I am and says I had
an engagement to see Comiskey. He says The boss is out of town hunting
and did I have to see him personally?
I says I wanted to see about signing a contract. He told me I could
sign as well with him as Comiskey and he took me into another office.
He says What salary did you think you ought to get? and I says I
wouldn't think of playing ball in the big league for less than three
thousand dollars per annum. He laughed and says You don't want much.
You better stick round town till the boss comes back. So here I am and
it is costing me a dollar a day to stay at the hotel on Cottage Grove
Avenue and that don't include my meals.
I generally eat at some of the cafes round the hotel but I had supper
downtown last night and it cost me fifty-five cents. If Comiskey don't
come back soon I won't have no more money left.
Speaking of money I won't sign no contract unless I get the salary you
and I talked of, three thousand dollars. You know what I was getting in
Terre Haute, a hundred and fifty a month, and I know it's going to cost
me a lot more to live here. I made inquiries round here and find I can
get board and room for eight dollars a week but I will be out of town
half the time and will have to pay for my room when I am away or look
up a new one when I come back. Then I will have to buy cloths to wear
on the road in places like New York. When Comiskey comes back I will
name him three thousand dollars as my lowest figure and I guess he
will come through when he sees I am in ernest. I heard that Walsh was
getting twice as much as that.
The papers says Comiskey will be back here sometime to-morrow. He
has been hunting with the president of the league so he ought to
feel pretty good. But I don't care how he feels. I am going to get a
contract for three thousand and if he don't want to give it to me he
can do the other thing. You know me Al.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, December 16._
DEAR FRIEND AL: Well I will be home in a couple of days now but I
wanted to write you and let you know how I come out with Comiskey. I
signed my contract yesterday afternoon. He is a great old fellow Al
and no wonder everybody likes him. He says Young man will you have
a drink? But I was to smart and wouldn't take nothing. He says You
was with Terre Haute? I says Yes I was. He says Doyle tells me you
were pretty wild. I says Oh no I got good control. He says Well do
you want to sign? I says Yes if I get my figure. He asks What is my
figure and I says three thousand dollars per annum. He says Don't you
want the office furniture too? Then he says I thought you was a young
ball-player and I didn't know you wanted to buy my park.
We kidded each other back and forth like that a while and then he says
You better go out and get the air and come back when you feel better.
I says I feel O.K. now and I want to sign a contract because I have
got to get back to Bedford. Then he calls the secretary and tells him
to make out my contract. He give it to me and it calls for two hundred
and fifty a month. He says You know we always have a city serious here
in the fall where a fellow picks up a good bunch of money. I hadn't
thought of that so I signed up. My yearly salary will be fifteen
hundred dollars besides what the city serious brings me. And that is
only for the first year. I will demand three thousand or four thousand
dollars next year.
I would of started home on the evening train but I ordered a suit of
cloths from a tailor over on Cottage Grove and it won't be done till
to-morrow. It's going to cost me twenty bucks but it ought to last a
long time. Regards to Frank and the bunch.
Your Pal, JACK.
_Paso Robles, California, March 2._
OLD PAL AL: Well Al we been in this little berg now a couple of days
and its bright and warm all the time just like June. Seems funny to
have it so warm this early in March but I guess this California climate
is all they said about it and then some.
It would take me a week to tell you about our trip out here. We came on
a Special Train De Lukes and it was some train. Every place we stopped
there was crowds down to the station to see us go through and all the
people looked me over like I was a actor or something. I guess my hight
and shoulders attracted their attention. Well Al we finally got to
Oakland which is across part of the ocean from Frisco. We will be back
there later on for practice games.
We stayed in Oakland a few hours and then took a train for here. It
was another night in a sleeper and believe me I was tired of sleepers
before we got here. I have road one night at a time but this was four
straight nights. You know Al I am not built right for a sleeping car
birth.
The hotel here is a great big place and got good eats. We got in at
breakfast time and I made a B line for the dining room. Kid Gleason
who is a kind of asst. manager to Callahan come in and sat down with
me. He says Leave something for the rest of the boys because they will
be just as hungry as you. He says Ain't you afraid you will cut your
throat with that knife. He says There ain't no extra charge for using
the forks. He says You shouldn't ought to eat so much because you're
overweight now. I says You may think I am fat, but it's all solid bone
and muscle. He says Yes I suppose it's all solid bone from the neck
up. I guess he thought I would get sore but I will let them kid me now
because they will take off their hats to me when they see me work.
Manager Callahan called us all to his room after breakfast and give us
a lecture. He says there would be no work for us the first day but that
we must all take a long walk over the hills. He also says we must not
take the training trip as a joke. Then the colored trainer give us our
suits and I went to my room and tried mine on. I ain't a bad looking
guy in the White Sox uniform Al. I will have my picture taken and send
you boys some.
My roommate is Allen a lefthander from the Coast League. He don't
look nothing like a pitcher but you can't never tell about them dam
left handers. Well I didn't go on the long walk because I was tired
out. Walsh stayed at the hotel too and when he seen me he says Why
didn't you go with the bunch? I says I was too tired. He says Well when
Callahan comes back you better keep out of sight or tell him you are
sick. I says I don't care nothing for Callahan. He says No but Callahan
is crazy about you. He says You better obey orders and you will git
along better. I guess Walsh thinks I am some rube.
When the bunch come back Callahan never said a word to me but Gleason
come up and says Where was you? I told him I was too tired to go
walking. He says Well I will borrow a wheelbarrow some place and push
you round. He says Do you sit down when you pitch? I let him kid me
because he has not saw my stuff yet.
Next morning half the bunch mostly vetrans went to the ball park which
isn't no better than the one we got at home. Most of them was vetrans
as I say but I was in the bunch. That makes things look pretty good
for me don't it Al? We tossed the ball round and hit fungos and run
round and then Callahan asks Scott and Russell and I to warm up easy
and pitch a few to the batters. It was warm and I felt pretty good so
I warmed up pretty good. Scott pitched to them first and kept laying
them right over with nothing on them. I don't believe a man gets any
batting practice that way. So I went in and after I lobbed a few over
I cut loose my fast one. Lord was to bat and he ducked out of the way
and then throwed his bat to the bench. Callahan says What's the matter
Harry? Lord says I forgot to pay up my life insurance. He says I ain't
ready for Walter Johnson's July stuff.
Well Al I will make them think I am Walter Johnson before I get through
with them. But Callahan come out to me and says What are you trying to
do kill somebody? He says Save your smoke because you're going to need
it later on. He says Go easy with the boys at first or I won't have
no batters. But he was laughing and I guess he was pleased to see the
stuff I had.
There is a dance in the hotel to-night and I am up in my room writing
this in my underwear while I get my suit pressed. I got it all mussed
up coming out here. I don't know what shoes to wear. I asked Gleason
and he says Wear your baseball shoes and if any of the girls gets fresh
with you spike them. I guess he was kidding me.
Write and tell me all the news about home.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Paso Robles, California, March 7._
FRIEND AL: I showed them something out there to-day Al. We had a game
between two teams. One team was made up of most of the regulars and
the other was made up of recruts. I pitched three innings for the
recruts and shut the old birds out. I held them to one hit and that was
a ground ball that the recrut shortstop Johnson ought to of ate up.
I struck Collins out and he is one of the best batters in the bunch.
I used my fast ball most of the while but showed them a few spitters
and they missed them a foot. I guess I must of got Walsh's goat with
my spitter because him and I walked back to the hotel together and he
talked like he was kind of jealous. He says You will have to learn to
cover up your spitter. He says I could stand a mile away and tell when
you was going to throw it. He says Some of these days I will learn you
how to cover it up. I guess Al I know how to cover it up all right
without Walsh learning me.
I always sit at the same table in the dining room along with Gleason
and Collins and Bodie and Fournier and Allen the young lefthander I
told you about. I feel sorry for him because he never says a word.
To-night at supper Bodie says How did I look to-day Kid? Gleason
says Just like you always do in the spring. You looked like a cow.
Gleason seems to have the whole bunch scared of him and they let him
say anything he wants to. I let him kid me to but I ain't scared of
him. Collins then says to me You got some fast ball there boy. I says
I was not as fast to-day as I am when I am right. He says Well then I
don't want to hit against you when you are right. Then Gleason says to
Collins Cut that stuff out. Then he says to me Don't believe what he
tells you boy. If the pitchers in this league weren't no faster than
you I would still be playing ball and I would be the best hitter in the
country.
After supper Gleason went out on the porch with me. He says Boy you
have got a little stuff but you have got a lot to learn. He says You
field your position like a wash woman and you don't hold the runners
up. He says When Chase was on second base to-day he got such a lead
on you that the little catcher couldn't of shot him out at third with
a rifle. I says They all thought I fielded my position all right in
the Central League. He says Well if you think you do it all right you
better go back to the Central League where you are appresiated. I says
You can't send me back there because you could not get waivers. He
says Who would claim you? I says St. Louis and Boston and New York.
You know Al what Smith told me this winter. Gleason says Well if you're
not willing to learn St. Louis and Boston and New York can have you and
the first time you pitch against us we will steal fifty bases. Then he
quit kidding and asked me to go to the field with him early to-morrow
morning and he would learn me some things. I don't think he can learn
me nothing but I promised I would go with him.
There is a little blonde kid in the hotel here who took a shine to me
at the dance the other night but I am going to leave the skirts alone.
She is real society and a swell dresser and she wants my picture.
Regards to all the boys.
Your friend, JACK.
P.S. The boys thought they would be smart to-night and put something
over on me. A boy brought me a telegram and I opened it and it said You
are sold to Jackson in the Cotton States League. For just a minute they
had me going but then I happened to think that Jackson is in Michigan
and there's no Cotton States League round there.
_Paso Robles, California, March 9._
DEAR FRIEND AL: You have no doubt read the good news in the papers
before this reaches you. I have been picked to go to Frisco with the
first team. We play practice games up there about two weeks while the
second club plays in Los Angeles. Poor Allen had to go with the second
club. There's two other recrut pitchers with our part of the team
but my name was first on the list so it looks like I had made good.
I knowed they would like my stuff when they seen it. We leave here
to-night. You got the first team's address so you will know where to
send my mail. Callahan goes with us and Gleason goes with the second
club. Him and I have got to be pretty good pals and I wish he was going
with us even if he don't let me eat like I want to. He told me this
morning to remember all he had learned me and to keep working hard. He
didn't learn me nothing I didn't know before but I let him think so.
The little blonde don't like to see me leave here. She lives in Detroit
and I may see her when I go there. She wants me to write but I guess I
better not give her no encouragement.
Well Al I will write you a long letter from Frisco.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Oakland, California, March 19._
DEAR OLD PAL: They have gave me plenty of work here all right. I have
pitched four times but have not went over five innings yet. I worked
against Oakland two times and against Frisco two times and only three
runs have been scored off me. They should only ought to of had one but
Bodie misjuged a easy fly ball in Frisco and Weaver made a wild peg in
Oakland that let in a run. I am not using much but my fast ball but I
have got a world of speed and they can't foul me when I am right. I
whiffed eight men in five innings in Frisco yesterday and could of did
better than that if I had of cut loose.
Manager Callahan is a funny guy and I don't understand him sometimes.
I can't figure out if he is kidding or in ernest. We road back to
Oakland on the ferry together after yesterday's game and he says Don't
you never throw a slow ball? I says I don't need no slow ball with my
spitter and my fast one. He says No of course you don't need it but if
I was you I would get one of the boys to learn it to me. He says And
you better watch the way the boys fields their positions and holds up
the runners. He says To see you work a man might think they had a rule
in the Central League forbidding a pitcher from leaving the box or
looking toward first base.
I told him the Central didn't have no rule like that. He says And I
noticed you taking your wind up when What's His Name was on second base
there to-day. I says Yes I got more stuff when I wind up. He says Of
course you have but if you wind up like that with Cobb on base he will
steal your watch and chain. I says Maybe Cobb can't get on base when I
work against him. He says That's right and maybe San Francisco Bay is
made of grapejuice. Then he walks away from me.
He give one of the youngsters a awful bawling out for something he done
in the game at supper last night. If he ever talks to me like he done
to him I will take a punch at him. You know me Al.
I come over to Frisco last night with some of the boys and we took in
the sights. Frisco is some live town Al. We went all through China
Town and the Barbers' Coast. Seen lots of swell dames but they was all
painted up. They have beer out here that they call steam beer. I had
a few glasses of it and it made me logey. A glass of that Terre Haute
beer would go pretty good right now.
We leave here for Los Angeles in a few days and I will write you from
there. This is some country Al and I would love to play ball round here.
Your Pal, JACK.
P.S.--I got a letter from the little blonde and I suppose I got to
answer it.
_Los Angeles, California, March 26._
FRIEND AL: Only four more days of sunny California and then we start
back East. We got exhibition games in Yuma and El Paso, Texas, and
Oklahoma City and then we stop over in St. Joe, Missouri, for three
days before we go home. You know Al we open the season in Cleveland and
we won't be in Chi no more than just passing through. We don't play
there till April eighteenth and I guess I will work in that serious all
right against Detroit. Then I will be glad to have you and the boys
come up and watch me as you suggested in your last letter.
I got another letter from the little blonde. She has went back to
Detroit but she give me her address and telephone number and believe
me Al I am going to look her up when we get there the twenty-ninth of
April.
She is a stenographer and was out here with her uncle and aunt.
I had a run in with Kelly last night and it looked like I would have
to take a wallop at him but the other boys seperated us. He is a bush
outfielder from the New England League. We was playing poker. You know
the boys plays poker a good deal but this was the first time I got in.
I was having pretty good luck and was about four bucks to the good and
I was thinking of quitting because I was tired and sleepy. Then Kelly
opened the pot for fifty cents and I stayed. I had three sevens. No one
else stayed. Kelly stood pat and I drawed two cards. And I catched my
fourth seven. He bet fifty cents but I felt pretty safe even if he did
have a pat hand. So I called him. I took the money and told them I was
through.
Lord and some of the boys laughed but Kelly got nasty and begun to pan
me for quitting and for the way I played. I says Well I won the pot
didn't I? He says Yes and he called me something. I says I got a notion
to take a punch at you.
He says Oh you have have you? And I come back at him. I says Yes I have
have I? I would of busted his jaw if they hadn't stopped me. You know
me Al.
I worked here two times once against Los Angeles and once against
Venice. I went the full nine innings both times and Venice beat me four
to two. I could of beat them easy with any kind of support. I walked a
couple of guys in the forth and Chase drops a throw and Collins lets a
fly ball get away from him. At that I would of shut them out if I had
wanted to cut loose. After the game Callahan says You didn't look so
good in there to-day. I says I didn't cut loose. He says Well you been
working pretty near three weeks now and you ought to be in shape to cut
loose. I says Oh I am in shape all right. He says Well don't work no
harder than you have to or you might get hurt and then the league would
blow up. I don't know if he was kidding me or not but I guess he thinks
pretty well of me because he works me lots oftener than Walsh or Scott
or Benz.
I will try to write you from Yuma, Texas, but we don't stay there only
a day and I may not have time for a long letter.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Yuma, Arizona, April 1._
DEAR OLD AL: Just a line to let you know we are on our way back East.
This place is in Arizona and it sure is sandy. They haven't got no
regular ball club here and we play a pick-up team this afternoon.
Callahan told me I would have to work. He says I am using you because
we want to get through early and I know you can beat them quick. That
is the first time he has said anything like that and I guess he is
wiseing up that I got the goods.
We was talking about the Athaletics this morning and Callahan says None
of you fellows pitch right to Baker. I was talking to Lord and Scott
afterward and I say to Scott How do you pitch to Baker? He says I use
my fadeaway. I says How do you throw it? He says Just like you throw a
fast ball to anybody else. I says Why do you call it a fadeaway then?
He says Because when I throw it to Baker it fades away over the fence.
This place is full of Indians and I wish you could see them Al. They
don't look nothing like the Indians we seen in that show last summer.
Your old pal, JACK.
_Oklahoma City, April 4._
FRIEND AL: Coming out of Amarillo last night I and Lord and Weaver was
sitting at a table in the dining car with a old lady. None of us were
talking to her but she looked me over pretty careful and seemed to
kind of like my looks. Finally she says Are you boys with some football
club? Lord nor Weaver didn't say nothing so I thought it was up to me
and I says No mam this is the Chicago White Sox Ball Club. She says
I knew you were athaletes. I says Yes I guess you could spot us for
athaletes. She says Yes indeed and specially you. You certainly look
healthy. I says You ought to see me stripped. I didn't see nothing
funny about that but I thought Lord and Weaver would die laughing. Lord
had to get up and leave the table and he told everybody what I said.
All the boys wanted me to play poker on the way here but I told them I
didn't feel good. I know enough to quit when I am ahead Al. Callahan
and I sat down to breakfast all alone this morning. He says Boy why
don't you get to work? I says What do you mean? Ain't I working? He
says You ain't improving none. You have got the stuff to make a good
pitcher but you don't go after bunts and you don't cover first base and
you don't watch the baserunners. He made me kind of sore talking that
way and I says Oh I guess I can get along all right.
He says Well I am going to put it up to you. I am going to start
you over in St. Joe day after to-morrow and I want you to show me
something. I want you to cut loose with all you've got and I want you
to get round the infield a little and show them you aren't tied in that
box. I says Oh I can field my position if I want to. He says Well you
better want to or I will have to ship you back to the sticks. Then he
got up and left. He didn't scare me none Al. They won't ship me to no
sticks after the way I showed on this trip and even if they did they
couldn't get no waivers on me.
Some of the boys have begun to call me Four Sevens but it don't bother
me none.
Yours truly, JACK.
_St. Joe, Missouri, April 7._
FRIEND AL: It rained yesterday so I worked to-day instead and St. Joe
done well to get three hits. They couldn't of scored if we had played
all week. I give a couple of passes but I catched a guy flatfooted off
of first base and I come up with a couple of bunts and throwed guys
out. When the game was over Callahan says That's the way I like to see
you work. You looked better to-day than you looked on the whole trip.
Just once you wound up with a man on but otherwise you was all O.K. So
I guess my job is cinched Al and I won't have to go to New York or
St. Louis. I would rather be in Chi anyway because it is near home. I
wouldn't care though if they traded me to Detroit. I hear from Violet
right along and she says she can't hardly wait till I come to Detroit.
She says she is strong for the Tigers but she will pull for me when I
work against them. She is nuts over me and I guess she has saw lots of
guys to.
I sent her a stickpin from Oklahoma City but I can't spend no more
dough on her till after our first payday the fifteenth of the month. I
had thirty bucks on me when I left home and I only got about ten left
including the five spot I won in the poker game. I have to tip the
waiters about thirty cents a day and I seen about twenty picture shows
on the coast besides getting my cloths pressed a couple of times.
We leave here to-morrow night and arrive in Chi the next morning. The
second club joins us there and then that night we go to Cleveland to
open up. I asked one of the reporters if he knowed who was going to
pitch the opening game and he says it would be Scott or Walsh but I
guess he don't know much about it.
These reporters travel all round the country with the team all season
and send in telegrams about the game every night. I ain't seen no Chi
papers so I don't know what they been saying about me. But I should
worry eh Al? Some of them are pretty nice fellows and some of them got
the swell head. They hang round with the old fellows and play poker
most of the time.
Will write you from Cleveland. You will see in the paper if I pitch the
opening game.
Your old pal, JACK.
_Cleveland, Ohio, April 10._
OLD FRIEND AL: Well Al we are all set to open the season this
afternoon. I have just ate breakfast and I am sitting in the lobby of
the hotel. I eat at a little lunch counter about a block from here and
I saved seventy cents on breakfast. You see Al they give us a dollar a
meal and if we don't want to spend that much all right. Our rooms at
the hotel are paid for.
The Cleveland papers says Walsh or Scott will work for us this
afternoon. I asked Callahan if there was any chance of me getting into
the first game and he says I hope not. I don't know what he meant but
he may surprise these reporters and let me pitch. I will beat them Al.
Lajoie and Jackson is supposed to be great batters but the bigger they
are the harder they fall.
The second team joined us yesterday in Chi and we practiced a little.
Poor Allen was left in Chi last night with four others of the recrut
pitchers. Looks pretty good for me eh Al? I only seen Gleason for a few
minutes on the train last night. He says, Well you ain't took off much
weight. You're hog fat. I says Oh I ain't fat. I didn't need to take
off no weight. He says One good thing about it the club don't have to
engage no birth for you because you spend all your time in the dining
car. We kidded along like that a while and then the trainer rubbed my
arm and I went to bed. Well Al I just got time to have my suit pressed
before noon.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Cleveland, Ohio, April 11._
FRIEND AL: Well Al I suppose you know by this time that I did not pitch
and that we got licked. Scott was in there and he didn't have nothing.
When they had us beat four to one in the eight inning Callahan told me
to go out and warm up and he put a batter in for Scott in our ninth.
But Cleveland didn't have to play their ninth so I got no chance to
work. But it looks like he means to start me in one of the games here.
We got three more to play. Maybe I will pitch this afternoon. I got
a postcard from Violet. She says Beat them Naps. I will give them a
battle Al if I get a chance.
Glad to hear you boys have fixed it up to come to Chi during the
Detroit serious. I will ask Callahan when he is going to pitch me and
let you know. Thanks Al for the papers.
Your friend, JACK.
_St. Louis, Missouri, April 15._
FRIEND AL: Well Al I guess I showed them. I only worked one inning but
I guess them Browns is glad I wasn't in there no longer than that. They
had us beat seven to one in the sixth and Callahan pulls Benz out. I
honestly felt sorry for him but he didn't have nothing, not a thing.
They was hitting him so hard I thought they would score a hundred runs.
A righthander name Bumgardner was pitching for them and he didn't look
to have nothing either but we ain't got much of a batting team Al. I
could hit better than some of them regulars. Anyway Callahan called
Benz to the bench and sent for me. I was down in the corner warming up
with Kuhn. I wasn't warmed up good but you know I got the nerve Al and
I run right out there like I meant business. There was a man on second
and nobody out when I come in. I didn't know who was up there but I
found out afterward it was Shotten. He's the center-fielder. I was cold
and I walked him. Then I got warmed up good and I made Johnston look
like a boob. I give him three fast balls and he let two of them go by
and missed the other one. I would of handed him a spitter but Schalk
kept signing for fast ones and he knows more about them batters than
me. Anyway I whiffed Johnston. Then up come Williams and I tried to
make him hit at a couple of bad ones. I was in the hole with two balls
and nothing and come right across the heart with my fast one. I wish
you could of saw the hop on it. Williams hit it right straight up and
Lord was camped under it. Then up come Pratt the best hitter on their
club. You know what I done to him don't you Al? I give him one spitter
and another he didn't strike at that was a ball. Then I come back with
two fast ones and Mister Pratt was a dead baby. And you notice they
didn't steal no bases neither.
In our half of the seventh inning Weaver and Schalk got on and I was
going up there with a stick when Callahan calls me back and sends
Easterly up. I don't know what kind of managing you call that. I hit
good on the training trip and he must of knew they had no chance to
score off me in the innings they had left while they were liable to
murder his other pitchers. I come back to the bench pretty hot and I
says You're making a mistake. He says If Comiskey had wanted you to
manage this team he would of hired you.
Then Easterly pops out and I says Now I guess you're sorry you didn't
let me hit. That sent him right up in the air and he bawled me awful.
Honest Al I would of cracked him right in the jaw if we hadn't been
right out where everybody could of saw us. Well he sent Cicotte in to
finish and they didn't score no more and we didn't neither.
I road down in the car with Gleason. He says Boy you shouldn't ought to
talk like that to Cal. Some day he will lose his temper and bust you
one. I says He won't never bust me. I says He didn't have no right to
talk like that to me. Gleason says I suppose you think he's going to
laugh and smile when we lost four out of the first five games. He says
Wait till to-night and then go up to him and let him know you are sorry
you sassed him. I says I didn't sass him and I ain't sorry.
So after supper I seen Callahan sitting in the lobby and I went over
and sit down by him. I says When are you going to let me work? He
says I wouldn't never let you work only my pitchers are all shot to
pieces. Then I told him about you boys coming up from Bedford to watch
me during the Detroit serious and he says Well I will start you in
the second game against Detroit. He says But I wouldn't if I had any
pitchers. He says A girl could get out there and pitch better than some
of them have been doing.
So you see Al I am going to pitch on the nineteenth. I hope you guys
can be up there and I will show you something. I know I can beat them
Tigers and I will have to do it even if they are Violet's team.
I notice that New York and Boston got trimmed to-day so I suppose they
wish Comiskey would ask for waivers on me. No chance Al.
Your old pal, JACK.
P.S.--We play eleven games in Chi and then go to Detroit. So I will see
the little girl on the twenty-ninth.
Oh you Violet.
_Chicago, Illinois, April 19._
DEAR OLD PAL: Well Al it's just as well you couldn't come. They beat me
and I am writing you this so as you will know the truth about the game
and not get a bum steer from what you read in the papers.
I had a sore arm when I was warming up and Callahan should never ought
to of sent me in there. And Schalk kept signing for my fast ball and
I kept giving it to him because I thought he ought to know something
about the batters. Weaver and Lord and all of them kept kicking them
round the infield and Collins and Bodie couldn't catch nothing.
Callahan ought never to of left me in there when he seen how sore my
arm was. Why, I couldn't of threw hard enough to break a pain of glass
my arm was so sore.
They sure did run wild on the bases. Cobb stole four and Bush and
Crawford and Veach about two apiece. Schalk didn't even make a peg half
the time. I guess he was trying to throw me down.
The score was sixteen to two when Callahan finally took me out in the
eighth and I don't know how many more they got. I kept telling him
to take me out when I seen how bad I was but he wouldn't do it. They
started bunting in the fifth and Lord and Chase just stood there and
didn't give me no help at all.
I was all O.K. till I had the first two men out in the first inning.
Then Crawford come up. I wanted to give him a spitter but Schalk signs
me for the fast one and I give it to him. The ball didn't hop much and
Crawford happened to catch it just right. At that Collins ought to of
catched the ball. Crawford made three bases and up come Cobb. It was
the first time I ever seen him. He hollered at me right off the reel.
He says You better walk me you busher. I says I will walk you back to
the bench. Schalk signs for a spitter and I gives it to him and Cobb
misses it.
Then instead of signing for another one Schalk asks for a fast one and
I shook my head no but he signed for it again and yells Put something
on it. So I throwed a fast one and Cobb hits it right over second base.
I don't know what Weaver was doing but he never made a move for the
ball. Crawford scored and Cobb was on first base. First thing I knowed
he had stole second while I held the ball. Callahan yells Wake up out
there and I says Why don't your catcher tell me when they are going to
steal. Schalk says Get in there and pitch and shut your mouth. Then I
got mad and walked Veach and Moriarty but before I walked Moriarty Cobb
and Veach pulled a double steal on Schalk. Gainor lifts a fly and Lord
drops it and two more come in. Then Stanage walks and I whiffs their
pitcher.
I come in to the bench and Callahan says Are your friends from Bedford
up here? I was pretty sore and I says Why don't you get a catcher? He
says We don't need no catcher when you're pitching because you can't
get nothing past their bats. Then he says You better leave your uniform
in here when you go out next inning or Cobb will steal it off your
back. I says My arm is sore. He says Use your other one and you'll do
just as good.
Gleason says Who do you want to warm up? Callahan says Nobody. He says
Cobb is going to lead the league in batting and basestealing anyway so
we might as well give him a good start. I was mad enough to punch his
jaw but the boys winked at me not to do nothing.
Well I got some support in the next inning and nobody got on. Between
innings I says Well I guess I look better now don't I? Callahan says
Yes but you wouldn't look so good if Collins hadn't jumped up on the
fence and catched that one off Crawford. That's all the encouragement I
got Al.
Cobb come up again to start the third and when Schalk signs me for a
fast one I shakes my head. Then Schalk says All right pitch anything
you want to. I pitched a spitter and Cobb bunts it right at me. I would
of threw him out a block but I stubbed my toe in a rough place and fell
down. This is the roughest ground I ever seen Al. Veach bunts and for a
wonder Lord throws him out. Cobb goes to second and honest Al I forgot
all about him being there and first thing I knowed he had stole third.
Then Moriarty hits a fly ball to Bodie and Cobb scores though Bodie
ought to of threw him out twenty feet.
They batted all round in the forth inning and scored four or five more.
Crawford got the luckiest three-base hit I ever see. He popped one way
up in the air and the wind blowed it against the fence. The wind is
something fierce here Al. At that Collins ought to of got under it.
I was looking at the bench all the time expecting Callahan to call me
in but he kept hollering Go on and pitch. Your friends wants to see you
pitch.
Well Al I don't know how they got the rest of their runs but they had
more luck than any team I ever seen. And all the time Jennings was on
the coaching line yelling like a Indian. Some day Al I'm going to punch
his jaw.
After Veach had hit one in the eight Callahan calls me to the bench
and says You're through for the day. I says It's about time you found
out my arm was sore. He says I ain't worrying about your arm but I'm
afraid some of our outfielders will run their legs off and some of them
poor infielders will get killed. He says The reporters just sent me a
message saying they had run out of paper. Then he says I wish some of
the other clubs had pitchers like you so we could hit once in a while.
He says Go in the clubhouse and get your arm rubbed off. That's the
only way I can get Jennings sore he says.
Well Al that's about all there was to it. It will take two or three
stamps to send this but I want you to know the truth about it. The way
my arm was I ought never to of went in there.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, April 25._
FRIEND AL: Just a line to let you know I am still on earth. My arm
feels pretty good again and I guess maybe I will work at Detroit.
Violet writes that she can't hardly wait to see me. Looks like I got a
regular girl now Al. We go up there the twenty-ninth and maybe I won't
be glad to see her. I hope she will be out to the game the day I pitch.
I will pitch the way I want to next time and them Tigers won't have
such a picnic.
I suppose you seen what the Chicago reporters said about that game. I
will punch a couple of their jaws when I see them.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, April 29._
DEAR OLD AL: Well Al it's all over. The club went to Detroit last night
and I didn't go along. Callahan told me to report to Comiskey this
morning and I went up to the office at ten o'clock. He give me my pay
to date and broke the news. I am sold to Frisco.
I asked him how they got waivers on me and he says Oh there was no
trouble about that because they all heard how you tamed the Tigers.
Then he patted me on the back and says Go out there and work hard boy
and maybe you'll get another chance some day. I was kind of choked up
so I walked out of the office.
I ain't had no fair deal Al and I ain't going to no Frisco. I will quit
the game first and take that job Charley offered me at the billiard
hall.
I expect to be in Bedford in a couple of days. I have got to pack up
first and settle with my landlady about my room here which I engaged
for all season thinking I would be treated square. I am going to rest
and lay round home a while and try to forget this rotten game. Tell the
boys about it Al and tell them I never would of got let out if I hadn't
worked with a sore arm.
I feel sorry for that little girl up in Detroit Al. She expected me
there to-day.
Your old pal, JACK.
P.S. I suppose you seen where that lucky lefthander Allen shut out
Cleveland with two hits yesterday. The lucky stiff.
CHAPTER II
THE BUSHER COMES BACK.
_San Francisco, California, May 13._
FRIEND AL: I suppose you and the rest of the boys in Bedford will be
supprised to learn that I am out here, because I remember telling you
when I was sold to San Francisco by the White Sox that not under no
circumstances would I report here. I was pretty mad when Comiskey give
me my release, because I didn't think I had been given a fair show by
Callahan. I don't think so yet Al and I never will but Bill Sullivan
the old White Sox catcher talked to me and told me not to pull no boner
by refuseing to go where they sent me. He says You're only hurting
yourself. He says You must remember that this was your first time up
in the big show and very few men no matter how much stuff they got
can expect to make good right off the reel. He says All you need is
experience and pitching out in the Coast League will be just the thing
for you.
So I went in and asked Comiskey for my transportation and he says
That's right Boy go out there and work hard and maybe I will want you
back. I told him I hoped so but I don't hope nothing of the kind Al.
I am going to see if I can't get Detroit to buy me, because I would
rather live in Detroit than anywheres else. The little girl who got
stuck on me this spring lives there. I guess I told you about her Al.
Her name is Violet and she is some queen. And then if I got with the
Tigers I wouldn't never have to pitch against Cobb and Crawford, though
I believe I could show both of them up if I was right. They ain't got
much of a ball club here and hardly any good pitchers outside of me.
But I don't care.
I will win some games if they give me any support and I will get back
in the big league and show them birds something. You know me, Al.
Your pal, JACK.
_Los Angeles, California, May 20._
AL: Well old pal I don't suppose you can find much news of this league
in the papers at home so you may not know that I have been standing
this league on their heads. I pitched against Oakland up home and shut
them out with two hits. I made them look like suckers Al. They hadn't
never saw no speed like mine and they was scared to death the minute
I cut loose. I could of pitched the last six innings with my foot and
trimmed them they was so scared.
Well we come down here for a serious and I worked the second game. They
got four hits and one run, and I just give them the one run. Their
shortstop Johnson was on the training trip with the White Sox and of
course I knowed him pretty well. So I eased up in the last inning and
let him hit one. If I had of wanted to let myself out he couldn't of
hit me with a board. So I am going along good and Howard our manager
says he is going to use me regular. He's a pretty nice manager and
not a bit sarkastic like some of them big leaguers. I am fielding my
position good and watching the baserunners to. Thank goodness Al they
ain't no Cobbs in this league and a man ain't scared of haveing his
uniform stole off his back.
But listen Al I don't want to be bought by Detroit no more. It is all
off between Violet and I. She wasn't the sort of girl I suspected. She
is just like them all Al. No heart. I wrote her a letter from Chicago
telling her I was sold to San Francisco and she wrote back a postcard
saying something about not haveing no time to waste on bushers. What
do you know about that Al? Calling me a busher. I will show them. She
wasn't no good Al and I figure I am well rid of her. Good riddance is
rubbish as they say.
I will let you know how I get along and if I hear anything about being
sold or drafted.
Yours truly, JACK.
_San Francisco, California, July 20._
FRIEND AL: You will forgive me for not writeing to you oftener when you
hear the news I got for you. Old pal I am engaged to be married. Her
name is Hazel Carney and she is some queen, Al--a great big stropping
girl that must weigh one hundred and sixty lbs. She is out to every
game and she got stuck on me from watching me work.
Then she writes a note to me and makes a date and I meet her down on
Market Street one night. We go to a nickel show together and have some
time. Since then we been together pretty near every evening except when
I was away on the road.
Night before last she asked me if I was married and I tells her No and
she says a big handsome man like I ought not to have no trouble finding
a wife. I tells her I ain't never looked for one and she says Well you
wouldn't have to look very far. I asked her if she was married and she
said No but she wouldn't mind it. She likes her beer pretty well and
her and I had several and I guess I was feeling pretty good. Anyway I
guess I asked her if she wouldn't marry me and she says it was O.K. I
ain't a bit sorry Al because she is some doll and will make them all
sit up back home. She wanted to get married right away but I said No
wait till the season is over and maybe I will have more dough. She
asked me what I was getting and I told her two hundred dollars a month.
She says she didn't think I was getting enough and I don't neither but
I will get the money when I get up in the big show again.
Anyway we are going to get married this fall and then I will bring her
home and show her to you. She wants to live in Chi or New York but I
guess she will like Bedford O.K. when she gets acquainted.
I have made good here all right Al. Up to a week ago Sunday I had won
eleven straight. I have lost a couple since then, but one day I wasn't
feeling good and the other time they kicked it away behind me.
I had a run in with Howard after Portland had beat me. He says Keep on
running round with that skirt and you won't never win another game.
He says Go to bed nights and keep in shape or I will take your money.
I told him to mind his own business and then he walked away from me. I
guess he was scared I was going to smash him. No manager ain't going to
bluff me Al.
So I went to bed early last night and didn't keep my date with the kid.
She was pretty sore about it but business before plesure Al. Don't tell
the boys nothing about me being engaged. I want to surprise them.
Your pal, JACK.
_Sacramento, California, August 16._
FRIEND AL: Well Al I got the supprise of my life last night. Howard
called me up after I got to my room and tells me I am going back to the
White Sox. Come to find out, when they sold me out here they kept a
option on me and yesterday they exercised it. He told me I would have
to report at once. So I packed up as quick as I could and then went
down to say good-by to the kid. She was all broke up and wanted to go
along with me but I told her I didn't have enough dough to get married.
She said she would come anyway and we could get married in Chi but I
told her she better wait. She cried all over my sleeve. She sure is
gone on me Al and I couldn't help feeling sorry for her but I promised
to send for her in October and then everything will be all O.K. She
asked me how much I was going to get in the big league and I told her I
would get a lot more money than out here because I wouldn't play if I
didn't. You know me Al.
I come over here to Sacramento with the club this morning and I am
leaveing to-night for Chi. I will get there next Tuesday and I guess
Callahan will work me right away because he must of seen his mistake in
letting me go by now. I will show them Al.
I looked up the skedule and I seen where we play in Detroit the fifth
and sixth of September. I hope they will let me pitch there Al. Violet
goes to the games and I will make her sorry she give me that kind
of treatment. And I will make them Tigers sorry they kidded me last
spring. I ain't afraid of Cobb or none of them now, Al.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago_, _Illinois, August 27._
AL: Well old pal I guess I busted in right. Did you notice what I done
to them Athaletics, the best ball club in the country? I bet Violet
wishes she hadn't called me no busher.
I got here last Tuesday and set up in the stand and watched the game
that afternoon. Washington was playing here and Johnson pitched. I was
anxious to watch him because I had heard so much about him. Honest Al
he ain't as fast as me. He shut them out, but they never was much of a
hitting club. I went to the clubhouse after the game and shook hands
with the bunch. Kid Gleason the assistant manager seemed pretty glad to
see me and he says Well have you learned something? I says Yes I guess
I have. He says Did you see the game this afternoon? I says I had and
he asked me what I thought of Johnson. I says I don't think so much of
him. He says Well I guess you ain't learned nothing then. He says What
was the matter with Johnson's work? I says He ain't got nothing but a
fast ball. Then he says Yes and Rockefeller ain't got nothing but a
hundred million bucks.
Well I asked Callahan if he was going to give me a chance to work
and he says he was. But I sat on the bench a couple of days and he
didn't ask me to do nothing. Finally I asked him why not and he says
I am saving you to work against a good club, the Athaletics. Well the
Athaletics come and I guess you know by this time what I done to them.
And I had to work against Bender at that but I ain't afraid of none of
them now Al.
Baker didn't hit one hard all afternoon and I didn't have no trouble
with Collins neither. I let them down with five blows all though
the papers give them seven. Them reporters here don't no more about
scoreing than some old woman. They give Barry a hit on a fly ball that
Bodie ought to of eat up, only he stumbled or something and they handed
Oldring a two base hit on a ball that Weaver had to duck to get out of
the way from. But I don't care nothing about reporters. I beat them
Athaletics and beat them good, five to one. Gleason slapped me on the
back after the game and says Well you learned something after all. Rub
some arnicky on your head to keep the swelling down and you may be a
real pitcher yet. I says I ain't got no swell head. He says No. If I
hated myself like you do I would be a moveing picture actor.
Well I asked Callahan would he let me pitch up to Detroit and he says
Sure. He says Do you want to get revenge on them? I says, Yes I did.
He says Well you have certainly got some comeing. He says I never seen
no man get worse treatment than them Tigers give you last spring. I
says Well they won't do it this time because I will know how to pitch
to them. He says How are you going to pitch to Cobb? I says I am going
to feed him on my slow one. He says Well Cobb had ought to make a good
meal off of that. Then we quit jokeing and he says You have improved
a hole lot and I am going to work you right along regular and if you
can stand the gaff I may be able to use you in the city serious. You
know Al the White Sox plays a city serious every fall with the Cubs and
the players makes quite a lot of money. The winners gets about eight
hundred dollars a peace and the losers about five hundred. We will be
the winners if I have anything to say about it.
I am tickled to death at the chance of working in Detroit and I can't
hardly wait till we get there. Watch my smoke Al.
Your pal, JACK.
P.S. I am going over to Allen's flat to play cards a while to-night.
Allen is the lefthander that was on the training trip with us. He ain't
got a thing, Al, and I don't see how he gets by. He is married and his
wife's sister is visiting them. She wants to meet me but it won't do
her much good. I seen her out to the game to-day and she ain't much for
looks.
_Detroit, Mich., September 6._
FRIEND AL: I got a hole lot to write but I ain't got much time because
we are going over to Cleveland on the boat at ten P.M. I made them
Tigers like it Al just like I said I would. And what do you think, Al,
Violet called me up after the game and wanted to see me but I will tell
you about the game first.
They got one hit off of me and Cobb made it a scratch single that he
beat out. If he hadn't of been so dam fast I would of had a no hit
game. At that Weaver could of threw him out if he had of started after
the ball in time. Crawford didn't get nothing like a hit and I whiffed
him once. I give two walks both of them to Bush but he is such a little
guy that you can't pitch to him.
When I was warming up before the game Callahan was standing beside me
and pretty soon Jennings come over. Jennings says You ain't going to
pitch that bird are you? And Callahan said Yes he was. Then Jennings
says I wish you wouldn't because my boys is all tired out and can't
run the bases. Callahan says They won't get no chance to-day. No, says
Jennings I suppose not. I suppose he will walk them all and they won't
have to run. Callahan says He won't give no bases on balls, he says.
But you better tell your gang that he is liable to bean them and they
better stay away from the plate. Jennings says He won't never hurt my
boys by beaning them. Then I cut in. Nor you neither, I says. Callahan
laughs at that so I guess I must of pulled a pretty good one. Jennings
didn't have no comeback so he walks away.
Then Cobb come over and asked if I was going to work. Callahan told him
Yes. Cobb says How many innings? Callahan says All the way. Then Cobb
says Be a good fellow Cal and take him out early. I am lame and can't
run. I butts in then and said Don't worry, Cobb. You won't have to run
because we have got a catcher who can hold them third strikes. Callahan
laughed again and says to me You sure did learn something out on that
Coast.
Well I walked Bush right off the real and they all begun to holler on
the Detroit bench There he goes again. Vitt come up and Jennings yells
Leave your bat in the bag Osker. He can't get them over. But I got them
over for that bird all O.K. and he pops out trying to bunt. And then I
whiffed Crawford. He starts off with a foul that had me scared for a
minute because it was pretty close to the foul line and it went clear
out of the park. But he missed a spitter a foot and then I supprised
them Al. I give him a slow ball and I honestly had to laugh to see him
lunge for it. I bet he must of strained himself. He throwed his bat
way like he was mad and I guess he was. Cobb came pranceing up like he
always does and yells Give me that slow one Boy. So I says All right.
But I fooled him. Instead of giveing him a slow one like I said I was
going I handed him a spitter. He hit it all right but it was a line
drive right in Chase's hands. He says Pretty lucky Boy but I will get
you next time. I come right back at him. I says Yes you will.
Well Al I had them going like that all through. About the sixth inning
Callahan yells from the bench to Jennings What do you think of him now?
And Jennings didn't say nothing. What could he of said?
Cobb makes their one hit in the eighth. He never would of made it if
Schalk had of let me throw him spitters instead of fast ones. At that
Weaver ought to of threw him out. Anyway they didn't score and we made
a monkey out of Dubuque, or whatever his name is.
Well Al I got back to the hotel and snuck down the street a ways and
had a couple of beers before supper. So I come to the supper table late
and Walsh tells me they had been several phone calls for me. I go down
to the desk and they tell me to call up a certain number. So I called
up and they charged me a nickel for it. A girl's voice answers the
phone and I says Was they some one there that wanted to talk to Jack
Keefe? She says You bet they is. She says Don't you know me, Jack? This
is Violet. Well, you could of knocked me down with a peace of bread.
I says What do you want? She says Why I want to see you. I says Well
you can't see me. She says Why what's the matter, Jack? What have I
did that you should be sore at me? I says I guess you know all right.
You called me a busher. She says Why I didn't do nothing of the kind.
I says Yes you did on that postcard. She says I didn't write you no
postcard.
Then we argued along for a while and she swore up and down that she
didn't write me no postcard or call me no busher. I says Well then why
didn't you write me a letter when I was in Frisco? She says she had
lost my address. Well Al I don't know if she was telling me the truth
or not but may be she didn't write that postcard after all. She was
crying over the telephone so I says Well it is too late for I and you
to get together because I am engaged to be married. Then she screamed
and I hang up the receiver. She must of called back two or three times
because they was calling my name round the hotel but I wouldn't go near
the phone. You know me Al.
Well when I hang up and went back to finish my supper the dining room
was locked. So I had to go out and buy myself a sandwich. They soaked
me fifteen cents for a sandwich and a cup of coffee so with the nickel
for the phone I am out twenty cents altogether for nothing. But then I
would of had to tip the waiter in the hotel a dime.
Well Al I must close and catch the boat. I expect a letter from Hazel
in Cleveland and maybe Violet will write to me too. She is stuck on me
all right Al. I can see that. And I don't believe she could of wrote
that postcard after all.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Boston, Massachusetts, September 12._
OLD PAL: Well Al I got a letter from Hazel in Cleveland and she is
comeing to Chi in October for the city serious. She asked me to send
her a hundred dollars for her fare and to buy some cloths with. I sent
her thirty dollars for the fare and told her she could wait till she
got to Chi to buy her cloths. She said she would give me the money back
as soon as she seen me but she is a little short now because one of
her girl friends borrowed fifty off of her. I guess she must be pretty
soft-hearted Al. I hope you and Bertha can come up for the wedding
because I would like to have you stand up with me.
I all so got a letter from Violet and they was blots all over it like
she had been crying. She swore she did not write that postcard and said
she would die if I didn't believe her. She wants to know who the lucky
girl is who I am engaged to be married to. I believe her Al when she
says she did not write that postcard but it is too late now. I will let
you know the date of my wedding as soon as I find out.
I guess you seen what I done in Cleveland and here. Allen was going
awful bad in Cleveland and I relieved him in the eighth when we had a
lead of two runs. I put them out in one-two-three order in the eighth
but had hard work in the ninth due to rotten support. I walked Johnston
and Chapman and Turner sacrificed them ahead. Jackson come up then
and I had two strikes on him. I could of whiffed him but Schalk makes
me give him a fast one when I wanted to give him a slow one. He hit
it to Berger and Johnston ought to of been threw out at the plate but
Berger fumbles and then has to make the play at first base. He got
Jackson all O.K. but they was only one run behind then and Chapman was
on third base. Lajoie was up next and Callahan sends out word for me
to walk him. I thought that was rotten manageing because Lajoie or no
one else can hit me when I want to cut loose. So after I give him two
bad balls I tried to slip over a strike on him but the lucky stiff hit
it on a line to Weaver. Anyway the game was over and I felt pretty
good. But Callahan don't appresiate good work Al. He give me a call in
the clubhouse and said if I ever disobeyed his orders again he would
suspend me without no pay and lick me too. Honest Al it was all I could
do to keep from wrapping his jaw but Gleason winks at me not to do
nothing.
I worked the second game here and give them three hits two of which was
bunts that Lord ought to of eat up. I got better support in Frisco than
I been getting here Al. But I don't care. The Boston bunch couldn't of
hit me with a shovvel and we beat them two to nothing. I worked against
Wood at that. They call him Smoky Joe and they say he has got a lot of
speed.
Boston is some town, Al, and I wish you and Bertha could come here
sometime. I went down to the wharf this morning and seen them unload
the fish. They must of been a million of them but I didn't have time to
count them. Every one of them was five or six times as big as a blue
gill.
Violet asked me what would be my address in New York City so I am
dropping her a postcard to let her know all though I don't know what
good it will do her. I certainly won't start no correspondents with her
now that I am engaged to be married.
Yours truly, JACK.
_New York, New York, September 16._
FRIEND AL: I opened the serious here and beat them easy but I know you
must of saw about it in the Chi papers. At that they don't give me no
fair show in the Chi papers. One of the boys bought one here and I seen
in it where I was lucky to win that game in Cleveland. If I knowed
which one of them reporters wrote that I would punch his jaw.
Al I told you Boston was some town but this is the real one. I never
seen nothing like it and I been going some since we got here. I walked
down Broadway the Main Street last night and I run into a couple of
the ball players and they took me to what they call the Garden but it
ain't like the gardens at home because this one is indoors. We sat
down to a table and had several drinks. Pretty soon one of the boys
asked me if I was broke and I says No, why? He says You better get some
lubricateing oil and loosen up. I don't know what he meant but pretty
soon when we had had a lot of drinks the waiter brings a check and
hands it to me. It was for one dollar. I says Oh I ain't paying for all
of them. The waiter says This is just for that last drink.
I thought the other boys would make a holler but they didn't say
nothing. So I give him a dollar bill and even then he didn't act
satisfied so I asked him what he was waiting for and he said Oh
nothing, kind of sassy. I was going to bust him but the boys give me
the sign to shut up and not to say nothing. I excused myself pretty
soon because I wanted to get some air. I give my check for my hat to a
boy and he brought my hat and I started going and he says Haven't you
forgot something? I guess he must of thought I was wearing a overcoat.
Then I went down the Main Street again and some man stopped me and
asked me did I want to go to the show. He said he had a ticket. I asked
him what show and he said the Follies. I never heard of it but I told
him I would go if he had a ticket to spare. He says I will spare you
this one for three dollars. I says You must take me for some boob.
He says No I wouldn't insult no boob. So I walks on but if he had of
insulted me I would of busted him.
I went back to the hotel then and run into Kid Gleason. He asked me
to take a walk with him so out I go again. We went to the corner and
he bought me a beer. He don't drink nothing but pop himself. The two
drinks was only ten cents so I says This is the place for me. He says
Where have you been? and I told him about paying one dollar for three
drinks. He says I see I will have to take charge of you. Don't go round
with them ball players no more. When you want to go out and see the
sights come to me and I will stear you. So to-night he is going to
stear me. I will write to you from Philadelphia.
Your pal, JACK.
_Philadelphia, Pa., September 19._
FRIEND AL: They won't be no game here to-day because it is raining. We
all been loafing round the hotel all day and I am glad of it because
I got all tired out over in New York City. I and Kid Gleason went
round together the last couple of nights over there and he wouldn't
let me spend no money. I seen a lot of girls that I would of liked to
of got acquainted with but he wouldn't even let me answer them when
they spoke to me. We run in to a couple of peaches last night and they
had us spotted too. One of them says I'll bet you're a couple of ball
players. But Kid says You lose your bet. I am a bellhop and the big
rube with me is nothing but a pitcher.
One of them says What are you trying to do kid somebody? He says Go
home and get some soap and remove your disguise from your face. I
didn't think he ought to talk like that to them and I called him about
it and said maybe they was lonesome and it wouldn't hurt none if we
treated them to a soda or something. But he says Lonesome. If I don't
get you away from here they will steal everything you got. They won't
even leave you your fast ball. So we left them and he took me to a
picture show. It was some California pictures and they made me think of
Hazel so when I got back to the hotel I sent her three postcards.
Gleason made me go to my room at ten o'clock both nights but I was
pretty tired anyway because he had walked me all over town. I guess we
must of saw twenty shows. He says I would take you to the grand opera
only it would be throwing money away because we can hear Ed Walsh for
nothing. Walsh has got some voice Al a loud high tenor.
To-morrow is Sunday and we have a double header Monday on account of
the rain to-day. I thought sure I would get another chance to beat the
Athaletics and I asked Callahan if he was going to pitch me here but he
said he thought he would save me to work against Johnson in Washington.
So you see Al he must figure I am about the best he has got. I'll beat
him Al if they get a couple of runs behind me.
Yours truly, JACK.
P.S. They was a letter here from Violet and it pretty near made me feel
like crying. I wish they was two of me so both them girls could be
happy.
_Washington, D.C., September 22._
DEAR OLD AL: Well Al here I am in the capital of the old United States.
We got in last night and I been walking round town all morning. But I
didn't tire myself out because I am going to pitch against Johnson this
afternoon.
This is the prettiest town I ever seen but I believe they is more
colored people here than they is in Evansville or Chi. I seen the White
House and the Monumunt. They say that Bill Sullivan and Gabby St. once
catched a baseball that was threw off of the top of the Monumunt but I
bet they couldn't catch it if I throwed it.
I was in to breakfast this morning with Gleason and Bodie and Weaver
and Fournier. Gleason says I'm supprised that you ain't sick in bed
to-day. I says Why?
He says Most of our pitchers gets sick when Cal tells them they are
going to work against Johnson. He says Here's these other fellows all
feeling pretty sick this morning and they ain't even pitchers. All they
have to do is hit against him but it looks like as if Cal would have to
send substitutes in for them. Bodie is complaining of a sore arm which
he must of strained drawing to two card flushes. Fournier and Weaver
have strained their legs doing the tango dance. Nothing could cure them
except to hear that big Walter had got throwed out of his machine and
wouldn't be able to pitch against us in this serious.
I says I feel O.K. and I ain't afraid to pitch against Johnson and I
ain't afraid to hit against him neither. Then Weaver says Have you ever
saw him work? Yes, I says, I seen him in Chi. Then Weaver says Well if
you have saw him work and ain't afraid to hit against him I'll bet you
would go down to Wall Street and holler Hurrah for Roosevelt. I says
No I wouldn't do that but I ain't afraid of no pitcher and what is more
if you get me a couple of runs I'll beat him. Then Fournier says Oh we
will get you a couple of runs all right. He says That's just as easy as
catching whales with a angleworm.
Well Al I must close and go in and get some lunch. My arm feels great
and they will have to go some to beat me Johnson or no Johnson.
Your pal, JACK.
_Washington, D.C., September 22._
FRIEND AL: Well I guess you know by this time that they didn't get no
two runs for me, only one, but I beat him just the same. I beat him one
to nothing and Callahan was so pleased that he give me a ticket to the
theater. I just got back from there and it is pretty late and I already
have wrote you one letter to-day but I am going to sit up and tell you
about it.
It was cloudy before the game started and when I was warming up I made
the remark to Callahan that the dark day ought to make my speed good.
He says Yes and of course it will handicap Johnson.
While Washington was takeing their practice their two coachers Schaefer
and Altrock got out on the infield and cut up and I pretty near busted
laughing at them. They certainly is funny Al. Callahan asked me what
was I laughing at and I told him and he says That's the first time I
ever seen a pitcher laugh when he was going to work against Johnson. He
says Griffith is a pretty good fellow to give us something to laugh at
before he shoots that guy at us.
I warmed up good and told Schalk not to ask me for my spitter much
because my fast one looked faster than I ever seen it. He says it
won't make much difference what you pitch to-day. I says Oh, yes, it
will because Callahan thinks enough of me to work me against Johnson
and I want to show him he didn't make no mistake. Then Gleason says No
he didn't make no mistake. Wasteing Cicotte or Scotty would of been a
mistake in this game.
Well, Johnson whiffs Weaver and Chase and makes Lord pop out in the
first inning. I walked their first guy but I didn't give Milan nothing
to bunt and finally he flied out. And then I whiffed the next two. On
the bench Callahan says That's the way, boy. Keep that up and we got a
chance.
Johnson had fanned four of us when I come up with two out in the third
inning and he whiffed me to. I fouled one though that if I had ever
got a good hold of I would of knocked out of the park. In the first
seven innings we didn't have a hit off of him. They had got five or
six lucky ones off of me and I had walked two or three, but I cut
loose with all I had when they was men on and they couldn't do nothing
with me. The only reason I walked so many was because my fast one was
jumping so. Honest Al it was so fast that Evans the umpire couldn't see
it half the time and he called a lot of balls that was right over the
heart.
Well I come up in the eighth with two out and the score still nothing
and nothing. I had whiffed the second time as well as the first but it
was account of Evans missing one on me. The eighth started with Shanks
muffing a fly ball off of Bodie. It was way out by the fence so he got
two bases on it and he went to third while they was throwing Berger
out. Then Schalk whiffed.
Callahan says Go up and try to meet one Jack. It might as well be you
as anybody else. But your old pal didn't whiff this time Al. He gets
two strikes on me with fast ones and then I passed up two bad ones. I
took my healthy at the next one and slapped it over first base. I guess
I could of made two bases on it but I didn't want to tire myself out.
Anyway Bodie scored and I had them beat. And my hit was the only one
we got off of him so I guess he is a pretty good pitcher after all Al.
They filled up the bases on me with one out in the ninth but it was
pretty dark then and I made McBride and their catcher look like suckers
with my speed.
I felt so good after the game that I drunk one of them pink cocktails.
I don't know what their name is. And then I sent a postcard to poor
little Violet. I don't care nothing about her but it don't hurt me none
to try and cheer her up once in a while. We leave here Thursday night
for home and they had ought to be two or three letters there for me
from Hazel because I haven't heard from her lately. She must of lost my
road addresses.
Your pal, JACK.
P.S. I forgot to tell you what Callahan said after the game. He said I
was a real pitcher now and he is going to use me in the city serious.
If he does Al we will beat them Cubs sure.
_Chicago, Illinois, September 27._
FRIEND AL: They wasn't no letter here at all from Hazel and I guess
she must of been sick. Or maybe she didn't think it was worth while
writeing as long as she is comeing next week.
I want to ask you to do me a favor Al and that is to see if you can
find me a house down there. I will want to move in with Mrs. Keefe,
don't that sound funny Al? sometime in the week of October twelfth. Old
man Cutting's house or that yellow house across from you would be O.K.
I would rather have the yellow one so as to be near you. Find out how
much rent they want Al and if it is not no more than twelve dollars a
month get it for me. We will buy our furniture here in Chi when Hazel
comes.
We have a couple of days off now Al and then we play St. Louis two
games here. Then Detroit comes to finish the season the third and
fourth of October.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 3._
DEAR OLD AL: Thanks Al for getting the house. The one-year lease is
O.K. You and Bertha and me and Hazel can have all sorts of good times
together. I guess the walk needs repairs but I can fix that up when I
come. We can stay at the hotel when we first get there.
I wish you could of came up for the city serious Al but anyway I want
you and Bertha to be sure and come up for our wedding. I will let you
know the date as soon as Hazel gets here.
The serious starts Tuesday and this town is wild over it. The Cubs
finished second in their league and we was fifth in ours but that don't
scare me none. We would of finished right on top if I had of been here
all season.
Callahan pitched one of the bushers against Detroit this afternoon and
they beat him bad. Callahan is saveing up Scott and Allen and Russell
and Cicotte and I for the big show. Walsh isn't in no shape and neither
is Benz. It looks like I would have a good deal to do because most of
them others can't work no more than once in four days and Allen ain't
no good at all.
We have a day to rest after to-morrow's game with the Tigers and then
we go at them Cubs.
Your pal, JACK.
P.S. I have got it figured that Hazel is fixing to surprise me by
dropping in on me because I haven't heard nothing yet.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 7._
FRIEND AL: Well Al you know by this time that they beat me to-day and
tied up the serious. But I have still got plenty of time Al and I will
get them before it is over. My arm wasn't feeling good Al and my fast
ball didn't hop like it had ought to. But it was the rotten support I
got that beat me. That lucky stiff Zimmerman was the only guy that got
a real hit off of me and he must of shut his eyes and throwed his bat
because the ball he hit was a foot over his head. And if they hadn't
been makeing all them errors behind me they wouldn't of been nobody on
bases when Zimmerman got that lucky scratch. The serious now stands
one and one Al and it is a cinch we will beat them even if they are a
bunch of lucky stiffs. They has been great big crowds at both games and
it looks like as if we should ought to get over eight hundred dollars
a peace if we win and we will win sure because I will beat them three
straight if necessary.
But Al I have got bigger news than that for you and I am the happyest
man in the world. I told you I had not heard from Hazel for a long
time. To-night when I got back to my room they was a letter waiting for
me from her.
Al she is married. Maybe you don't know why that makes me happy but I
will tell you. She is married to Kid Levy the middle weight. I guess
my thirty dollars is gone because in her letter she called me a cheap
skate and she inclosed one one-cent stamp and two twos and said she
was paying me for the glass of beer I once bought her. I bought her
more than that Al but I won't make no holler. She all so said not for
me to never come near her or her husband would bust my jaw. I ain't
afraid of him or no one else Al but they ain't no danger of me ever
bothering them. She was no good and I was sorry the minute I agreed to
marry her.
But I was going to tell you why I am happy or maybe you can guess. Now
I can make Violet my wife and she's got Hazel beat forty ways. She
ain't nowheres near as big as Hazel but she's classier Al and she will
make me a good wife. She ain't never asked me for no money.
I wrote her a letter the minute I got the good news and told her to
come on over here at once at my expense. We will be married right after
the serious is over and I want you and Bertha to be sure and stand up
with us. I will wire you at my own expence the exact date.
It all seems like a dream now about Violet and I haveing our
misunderstanding Al and I don't see how I ever could of accused her of
sending me that postcard. You and Bertha will be just as crazy about
her as I am when you see her Al. Just think Al I will be married inside
of a week and to the only girl I ever could of been happy with instead
of the woman I never really cared for except as a passing fancy. My
happyness would be complete Al if I had not of let that woman steal
thirty dollars off of me.
Your happy pal, JACK.
P.S. Hazel probibly would of insisted on us takeing a trip to Niagara
falls or somewheres but I know Violet will be perfectly satisfied if I
take her right down to Bedford. Oh you little yellow house.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 9._
FRIEND AL: Well Al we have got them beat three games to one now and
will wind up the serious to-morrow sure. Callahan sent me in to save
poor Allen yesterday and I stopped them dead. But I don't care now
Al. I have lost all interest in the game and I don't care if Callahan
pitches me to-morrow or not. My heart is just about broke Al and I
wouldn't be able to do myself justice feeling the way I do.
I have lost Violet Al and just when I was figureing on being the
happyest man in the world. We will get the big money but it won't do me
no good. They can keep my share because I won't have no little girl to
spend it on.
Her answer to my letter was waiting for me at home to-night. She is
engaged to be married to Joe Hill the big lefthander Jennings got from
Providence. Honest Al I don't see how he gets by. He ain't got no more
curve ball than a rabbit and his fast one floats up there like a big
balloon. He beat us the last game of the regular season here but it was
because Callahan had a lot of bushers in the game.
I wish I had knew then that he was stealing my girl and I would of made
Callahan pitch me against him. And when he come up to bat I would of
beaned him. But I don't suppose you could hurt him by hitting him in
the head. The big stiff. Their wedding ain't going to come off till
next summer and by that time he will be pitching in the Southwestern
Texas League for about fifty dollars a month.
Violet wrote that she wished me all the luck and happyness in the world
but it is too late for me to be happy Al and I don't care what kind of
luck I have now.
Al you will have to get rid of that lease for me. Fix it up the best
way you can. Tell the old man I have changed my plans. I don't know
just yet what I will do but maybe I will go to Australia with Mike
Donlin's team. If I do I won't care if the boat goes down or not. I
don't believe I will even come back to Bedford this winter. It would
drive me wild to go past that little house every day and think how
happy I might of been.
Maybe I will pitch to-morrow Al and if I do the serious will be over
to-morrow night. I can beat them Cubs if I get any kind of decent
support. But I don't care now Al.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 12._
AL: Your letter received. If the old man won't call it off I guess I
will have to try and rent the house to some one else. Do you know of
any couple that wants one Al? It looks like I would have to come down
there myself and fix things up someway. He is just mean enough to stick
me with the house on my hands when I won't have no use for it.
They beat us the day before yesterday as you probibly know and it
rained yesterday and to-day. The papers says it will be all O.K.
to-morrow and Callahan tells me I am going to work. The Cub pitchers
was all shot to peaces and the bad weather is just nuts for them
because it will give Cheney a good rest. But I will beat him Al if they
don't kick it away behind me.
I must close because I promised Allen the little lefthander that I
would come over to his flat and play cards a while to-night and I must
wash up and change my collar. Allen's wife's sister is visiting them
again and I would give anything not to have to go over there. I am
through with girls and don't want nothing to do with them.
I guess it is maybe a good thing it rained to-day because I dreamt
about Violet last night and went out and got a couple of high balls
before breakfast this morning. I hadn't never drank nothing before
breakfast before and it made me kind of sick. But I am all O.K. now.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 13._
DEAR OLD AL: The serious is all over Al. We are the champions and I
done it. I may be home the day after to-morrow or I may not come for a
couple of days. I want to see Comiskey before I leave and fix up about
my contract for next year. I won't sign for no less than five thousand
and if he hands me a contract for less than that I will leave the White
Sox flat on their back. I have got over fourteen hundred dollars now
Al with the city serious money which was $814.30 and I don't have to
worry.
Them reporters will have to give me a square deal this time Al. I had
everything and the Cubs done well to score a run. I whiffed Zimmerman
three times. Some of the boys say he ain't no hitter but he is a hitter
and a good one Al only he could not touch the stuff I got. The umps
give them their run because in the fourth inning I had Leach flatfooted
off of second base and Weaver tagged him O.K. but the umps wouldn't
call it. Then Schulte the lucky stiff happened to get a hold of one and
pulled it past first base. I guess Chase must of been asleep. Anyway
they scored but I don't care because we piled up six runs on Cheney and
I drove in one of them myself with one of the prettiest singles you
ever see. It was a spitter and I hit it like a shot. If I had hit it
square it would of went out of the park.
Comiskey ought to feel pretty good about me winning and I guess he will
give me a contract for anything I want. He will have to or I will go to
the Federal League.
We are all invited to a show to-night and I am going with Allen and his
wife and her sister Florence. She is O.K. Al and I guess she thinks the
same about me. She must because she was out to the game to-day and seen
me hand it to them. She maybe ain't as pretty as Violet and Hazel but
as they say beauty isn't only so deep.
Well Al tell the boys I will be with them soon. I have gave up the idea
of going to Australia because I would have to buy a evening full-dress
suit and they tell me they cost pretty near fifty dollars.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 14._
FRIEND AL: Never mind about that lease. I want the house after all Al
and I have got the supprise of your life for you.
When I come home to Bedford I will bring my wife with me. I and
Florence fixed things all up after the show last night and we are going
to be married to-morrow morning. I am a busy man to-day Al because I
have got to get the license and look round for furniture. And I have
also got to buy some new cloths but they are haveing a sale on Cottage
Grove Avenue at Clark's store and I know one of the clerks there.
I am the happyest man in the world Al. You and Bertha and I and
Florence will have all kinds of good times together this winter because
I know Bertha and Florence will like each other. Florence looks
something like Bertha at that. I am glad I didn't get tied up with
Violet or Hazel even if they was a little bit prettier than Florence.
Florence knows a lot about baseball for a girl and you would be
supprised to hear her talk. She says I am the best pitcher in the
league and she has saw them all. She all so says I am the best looking
ball player she ever seen but you know how girls will kid a guy Al. You
will like her O.K. I fell for her the first time I seen her.
Your old pal, JACK.
P.S. I signed up for next year. Comiskey slapped me on the back when I
went in to see him and told me I would be a star next year if I took
good care of myself. I guess I am a star without waiting for next
year Al. My contract calls for twenty-eight hundred a year which is a
thousand more than I was getting. And it is pretty near a cinch that I
will be in on the World Serious money next season.
P.S. I certainly am relieved about that lease. It would of been fierce
to of had that place on my hands all winter and not getting any use out
of it. Everything is all O.K. now. Oh you little yellow house.
CHAPTER III
THE BUSHER'S HONEYMOON
_Chicago, Illinois, October 17._
FRIEND AL: Well Al it looks as if I would not be writeing so much to
you now that I am a married man. Yes Al I and Florrie was married the
day before yesterday just like I told you we was going to be and Al I
am the happyest man in the world though I have spent $30 in the last 3
days incluseive. You was wise Al to get married in Bedford where not
nothing is nearly half so dear. My expenses was as follows:
License $ 2.00
Preist 3.50
Haircut and shave .35
Shine .05
Carfair .45
New suit 14.50
Show tickets 3.00
Flowers .50
Candy .30
Hotel 4.50
Tobacco both kinds .25
You see Al it costs a hole lot of money to get married here. The sum
of what I have wrote down is $29.40 but as I told you I have spent
$30 and I do not know what I have did with that other $0.60. My new
brother-in-law Allen told me I should ought to give the preist $5 and
I thought it should be about $2 the same as the license so I split the
difference and give him $3.50. I never seen him before and probily
won't never see him again so why should I give him anything at all when
it is his business to marry couples? But I like to do the right thing.
You know me Al.
I thought we would be in Bedford by this time but Florrie wants to say
here a few more days because she says she wants to be with her sister.
Allen and his wife is thinking about takeing a flat for the winter
instead of going down to Waco Texas where they live. I don't see no
sense in that when it costs so much to live here but it is none of my
business if they want to throw their money away. But I am glad I got a
wife with some sense though she kicked because I did not get no room
with a bath which would cost me $2 a day instead of $1.50. I says I
guess the clubhouse is still open yet and if I want a bath I can go
over there and take the shower. She says Yes and I suppose I can go
and jump in the lake. But she would not do that Al because the lake
here is cold at this time of the year.
When I told you about my expenses I did not include in it the meals
because we would be eating them if I was getting married or not getting
married only I have to pay for six meals a day now instead of three
and I didn't used to eat no lunch in the playing season except once in
a while when I knowed I was not going to work that afternoon. I had a
meal ticket which had not quite ran out over to a resturunt on Indiana
Ave and we eat there for the first day except at night when I took
Allen and his wife to the show with us and then he took us to a chop
suye resturunt. I guess you have not never had no chop suye Al and I am
here to tell you you have not missed nothing but when Allen was going
to buy the supper what could I say? I could not say nothing.
Well yesterday and to-day we been eating at a resturunt on Cottage
Grove Ave near the hotel and at the resturunt on Indiana that I had the
meal ticket at only I do not like to buy no new meal ticket when I am
not going to be round here no more than a few days. Well Al I guess the
meals has cost me all together about $1.50 and I have eat very little
myself. Florrie always wants desert ice cream or something and that
runs up into money faster than regular stuff like stake and ham and
eggs.
Well Al Florrie says it is time for me to keep my promise and take her
to the moveing pictures which is $0.20 more because the one she likes
round here costs a dime apeace. So I must close for this time and will
see you soon.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 22_.
AL: Just a note Al to tell you why I have not yet came to Bedford
yet where I expected I would be long before this time. Allen and his
wife have took a furnished flat for the winter and Allen's wife wants
Florrie to stay here untill they get settled. Meentime it is costing me
a hole lot of money at the hotel and for meals besides I am paying $10
a month rent for the house you got for me and what good am I getting
out of it? But Florrie wants to help her sister and what can I say?
Though I did make her promise she would not stay no longer than next
Saturday at least. So I guess Al we will be home on the evening train
Saturday and then may be I can save some money.
I know Al that you and Bertha will like Florrie when you get acquainted
with her spesially Bertha though Florrie dresses pretty swell and
spends a hole lot of time fusing with her face and her hair.
She says to me to-night Who are you writeing to and I told her Al
Blanchard who I have told you about a good many times. She says I bet
you are writeing to some girl and acted like as though she was kind of
jealous. So I thought I would tease her a little and I says I don't
know no girls except you and Violet and Hazel. Who is Violet and Hazel?
she says. I kind of laughed and says Oh I guess I better not tell you
and then she says I guess you will tell me. That made me kind of mad
because no girl can't tell me what to do. She says Are you going to
tell me? and I says No.
Then she says If you don't tell me I will go over to Marie's that is
her sister Allen's wife and stay all night. I says Go on and she went
downstairs but I guess she probily went to get a soda because she has
some money of her own that I give her. This was about two hours ago
and she is probily down in the hotel lobby now trying to scare me by
makeing me believe she has went to her sister's. But she can't fool me
Al and I am now going out to mail this letter and get a beer. I won't
never tell her about Violet and Hazel if she is going to act like that.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 24._
FRIEND AL: I guess I told you Al that we would be home Saturday
evening. I have changed my mind. Allen and his wife has a spair bedroom
and wants us to come there and stay a week or two. It won't cost
nothing except they will probily want to go out to the moveing pictures
nights and we will probily have to go along with them and I am a man Al
that wants to pay his share and not be cheap.
I and Florrie had our first quarrle the other night. I guess I told you
the start of it but I don't remember. I made some crack about Violet
and Hazel just to tease Florrie and she wanted to know who they was and
I would not tell her. So she gets sore and goes over to Marie's to stay
all night. I was just kidding Al and was willing to tell her about them
two poor girls whatever she wanted to know except that I don't like to
brag about girls being stuck on me. So I goes over to Marie's after her
and tells her all about them except that I turned them down cold at the
last minute to marry her because I did not want her to get all swelled
up. She made me sware that I did not never care nothing about them and
that was easy because it was the truth. So she come back to the hotel
with me just like I knowed she would when I ordered her to.
They must not be no mistake about who is the boss in my house. Some men
lets their wife run all over them but I am not that kind. You know me
Al.
I must get busy and pack my suitcase if I am going to move over to
Allen's. I sent three collars and a shirt to the laundrey this morning
so even if we go over there to-night I will have to take another trip
back this way in a day or two. I won't mind Al because they sell my
kind of beer down to the corner and I never seen it sold nowheres else
in Chi. You know the kind it is, eh Al? I wish I was lifting a few with
you to-night.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 28._
DEAR OLD AL: Florrie and Marie has went downtown shopping because
Florrie thinks she has got to have a new dress though she has got two
changes of cloths now and I don't know what she can do with another
one. I hope she don't find none to suit her though it would not hurt
none if she got something for next spring at a reduckshon. I guess
she must think I am Charles A. Comiskey or somebody. Allen has went
to a colledge football game. One of the reporters give him a pass. I
don't see nothing in football except a lot of scrapping between little
slobs that I could lick the whole bunch of them so I did not care to
go. The reporter is one of the guys that travled round with our club
all summer. He called up and said he hadn't only the one pass but he
was not hurting my feelings none because I would not go to no rotten
football game if they payed me.
The flat across the hall from this here one is for rent furnished.
They want $40 a month for it and I guess they think they must be lots
of suckers running round loose. Marie was talking about it and says
Why don't you and Florrie take it and then we can be right together
all winter long and have some big times? Florrie says It would be all
right with me. What about it Jack? I says What do you think I am? I
don't have to live in no high price flat when I got a home in Bedford
where they ain't no people trying to hold everybody up all the time.
So they did not say no more about it when they seen I was in ernest.
Nobody cannot tell me where I am going to live sister-in-law or no
sister-in-law. If I was to rent the rotten old flat I would be paying
$50 a month rent includeing the house down in Bedford. Fine chance Al.
Well Al I am lonesome and thirsty so more later.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, November 2._
FRIEND AL: Well Al I got some big news for you. I am not comeing to
Bedford this winter after all except to make a visit which I guess will
be round Xmas. I changed my mind about that flat across the hall from
the Allens and decided to take it after all. The people who was in it
and owns the furniture says they would let us have it till the 1 of May
if we would pay $42.50 a month which is only $2.50 a month more than
they would of let us have it for for a short time. So you see we got a
bargain because it is all furnished and everything and we won't have
to blow no money on furniture besides the club goes to California the
middle of Febuery so Florrie would not have no place to stay while I am
away.
The Allens only subleased their flat from some other people till the 2
of Febuery and when I and Allen goes West Marie can come over and stay
with Florrie so you see it is best all round. If we should of boughten
furniture it would cost us in the neighborhood of $100 even without no
piano and they is a piano in this here flat which makes it nice because
Florrie plays pretty good with one hand and we can have lots of good
times at home without it costing us nothing except just the bear
liveing expenses. I consider myself lucky to of found out about this
before it was too late and somebody else had of gotten the tip.
Now Al old pal I want to ask a great favor of you Al. I all ready have
payed one month rent $10 on the house in Bedford and I want you to
see the old man and see if he won't call off that lease. Why should
I be paying $10 a month rent down there and $42.50 up here when the
house down there is not no good to me because I am liveing up here all
winter? See Al? Tell him I will gladly give him another month rent to
call off the lease but don't tell him that if you don't have to. I want
to be fare with him.
If you will do this favor for me, Al, I won't never forget it. Give my
kindest to Bertha and tell her I am sorry I and Florrie won't see her
right away but you see how it is Al.
Yours, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, November 30._
FRIEND AL: I have not wrote for a long time have I Al but I have been
very busy. They was not enough furniture in the flat and we have been
buying some more. They was enough for some people maybe but I and
Florrie is the kind that won't have nothing but the best. The furniture
them people had in the liveing room was oak but they had a bookcase
bilt in in the flat that was mohoggeny and Florrie would not stand for
no joke combination like that so she moved the oak chairs and table in
to the spair bedroom and we went downtown to buy some mohoggeny. But it
costs too much Al and we was feeling pretty bad about it when we seen
some Sir Cashion walnut that was prettier even than the mohoggeny and
not near so expensive. It is not no real Sir Cashion walnut but it is
just as good and we got it reasonable. Then we got some mission chairs
for the dining room because the old ones was just straw and was no good
and we got a big lether couch for $9 that somebody can sleep on if we
get to much company.
I hope you and Bertha can come up for the holidays and see how
comfertible we are fixed. That is all the new furniture we have
boughten but Florrie set her heart on some old Rose drapes and a red
table lamp that is the biggest you ever seen Al and I did not have the
heart to say no. The hole thing cost me in the neighborhood of $110
which is very little for what we got and then it will always be ourn
even when we move away from this flat though we will have to leave the
furniture that belongs to the other people but their part of it is not
no good anyway.
I guess I told you Al how much money I had when the season ended. It
was $1400 all told includeing the city serious money. Well Al I got in
the neighborhood of $800 left because I give $200 to Florrie to send
down to Texas to her other sister who had a bad egg for a husband that
managed a club in the Texas Oklahoma League and this was the money she
had to pay to get the divorce. I am glad Al that I was lucky enough to
marry happy and get a good girl for my wife that has got some sense and
besides if I have got $800 left I should not worry as they say.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, December 7._
DEAR OLD AL: No I was in ernest Al when I says that I wanted you and
Bertha to come up here for the holidays. I know I told you that I might
come to Bedford for the holidays but that is all off. I have gave up
the idea of comeing to Bedford for the holidays and I want you to be
sure and come up here for the holidays and I will show you a good time.
I would love to have Bertha come to and she can come if she wants to
only Florrie don't know if she would have a good time or not and thinks
maybe she would rather stay in Bedford and you come alone. But be sure
and have Bertha come if she wants to come but maybe she would not injoy
it. You know best Al.
I don't think the old man give me no square deal on that lease but if
he wants to stick me all right. I am grateful to you Al for trying to
fix it up but maybe you could of did better if you had of went at it
in a different way. I am not finding no fault with my old pal though.
Don't think that. When I have a pal I am the man to stick to him threw
thick and thin. If the old man is going to hold me to that lease I
guess I will have to stand it and I guess I won't starv to death for
no $10 a month because I am going to get $2800 next year besides the
city serious money and maybe we will get into the World Serious too. I
know we will if Callahan will pitch me every 3d day like I wanted him
to last season. But if you had of approached the old man in a different
way maybe you could of fixed it up. I wish you would try it again Al if
it is not no trouble.
We had Allen and his wife here for thanksgiveing dinner and the dinner
cost me better than $5. I thought we had enough to eat to last a week
but about six o'clock at night Florrie and Marie said they was hungry
and we went downtown and had dinner all over again and I payed for it
and it cost me $5 more. Allen was all ready to pay for it when Florrie
said No this day's treat is on us so I had to pay for it but I don't
see why she did not wait and let me do the talking. I was going to pay
for it any way.
Be sure and come and visit us for the holidays Al and of coarse if
Bertha wants to come bring her along. We will be glad to see you both.
I won't never go back on a friend and pal. You know me Al.
Your old pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, December 20._
FRIEND AL: I don't see what can be the matter with Bertha because you
know Al we would not care how she dressed and would not make no kick if
she come up here in a night gown. She did not have no license to say
we was to swell for her because we did not never think of nothing like
that. I wish you would talk to her again Al and tell her she need not
get sore on me and that both her and you is welcome at my house any
time I ask you to come. See if you can't make her change her mind Al
because I feel like as if she must of took offense at something I may
of wrote you. I am sorry you and her are not comeing but I suppose you
know best. Only we was getting all ready for you and Florrie said only
the other day that she wished the holidays was over but that was before
she knowed you was not comeing. I hope you can come Al.
Well Al I guess there is not no use talking to the old man no more. You
have did the best you could but I wish I could of came down there and
talked to him. I will pay him his rotten old $10 a month and the next
time I come to Bedford and meet him on the street I will bust his jaw.
I know he is a old man Al but I don't like to see nobody get the best
of me and I am sorry I ever asked him to let me off. Some of them old
skinflints has no heart Al but why should I fight with a old man over
chicken feed like $10? Florrie says a star pitcher like I should not
ought never to scrap about little things and I guess she is right Al so
I will pay the old man his $10 a month if I have to.
Florrie says she is jealous of me writeing to you so much and she says
she would like to meet this great old pal of mine. I would like to have
her meet you to Al and I would like to have you change your mind and
come and visit us and I am sorry you can't come Al.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, December 27._
OLD PAL: I guess all these lefthanders is alike though I thought this
Allen had some sense. I thought he was different from the most and was
not no rummy but they are all alike Al and they are all lucky that
somebody don't hit them over the head with a ax and kill them but I
guess at that you could not hurt no lefthanders by hitting them over
the head. We was all down on State St. the day before Xmas and the
girls was all tired out and ready to go home but Allen says No I guess
we better stick down a while because now the crowds is out and it will
be fun to watch them. So we walked up and down State St. about a hour
longer and finally we come in front of a big jewlry store window and in
it was a swell dimond ring that was marked $100. It was a ladies' ring
so Marie says to Allen Why don't you buy that for me? And Allen says Do
you really want it? And she says she did.
So we tells the girls to wait and we goes over to a salloon where
Allen has got a friend and gets a check cashed and we come back and he
bought the ring. Then Florrie looks like as though she was getting all
ready to cry and I asked her what was the matter and she says I had
not boughten her no ring not even when we was engaged. So I and Allen
goes back to the salloon and I gets a check cashed and we come back and
bought another ring but I did not think the ring Allen had boughten was
worth no $100 so I gets one for $75. Now Al you know I am not makeing
no kick on spending a little money for a present for my own wife but
I had allready boughten her a rist watch for $15 and a rist watch was
just what she had wanted. I was willing to give her the ring if she had
not of wanted the rist watch more than the ring but when I give her the
ring I kept the rist watch and did not tell her nothing about it.
Well I come downtown alone the day after Xmas and they would not take
the rist watch back in the store where I got it. So I am going to give
it to her for a New Year's present and I guess that will make Allen
feel like a dirty doose. But I guess you cannot hurt no lefthander's
feelings at that. They are all alike. But Allen has not got nothing
but a dinky curve ball and a fast ball that looks like my slow one. If
Comiskey was not good hearted he would of sold him long ago.
I sent you and Bertha a cut glass dish Al which was the best I could
get for the money and it was pretty high pricet at that. We was glad
to get the pretty pincushions from you and Bertha and Florrie says to
tell you that we are well supplied with pincushions now because the
ones you sent makes a even half dozen. Thanks Al for remembering us and
thank Bertha too though I guess you paid for them.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Januery 3._
OLD PAL: Al I been pretty sick ever since New Year's eve. We had a
table at 1 of the swell resturunts downtown and I never seen so much
wine drank in my life. I would rather of had beer but they would not
sell us none so I found out that they was a certain kind that you can
get for $1 a bottle and it is just as good as the kind that has got all
them fancy names but this lefthander starts ordering some other kind
about 11 oclock and it was $5 a bottle and the girls both says they
liked it better. I could not see a hole lot of difference myself and I
would of gave $0.20 for a big stine of my kind of beer. You know me Al.
Well Al you know they is not nobody that can drink more than your old
pal and I was all O.K. at one oclock but I seen the girls was getting
kind of sleepy so I says we better go home.
Then Marie says Oh, shut up and don't be no quiter. I says You better
shut up yourself and not be telling me to shut up, and she says What
will you do if I don't shut up? And I says I would bust her in the
jaw. But you know Al I would not think of busting no girl. Then Florrie
says You better not start nothing because you had to much to drink or
you would not be talking about busting girls in the jaw. Then I says
I don't care if it is a girl I bust or a lefthander. I did not mean
nothing at all Al but Marie says I had insulted Allen and he gets up
and slaps my face. Well Al I am not going to stand that from nobody
not even if he is my brother-in-law and a lefthander that has not got
enough speed to brake a pain of glass.
So I give him a good beating and the waiters butts in and puts us all
out for fighting and I and Florrie comes home in a taxi and Allen and
his wife don't get in till about 5 oclock so I guess she must of had to
of took him to a doctor to get fixed up. I been in bed ever since till
just this morning kind of sick to my stumach. I guess I must of eat
something that did not agree with me. Allen come over after breakfast
this morning and asked me was I all right so I guess he is not sore
over the beating I give him or else he wants to make friends because he
has saw that I am a bad guy to monkey with.
Florrie tells me a little while ago that she paid the hole bill at the
resturunt with my money because Allen was broke so you see what kind
of a cheap skate he is Al and some day I am going to bust his jaw. She
won't tell me how much the bill was and I won't ask her to no more
because we had a good time outside of the fight and what do I care if
we spent a little money?
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Januery 20._
FRIEND AL: Allen and his wife have gave up the flat across the hall
from us and come over to live with us because we got a spair bedroom
and why should they not have the bennifit of it? But it is pretty hard
for the girls to have to cook and do the work when they is four of
us so I have a hired girl who does it all for $7 a week. It is great
stuff Al because now we can go round as we please and don't have to
wait for no dishes to be washed or nothing. We generally almost always
has dinner downtown in the evening so it is pretty soft for the girl
too. She don't generally have no more than one meal to get because we
generally run round downtown till late and don't get up till about noon.
That sounds funny don't it Al, when I used to get up at 5 every morning
down home. Well Al I can tell you something else that may sound funny
and that is that I lost my taste for beer. I don't seem to care for it
no more and I found I can stand allmost as many drinks of other stuff
as I could of beer. I guess Al they is not nobody ever lived can drink
more and stand up better under it than me. I make the girls and Allen
quit every night.
I only got just time to write you this short note because Florrie and
Marie is giving a big party to-night and I and Allen have got to beat
it out of the house and stay out of the way till they get things ready.
It is Marie's berthday and she says she is 22 but say Al if she is 22
Kid Gleason is 30. Well Al the girls says we must blow so I will run
out and mail this letter.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Januery 31._
AL: Allen is going to take Marie with him on the training trip to
California and of course Florrie has been at me to take her along. I
told her postivly that she can't go. I can't afford no stunt like that
but still I am up against it to know what to do with her while we are
on the trip because Marie won't be here to stay with her. I don't like
to leave her here all alone but they is nothing to it Al I can't afford
to take her along. She says I don't see why you can't take me if Allen
takes Marie. And I says That stuff is all O.K. for Allen because him
and Marie has been grafting off of us all winter. And then she gets mad
and tells me I should not ought to say her sister was no grafter. I did
not mean nothing like that Al but you don't never know when a woman is
going to take offense.
If our furniture was down in Bedford everything would be all O.K.
because I could leave her there and I would feel all O.K. because I
would know that you and Bertha would see that she was getting along
O.K. But they would not be no sense in sending her down to a house that
has not no furniture in it. I wish I knowed somewheres where she could
visit Al. I would be willing to pay her bord even.
Well Al enough for this time.
Your old pal, JACK.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, FEBUERY 4.
FRIEND AL: You are a real old pal Al and I certainly am greatful to you
for the invatation. I have not told Florrie about it yet but I am sure
she will be tickled to death and it is certainly kind of you old pal. I
did not never dream of nothing like that. I note what you say Al about
not excepting no bord but I think it would be better and I would feel
better if you would take something say about $2 a week.
I know Bertha will like Florrie and that they will get along O.K.
together because Florrie can learn her how to make her cloths look good
and fix her hair and fix up her face. I feel like as if you had took a
big load off of me Al and I won't never forget it.
If you don't think I should pay no bord for Florrie all right. Suit
yourself about that old pal.
We are leaveing here the 20 of Febuery and if you don't mind I will
bring Florrie down to you about the 18. I would like to see the old
bunch again and spesially you and Bertha.
Yours, JACK.
P.S. We will only be away till April 14 and that is just a nice visit.
I wish we did not have no flat on our hands.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 9._
OLD PAL: I want to thank you for asking Florrie to come down there and
visit you Al but I find she can't get away. I did not know she had no
engagements but she says she may go down to her folks in Texas and
she don't want to say that she will come to visit you when it is so
indefanate. So thank you just the same Al and thank Bertha too.
Florrie is still at me to take her along to California but honest Al
I can't do it. I am right down to my last $50 and I have not payed no
rent for this month. I owe the hired girl 2 weeks' salery and both I
and Florrie needs some new cloths.
Florrie has just came in since I started writeing this letter and we
have been talking some more about California and she says maybe if I
would ask Comiskey he would take her along as the club's guest. I had
not never thought of that Al and maybe he would because he is a pretty
good scout and I guess I will go and see him about it. The league has
its skedule meeting here to-morrow and may be I can see him down to the
hotel where they meet at. I am so worried Al that I can't write no more
but I will tell you how I come out with Comiskey.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 11._
FRIEND AL: I am up against it right Al and I don't know where I am
going to head in at. I went down to the hotel where the league was
holding its skedule meeting at and I seen Comiskey and got some money
off of the club but I owe all the money I got off of them and I am
still wondering what to do about Florrie.
Comiskey was busy in the meeting when I went down there and they was
not no chance to see him for a while so I and Allen and some of the
boys hung round and had a few drinks and fanned. This here Joe Hill the
busher that Detroit has got that Violet is hooked up to was round the
hotel. I don't know what for but I felt like busting his jaw only the
boys told me I had better not do nothing because I might kill him and
any way he probily won't be in the league much longer. Well finally
Comiskey got threw the meeting and I seen him and he says Hello young
man what can I do for you? And I says I would like to get $100 advance
money. He says Have you been takeing care of yourself down in Bedford?
And I told him I had been liveing here all winter and it did not seem
to make no hit with him though I don't see what business it is of hisn
where I live.
So I says I had been takeing good care of myself. And I have Al. You
know that. So he says I should come to the ball park the next day which
is to-day and he would have the secretary take care of me but I says
I could not wait and so he give me $100 out of his pocket and says he
would have it charged against my salery. I was just going to brace him
about the California trip when he got away and went back to the meeting.
Well Al I hung round with the bunch waiting for him to get threw again
and we had some more drinks and finally Comiskey was threw again and I
braced him in the lobby and asked him if it was all right to take my
wife along to California. He says Sure they would be glad to have her
along. And then I says Would the club pay her fair? He says I guess
you must of spent that $100 buying some nerve. He says Have you not
got no sisters that would like to go along to? He says Does your wife
insist on the drawing room or will she take a lower birth? He says Is
my special train good enough for her?
Then he turns away from me and I guess some of the boys must of heard
the stuff he pulled because they was laughing when he went away but I
did not see nothing to laugh at. But I guess he ment that I would have
to pay her fair if she goes along and that is out of the question Al. I
am up against it and I don't know where I am going to head in at.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 12._
DEAR OLD AL: I guess everything will be all O.K. now at least I am
hopeing it will. When I told Florrie about how I come out with Comiskey
she bawled her head off and I thought for a while I was going to have
to call a doctor or something but pretty soon she cut it out and we sat
there a while without saying nothing. Then she says If you could get
your salery razed a couple of hundred dollars a year would you borrow
the money ahead somewheres and take me along to California? I says
Yes I would if I could get a couple hundred dollars more salery but
how could I do that when I had signed a contract for $2800 last fall
allready? She says Don't you think you are worth more than $2800? And
I says Yes of coarse I was worth more than $2800. She says Well if you
will go and talk the right way to Comiskey I believe he will give you
$3000 but you must be sure you go at it the right way and don't go and
ball it all up.
Well we argude about it a while because I don't want to hold nobody
up Al but finally I says I would. It would not be holding nobody up
anyway because I am worth $3000 to the club if I am worth a nichol. The
papers is all saying that the club has got a good chance to win the
pennant this year and talking about the pitching staff and I guess they
would not be no pitching staff much if it was not for I and one or two
others--about one other I guess.
So it looks like as if everything will be all O.K. now Al. I am going
to the office over to the park to see him the first thing in the
morning and I am pretty sure that I will get what I am after because if
I do not he will see that I am going to quit and then he will see what
he is up against and not let me get away.
I will let you know how I come out.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 14._
FRIEND AL: Al old pal I have got a big supprise for you. I am going to
the Federal League. I had a run in with Comiskey yesterday and I guess
I told him a thing or 2. I guess he would of been glad to sign me at my
own figure before I got threw but I was so mad I would not give him no
chance to offer me another contract.
I got out to the park at 9 oclock yesterday morning and it was a hour
before he showed up and then he kept me waiting another hour so I was
pretty sore when I finally went in to see him. He says Well young man
what can I do for you? I says I come to see about my contract. He says
Do you want to sign up for next year all ready? I says No I am talking
about this year. He says I thought I and you talked business last fall.
And I says Yes but now I think I am worth more money and I want to sign
a contract for $3000. He says If you behave yourself and work good this
year I will see that you are took care of. But I says That won't do
because I have got to be sure I am going to get $3000.
Then he says I am not sure you are going to get anything. I says What
do you mean? And he says I have gave you a very fare contract and if
you don't want to live up to it that is your own business. So I give
him a awful call Al and told him I would jump to the Federal League.
He says Oh, I would not do that if I was you. They are haveing a hard
enough time as it is. So I says something back to him and he did not
say nothing to me and I beat it out of the office.
I have not told Florrie about the Federal League business yet as I
am going to give her a big supprise. I bet they will take her along
with me on the training trip and pay her fair but even if they don't I
should not worry because I will make them give me a contract for $4000
a year and then I can afford to take her with me on all the trips.
I will go down and see Tinker to-morrow morning and I will write you
to-morrow night Al how much salery they are going to give me. But I
won't sign for no less than $4000. You know me Al.
Yours, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 15._
OLD PAL: It is pretty near midnight Al but I been to bed a couple of
times and I can't get no sleep. I am worried to death Al and I don't
know where I am going to head in at. Maybe I will go out and buy a gun
Al and end it all and I guess it would be better for everybody. But I
cannot do that Al because I have not got the money to buy a gun with.
I went down to see Tinker about signing up with the Federal League
and he was busy in the office when I come in. Pretty soon Buck Perry
the pitcher that was with Boston last year come out and seen me and
as Tinker was still busy we went out and had a drink together. Buck
shows me a contract for $5000 a year and Tinker had allso gave him a
$500 bonus. So pretty soon I went up to the office and pretty soon
Tinker seen me and called me into his private office and asked what
did I want. I says I was ready to jump for $4000 and a bonus. He says
I thought you was signed up with the White Sox. I says Yes I was but I
was not satisfied. He says That does not make no difference to me if
you are satisfied or not. You ought to of came to me before you signed
a contract. I says I did not know enough but I know better now. He says
Well it is to late now. We cannot have nothing to do with you because
you have went and signed a contract with the White Sox. I argude with
him a while and asked him to come out and have a drink so we could talk
it over but he said he was busy so they was nothing for me to do but
blow.
So I am not going to the Federal League Al and I will not go with the
White Sox because I have got a raw deal. Comiskey will be sorry for
what he done when his team starts the season and is up against it for
good pitchers and then he will probily be willing to give me anything
I ask for but that don't do me no good now Al. I am way in debt and no
chance to get no money from nobody. I wish I had of stayed with Terre
Haute Al and never saw this league.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 17._
FRIEND AL: Al don't never let nobody tell you that these here
lefthanders is right. This Allen my own brother-in-law who married
sisters has been grafting and spongeing on me all winter Al. Look what
he done to me now Al. You know how hard I been up against it for money
and I know he has got plenty of it because I seen it on him. Well Al
I was scared to tell Florrie I was cleaned out and so I went to Allen
yesterday and says I had to have $100 right away because I owed the
rent and owed the hired girl's salery and could not even pay no grocery
bill. And he says No he could not let me have none because he has got
to save all his money to take his wife on the trip to California. And
here he has been liveing on me all winter and maybe I could of took my
wife to California if I had not of spent all my money takeing care of
this no good lefthander and his wife. And Al honest he has not got a
thing and ought not to be in the league. He gets by with a dinky curve
ball and has not got no more smoke than a rabbit or something.
Well Al I felt like busting him in the jaw but then I thought No I
might kill him and then I would have Marie and Florrie both to take
care of and God knows one of them is enough besides paying his funeral
expenses. So I walked away from him without takeing a crack at him
and went into the other room where Florrie and Marie was at. I says
to Marie I says Marie I wish you would go in the other room a minute
because I want to talk to Florrie. So Marie beats it into the other
room and then I tells Florrie all about what Comiskey and the Federal
League done to me. She bawled something awful and then she says I was
no good and she wished she had not never married me. I says I wisht it
too and then she says Do you mean that and starts to cry.
I told her I was sorry I says that because they is not no use fusing
with girls Al specially when they is your wife. She says No California
trip for me and then she says What are you going to do? And I says I
did not know. She says Well if I was a man I would do something. So
then I got mad and I says I will do something. So I went down to the
corner salloon and started in to get good and drunk but I could not do
it Al because I did not have the money.
Well old pal I am going to ask you a big favor and it is this I want
you to send me $100 Al for just a few days till I can get on my feet. I
do not know when I can pay it back Al but I guess you know the money
is good and I know you have got it. Who would not have it when they
live in Bedford? And besides I let you take $20 in June 4 years ago Al
and you give it back but I would not have said nothing to you if you
had of kept it. Let me hear from you right away old pal.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 19._
AL: I am certainly greatful to you Al for the $100 which come just a
little while ago. I will pay the rent with it and part of the grocery
bill and I guess the hired girl will have to wait a while for hern but
she is sure to get it because I don't never forget my debts. I have
changed my mind about the White Sox and I am going to go on the trip
and take Florrie along because I don't think it would not be right to
leave her here alone in Chi when her sister and all of us is going.
I am going over to the ball park and up in the office pretty soon to
see about it. I will tell Comiskey I changed my mind and he will be
glad to get me back because the club has not got no chance to finish
nowheres without me. But I won't go on no trip or give the club my
services without them giveing me some more advance money so as I can
take Florrie along with me because Al I would not go without her.
Maybe Comiskey will make my salery $3000 like I wanted him to when he
sees I am willing to be a good fellow and go along with him and when he
knows that the Federal League would of gladly gave me $4000 if I had
not of signed no contract with the White Sox.
I think I will ask him for $200 advance money Al and if I get it may be
I can send part of your $100 back to you but I know you cannot be in no
hurry Al though you says you wanted it back as soon as possible. You
could not be very hard up Al because it don't cost near so much to live
in Bedford as it does up here.
Anyway I will let you know how I come out with Comiskey and I will
write you as soon as I get out to Paso Robles if I don't get no time to
write you before I leave.
Your pal, JACK.
P.S. I have took good care of myself all winter Al and I guess I ought
to have a great season.
P.S. Florrie is tickled to death about going along and her and I will
have some time together out there on the Coast if I can get some money
somewheres.
_Chicago, Illinois, Febuery 21._
FRIEND AL: I have not got the heart to write this letter to you Al.
I am up here in my $42.50 a month flat and the club has went to
California and Florrie has went too. I am flat broke Al and all I am
asking you is to send me enough money to pay my fair to Bedford and
they and all their leagues can go to hell Al.
I was out to the ball park early yesterday morning and some of the boys
was there all ready fanning and kidding each other. They tried to kid
me to when I come in but I guess I give them as good as they give me. I
was not in no mind for kidding Al because I was there on business and I
wanted to see Comiskey and get it done with.
Well the secretary come in finally and I went up to him and says I
wanted to see Comiskey right away. He says The boss was busy and what
did I want to see him about and I says I wanted to get some advance
money because I was going to take my wife on the trip. He says This
would be a fine time to be telling us about it even if you was going on
the trip.
And I says What do you mean? And he says You are not going on no
trip with us because we have got wavers on you and you are sold to
Milwaukee.
Honest Al I thought he was kidding at first and I was waiting for him
to laugh but he did not laugh and finally I says What do you mean? And
he says Cannot you understand no English? You are sold to Milwaukee.
Then I says I want to see the boss. He says It won't do you no good to
see the boss and he is to busy to see you. I says I want to get some
money. And he says You cannot get no money from this club and all you
get is your fair to Milwaukee. I says I am not going to no Milwaukee
anyway and he says I should not worry about that. Suit yourself.
Well Al I told some of the boys about it and they was pretty sore and
says I ought to bust the secretary in the jaw and I was going to do it
when I thought No I better not because he is a little guy and I might
kill him.
I looked all over for Kid Gleason but he was not nowheres round and
they told me he would not get into town till late in the afternoon. If
I could of saw him Al he would of fixed me all up. I asked 3 or 4 of
the boys for some money but they says they was all broke.
But I have not told you the worst of it yet Al. When I come back to the
flat Allen and Marie and Florrie was busy packing up and they asked me
how I come out. I told them and Allen just stood there stareing like
a big rummy but Marie and Florrie both begin to cry and I almost felt
like as if I would like to cry to only I am not no baby Al.
Well Al I told Florrie she might just is well quit packing and make up
her mind that she was not going nowheres till I got money enough to go
to Bedford where I belong. She kept right on crying and it got so I
could not stand it no more so I went out to get a drink because I still
had just about a dollar left yet.
It was about 2 oclock when I left the flat and pretty near 5 when I
come back because I had ran in to some fans that knowed who I was and
would not let me get away and besides I did not want to see no more of
Allen and Marie till they was out of the house and on their way.
But when I come in Al they was nobody there. They was not nothing there
except the furniture and a few of my things scattered round. I sit down
for a few minutes because I guess I must of had to much to drink but
finally I seen a note on the table addressed to me and I seen it was
Florrie's writeing.
I do not remember just what was there in the note Al because I tore it
up the minute I read it but it was something about I could not support
no wife and Allen had gave her enough money to go back to Texas and she
was going on the 6 oclock train and it would not do me no good to try
and stop her.
Well Al they was not no danger of me trying to stop her. She was not no
good Al and I wisht I had not of never saw either she or her sister or
my brother-in-law.
For a minute I thought I would follow Allen and his wife down to the
deepo where the special train was to pull out of and wait till I see
him and punch his jaw but I seen that would not get me nothing.
So here I am all alone Al and I will have to stay here till you send me
the money to come home. You better send me $25 because I have got a few
little debts I should ought to pay before I leave town. I am not going
to Milwaukee Al because I did not get no decent deal and nobody cannot
make no sucker out of me.
Please hurry up with the $25 Al old friend because I am sick and tired
of Chi and want to get back there with my old pal.
Yours, JACK.
P.S. Al I wish I had of took poor little Violet when she was so stuck
on me.
CHAPTER IV
A NEW BUSHER BREAKS IN
_Chicago, Illinois, March 2._
FRIEND AL: Al that peace in the paper was all O.K. and the right dope
just like you said. I seen president Johnson the president of the
league to-day and he told me the peace in the papers was the right dope
and Comiskey did not have no right to sell me to Milwaukee because the
Detroit Club had never gave no wavers on me. He says the Detroit Club
was late in fileing their claim and Comiskey must of tooken it for
granted that they was going to wave but president Johnson was pretty
sore about it at that and says Comiskey did not have no right to sell
me till he was positive that they was not no team that wanted me.
It will probily cost Comiskey some money for acting like he done and
not paying no attention to the rules and I would not be supprised if
president Johnson had him throwed out of the league.
Well I asked president Johnson should I report at once to the Detroit
Club down south and he says No you better wait till you hear from
Comiskey and I says What has Comiskey got to do with it now? And he
says Comiskey will own you till he sells you to Detroit or somewheres
else. So I will have to go out to the ball park to-morrow and see is
they any mail for me there because I probily will get a letter from
Comiskey telling me I am sold to Detroit.
If I had of thought at the time I would of knew that Detroit never
would give no wavers on me after the way I showed Cobb and Crawford up
last fall and I might of knew too that Detroit is in the market for
good pitchers because they got a rotten pitching staff but they won't
have no rotten staff when I get with them.
If necessary I will pitch every other day for Jennings and if I do we
will win the pennant sure because Detroit has got a club that can get
2 or 3 runs every day and all as I need to win most of my games is 1
run. I can't hardly wait till Jennings works me against the White Sox
and what I will do to them will be a plenty. It don't take no pitching
to beat them anyway and when they get up against a pitcher like I they
might as well leave their bats in the bag for all the good their bats
will do them.
I guess Cobb and Crawford will be glad to have me on the Detroit Club
because then they won't never have to hit against me except in practice
and I won't pitch my best in practice because they will be teammates
of mine and I don't never like to show none of my teammates up. At
that though I don't suppose Jennings will let me do much pitching in
practice because when he gets a hold of a good pitcher he won't want me
to take no chances of throwing my arm away in practice.
Al just think how funny it will be to have me pitching for the Tigers
in the same town where Violet lives and pitching on the same club with
her husband. It will not be so funny for Violet and her husband though
because when she has a chance to see me work regular she will find out
what a mistake she made takeing that lefthander instead of a man that
has got some future and soon will be makeing 5 or $6000 a year because
I won't sign with Detroit for no less than $5000 at most. Of coarse
I could of had her if I had of wanted to but still and all it will
make her feel pretty sick to see me winning games for Detroit while
her husband is batting fungos and getting splinters in his unie from
slideing up and down the bench.
As for her husband the first time he opens his clam to me I will haul
off and bust him one in the jaw but I guess he will know more than to
start trouble with a man of my size and who is going to be one of their
stars while he is just holding down a job because they feel sorry for
him. I wish he could of got the girl I married instead of the one he
got and I bet she would of drove him crazy. But I guess you can't drive
a lefthander crazyer than he is to begin with.
I have not heard nothing from Florrie Al and I don't want to hear
nothing. I and her is better apart and I wish she would sew me for
a bill of divorce so she could not go round claiming she is my wife
and disgraceing my name. If she would consent to sew me for a bill of
divorce I would gladly pay all the expenses and settle with her for
any sum of money she wants say about $75.00 or $100.00 and they is no
reason I should give her a nichol after the way her and her sister
Marie and her brother-in-law Allen grafted off of me. Probily I could
sew her for a bill of divorce but they tell me it costs money to sew
and if you just lay low and let the other side do the sewing it don't
cost you a nichol.
It is pretty late Al and I have got to get up early to-morrow and go
to the ball park and see is they any mail for me. I will let you know
what I hear old pal.
Your old pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, March 4._
AL: I am up against it again. I went out to the ball park office
yesterday and they was nobody there except John somebody who is asst
secretary and all the rest of them is out on the Coast with the team.
Maybe this here John was trying to kid me but this is what he told
me. First I says Is they a letter here for me? And he says No. And I
says I was expecting word from Comiskey that I should join the Detroit
Club and he says What makes you think you are going to Detroit? I says
Comiskey asked wavers on me and Detroit did not give no wavers. He says
Well that is not no sign that you are going to Detroit. If Comiskey
can't get you out of the league he will probily keep you himself and it
is a cinch he is not going to give no pitcher to Detroit no matter how
rotten he is.
I says What do you mean? And he says You just stick round town till
you hear from Comiskey and I guess you will hear pretty soon because
he is comeing back from the Coast next Saturday. I says Well the only
thing he can tell me is to report to Detroit because I won't never
pitch again for the White Sox. Then John gets fresh and says I suppose
you will quit the game and live on your saveings and then I blowed out
of the office because I was scared I would loose my temper and break
something.
So you see Al what I am up against. I won't never pitch for the
White Sox again and I want to get with the Detroit Club but how can
I if Comiskey won't let me go? All I can do is stick round till next
Saturday and then I will see Comiskey and I guess when I tell him what
I think of him he will be glad to let me go to Detroit or anywheres
else. I will have something on him this time because I know that he
did not pay no attention to the rules when he told me I was sold to
Milwaukee and if he tries to slip something over on me I will tell
president Johnson of the league all about it and then you will see
where Comiskey heads in at.
Al old pal that $25.00 you give me at the station the other day is all
shot to peaces and I must ask you to let me have $25.00 more which will
make $75.00 all together includeing the $25.00 you sent me before I
come home. I hate to ask you this favor old pal but I know you have got
the money. If I am sold to Detroit I will get some advance money and
pay up all my dedts incluseive.
If he don't let me go to Detroit I will make him come across with part
of my salery for this year even if I don't pitch for him because I
signed a contract and was ready to do my end of it and would of if he
had not of been nasty and tried to slip something over on me. If he
refuses to come across I will hire a attorney at law and he will get it
all. So Al you see you have got a cinch on getting back what you lone
me but I guess you know that Al without all this talk because you have
been my old pal for a good many years and I have allways treated you
square and tried to make you feel that I and you was equals and that my
success was not going to make me forget my old friends.
Wherever I pitch this year I will insist on a salery of 5 or $6000 a
year. So you see on my first pay day I will have enough to pay you up
and settle the rest of my dedts but I am not going to pay no more rent
for this rotten flat because they tell me if a man don't pay no rent
for a while they will put him out. Let them put me out. I should not
worry but will go and rent my old room that I had before I met Florrie
and got into all this trouble.
The sooner you can send me that $35.00 the better and then I will owe
you $85.00 incluseive and I will write and let you know how I come out
with Comiskey.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, March 12._
FRIEND AL: I got another big supprise for you and this is it I am going
to pitch for the White Sox after all. If Comiskey was not a old man I
guess I would of lost my temper and beat him up but I am glad now that
I kept my temper and did not loose it because I forced him to make a
lot of consessions and now it looks like as though I would have a big
year both pitching and money.
He got back to town yesterday morning and showed up to his office in
the afternoon and I was there waiting for him. He would not see me
for a while but finally I acted like as though I was getting tired of
waiting and I guess the secretary got scared that I would beat it out
of the office and leave them all in the lerch. Anyway he went in and
spoke to Comiskey and then come out and says the boss was ready to see
me. When I went into the office where he was at he says Well young man
what can I do for you? And I says I want you to give me my release
so as I can join the Detroit Club down South and get in shape. Then
he says What makes you think you are going to join the Detroit Club?
Because we need you here. I says Then why did you try to sell me to
Milwaukee? But you could not because you could not get no wavers.
Then he says I thought I was doing you a favor by sending you to
Milwaukee because they make a lot of beer up there. I says What do you
mean? He says You been keeping in shape all this winter by trying to
drink this town dry and besides that you tried to hold me up for more
money when you allready had signed a contract allready and so I was
going to send you to Milwaukee and learn you something and besides you
tried to go with the Federal League but they would not take you because
they was scared to.
I don't know where he found out all that stuff at Al and besides he was
wrong when he says I was drinking to much because they is not nobody
that can drink more than me and not be effected. But I did not say
nothing because I was scared I would forget myself and call him some
name and he is a old man. Yes I did say something. I says Well I guess
you found out that you could not get me out of the league and then he
says Don't never think I could not get you out of the league. If you
think I can't send you to Milwaukee I will prove it to you that I can.
I says You can't because Detroit won't give no wavers on me. He says
Detroit will give wavers on you quick enough if I ask them.
Then he says Now you can take your choice you can stay here and pitch
for me at the salery you signed up for and you can cut out the monkey
business and drink water when you are thirsty or else you can go up to
Milwaukee and drownd yourself in one of them brewrys. Which shall it
be? I says How can you keep me or send me to Milwaukee when Detroit
has allready claimed my services? He says Detroit has claimed a lot
of things and they have even claimed the pennant but that is not no
sign they will win it. He says And besides you would not want to pitch
for Detroit because then you would not never have no chance to pitch
against Cobb and show him up.
Well Al when he says that I knowed he appresiated what a pitcher I am
even if he did try to sell me to Milwaukee or he would not of made that
remark about the way I can show Cobb and Crawford up. So I says Well
if you need me that bad I will pitch for you but I must have a new
contract. He says Oh I guess we can fix that up O.K. and he steps out
in the next room a while and then he comes back with a new contract.
And what do you think it was Al? It was a contract for 3 years so you
see I am sure of my job here for 3 years and everything is all O.K.
The contract calls for the same salery a year for 3 years that I was
going to get before for only 1 year which is $2800.00 a year and then
I will get in on the city serious money too and the Detroit Club don't
have no city serious and have no chance to get into the World's Serious
with the rotten pitching staff they got. So you see Al he fixed me up
good and that shows that he must think a hole lot of me or he would of
sent me to Detroit or maybe to Milwaukee but I don't see how he could
of did that without no wavers.
Well Al I allmost forgot to tell you that he has gave me a ticket to
Los Angeles where the 2d team are practicing at now but where the 1st
team will be at in about a week. I am leaveing to-night and I guess
before I go I will go down to president Johnson and tell him that I am
fixed up all O.K. and have not got no kick comeing so that president
Johnson will not fine Comiskey for not paying no attention to the rules
or get him fired out of the league because I guess Comiskey must be
all O.K. and good hearted after all.
I won't pay no attention to what he says about me drinking this town
dry because he is all wrong in regards to that. He must of been jokeing
I guess because nobody but some boob would think he could drink this
town dry but at that I guess I can hold more than anybody and not be
effected. But I guess I will cut it out for a while at that because I
don't want to get them sore at me after the contract they give me.
I will write to you from Los Angeles Al and let you know what the boys
says when they see me and I will bet that they will be tickled to
death. The rent man was round to-day but I seen him comeing and he did
not find me. I am going to leave the furniture that belongs in the flat
in the flat and allso the furniture I bought which don't amount to much
because it was not no real Sir Cashion walnut and besides I don't want
nothing round me to remind me of Florrie because the sooner her and I
forget each other the better.
Tell the boys about my good luck Al but it is not no luck neither
because it was comeing to me.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Los Angeles, California, March 16._
AL: Here I am back with the White Sox again and it seems to good to be
true because just like I told you they are all tickled to death to see
me. Kid Gleason is here in charge of the 2d team and when he seen me
come into the hotel he jumped up and hit me in the stumach but he acts
like that whenever he feels good so I could not get sore at him though
he had no right to hit me in the stumach. If he had of did it in ernest
I would of walloped him in the jaw.
He says Well if here ain't the old lady killer. He ment Al that I am
strong with the girls but I am all threw with them now but he don't
know nothing about the troubles I had. He says Are you in shape? And I
told him Yes I am. He says Yes you look in shape like a barrel. I says
They is not no fat on me and if I am a little bit bigger than last year
it is because my mussels is bigger. He says Yes your stumach mussels is
emense and you must of gave them plenty of exercise. Wait till Bodie
sees you and he will want to stick round you all the time because you
make him look like a broom straw or something. I let him kid me along
because what is the use of getting mad at him? And besides he is all
O.K. even if he is a little rough.
I says to him A little work will fix me up all O.K. and he says You bet
you are going to get some work because I am going to see to it myself.
I says You will have to hurry because you will be going up to Frisco in
a few days and I am going to stay here and join the 1st club. Then he
says You are not going to do no such a thing. You are going right along
with me. I knowed he was kidding me then because Callahan would not
never leave me with the 2d team no more after what I done for him last
year and besides most of the stars generally allways goes with the 1st
team on the training trip.
Well I seen all the rest of the boys that is here with the 2d team and
they all acted like as if they was glad to see me and why should not
they be when they know that me being here with the White Sox and not
with Detroit means that Callahan won't have to do no worrying about his
pitching staff? But they is four or 5 young recrut pitchers with the
team here and I bet they is not so glad to see me because what chance
have they got?
If I was Comiskey and Callahan I would not spend no money on new
pitchers because with me and 1 or 2 of the other boys we got the best
pitching staff in the league. And instead of spending the money for
new pitching recruts I would put it all in a lump and buy Ty Cobb or
Sam Crawford off of Detroit or somebody else who can hit and Cobb and
Crawford is both real hitters Al even if I did make them look like
suckers. Who wouldn't?
Well Al to-morrow A.M. I am going out and work a little and in the P.M.
I will watch the game between we and the Venice Club but I won't pitch
none because Gleason would not dare take no chances of me hurting my
arm. I will write to you in a few days from here because no matter what
Gleason says I am going to stick here with the 1st team because I know
Callahan will want me along with him for a attraction.
Your pal, JACK.
_San Francisco, California, March 20._
FRIEND AL: Well Al here I am back in old Frisco with the 2d team but I
will tell you how it happened Al. Yesterday Gleason told me to pack up
and get ready to leave Los Angeles with him and I says No I am going to
stick here and wait for the 1st team and then he says I guess I must of
overlooked something in the papers because I did not see nothing about
you being appointed manager of the club. I says No I am not manager
but Callahan is manager and he will want to keep me with him. He says
I got a wire from Callahan telling me to keep you with my club but of
coarse if you know what Callahan wants better than he knows it himself
why then go ahead and stay here or go jump in the Pacific Ocean.
Then he says I know why you don't want to go with me and I says Why?
And he says Because you know I will make you work and won't let you
eat everything on the bill of fair includeing the name of the hotel
at which we are stopping at. That made me sore and I was just going
to call him when he says Did not you marry Mrs. Allen's sister? And I
says Yes but that is not none of your business. Then he says Well I
don't want to butt into your business but I heard you and your wife
had some kind of a argument and she beat it. I says Yes she give me a
rotten deal. He says Well then I don't see where it is going to be very
pleasant for you traveling round with the 1st club because Allen and
his wife is both with that club and what do you want to be mixed up
with them for? I says I am not scared of Allen or his wife or no other
old hen.
So here I am Al with the 2d team but it is only for a while till
Callahan gets sick of some of them pitchers he has got and sends for
me so as he can see some real pitching. And besides I am glad to be
here in Frisco where I made so many friends when I was pitching here
for a short time till Callahan heard about my work and called me back
to the big show where I belong at and nowheres else.
Yours truly, JACK.
_San Francisco, California, March 25._
OLD PAL: Al I got a supprise for you. Who do you think I seen last
night? Nobody but Hazel. Her name now is Hazel Levy because you know Al
she married Kid Levy the middle-weight and I wish he was champion of
the world Al because then it would not take me more than about a minute
to be champion of the world myself. I have not got nothing against him
though because he married her and if he had not of I probily would of
married her myself but at that she could not of treated me no worse
than Florrie. Well they was setting at a table in the cafe where her
and I use to go pretty near every night. She spotted me when I first
come in and sends a waiter over to ask me to come and have a drink with
them. I went over because they was no use being nasty and let bygones
be bygones.
She interduced me to her husband and he asked me what was I drinking.
Then she butts in and says Oh you must let Mr. Keefe buy the drinks
because it hurts his feelings to have somebody else buy the drinks.
Then Levy says Oh he is one of these here spendrifts is he? and she
says Yes he don't care no more about a nichol than his right eye does.
I says I guess you have got no holler comeing on the way I spend my
money. I don't steal no money anyway. She says What do you mean? and
I says I guess you know what I mean. How about that $30.00 that you
borrowed off of me and never give it back? Then her husband cuts in and
says You cut that line of talk out or I will bust you. I says Yes you
will. And he says Yes I will.
Well Al what was the use of me starting trouble with him when he has
got enough trouble right to home and besides as I say I have not got
nothing against him. So I got up and blowed away from the table and
I bet he was relieved when he seen I was not going to start nothing.
I beat it out of there a while afterward because I was not drinking
nothing and I don't have no fun setting round a place and lapping up
ginger ail or something. And besides the music was rotten.
Al I am certainly glad I throwed Hazel over because she has grew to
be as big as a horse and is all painted up. I don't care nothing about
them big dolls no more or about no other kind neither. I am off of them
all. They can all of them die and I should not worry.
Well Al I done my first pitching of the year this P.M. and I guess I
showed them that I was in just as good a shape as some of them birds
that has been working a month. I worked 4 innings against my old team
the San Francisco Club and I give them nothing but fast ones but they
sure was fast ones and you could hear them zip. Charlie O'Leary was
trying to get out of the way of one of them and it hit his bat and went
over first base for a base hit but at that Fournier would of eat it up
if it had of been Chase playing first base instead of Fournier.
That was the only hit they got off of me and they ought to of been
ashamed to of tooken that one. But Gleason don't appresiate my work
and him and I allmost come to blows at supper. I was pretty hungry and
I ordered some stake and some eggs and some pie and some ice cream
and some coffee and a glass of milk but Gleason would not let me have
the pie or the milk and would not let me eat more than 1/2 the stake.
And it is a wonder I did not bust him and tell him to mind his own
business. I says What right have you got to tell me what to eat? And he
says You don't need nobody to tell you what to eat you need somebody to
keep you from floundering yourself. I says Why can't I eat what I want
to when I have worked good?
He says Who told you you worked good and I says I did not need nobody
to tell me. I know I worked good because they could not do nothing with
me. He says Well it is a good thing for you that they did not start
bunting because if you had of went to stoop over and pick up the ball
you would of busted wide open. I says Why? and he says because you are
hog fat and if you don't let up on the stable and fancy groceries we
will have to pay 2 fairs to get you back to Chi. I don't remember now
what I says to him but I says something you can bet on that. You know
me Al.
I wish Al that Callahan would hurry up and order me to join the 1st
team. If he don't Al I believe Gleason will starve me to death. A
little slob like him don't realize that a big man like I needs good
food and plenty of it.
Your pal, JACK.
_Salt Lake City, Utah, April 1._
AL: Well Al we are on our way East and I am still with the 2d team and
I don't understand why Callahan don't order me to join the 1st team but
maybe it is because he knows that I am all right and have got the stuff
and he wants to keep them other guys round where he can see if they
have got anything.
The recrut pitchers that is along with our club have not got nothing
and the scout that reckommended them must of been full of hops or
something. It is not no common thing for a club to pick up a man that
has got the stuff to make him a star up here and the White Sox was
pretty lucky to land me but I don't understand why they throw their
money away on new pitchers when none of them is no good and besides who
would want a better pitching staff than we got right now without no raw
recruts and bushers.
I worked in Oakland the day before yesterday but he only let me go the
1st 4 innings. I bet them Oakland birds was glad when he took me out.
When I was in that league I use to just throw my glove in the box and
them Oakland birds was licked and honest Al some of them turned white
when they seen I was going to pitch the other day.
I felt kind of sorry for them and I did not give them all I had so they
got 5 or 6 hits and scored a couple of runs. I was not feeling very
good at that and besides we got some awful excuses for a ball player on
this club and the support they give me was the rottenest I ever seen
gave anybody. But some of them won't be in this league more than about
10 minutes more so I should not fret as they say.
We play here this afternoon and I don't believe I will work because the
team they got here is not worth wasteing nobody on. They must be a lot
of boobs in this town Al because they tell me that some of them has got
1/2 a dozen wives or so. And what a man wants with 1 wife is a misery
to me let alone a 1/2 dozen.
I will probily work against Denver because they got a good club and was
champions of the Western League last year. I will make them think they
are champions of the Epworth League or something.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Des Moines, Iowa, April 10._
FRIEND AL: We got here this A.M. and this is our last stop and we will
be in old Chi to-morrow to open the season. The 1st team gets home
to-day and I would be there with them if Callahan was a real manager
who knowed something about manageing because if I am going to open the
season I should ought to have 1 day of rest at home so I would have all
my strenth to open the season. The Cleveland Club will be there to open
against us and Callahan must know that I have got them licked any time
I start against them.
As soon as my name is announced to pitch the Cleveland Club is licked
or any other club when I am right and they don't kick the game away
behind me.
Gleason told me on the train last night that I was going to pitch here
to-day but I bet by this time he has got orders from Callahan to let me
rest and to not give me no more work because suppose even if I did not
start the game to-morrow I probily will have to finish it.
Gleason has been sticking round me like as if I had a million bucks or
something. I can't even sit down and smoke a cigar but what he is there
to knock the ashes off of it. He is O.K. and good-hearted if he is a
little rough and keeps hitting me in the stumach but I wish he would
leave me alone sometimes espesially at meals. He was in to breakfast
with me this A.M. and after I got threw I snuck off down the street and
got something to eat. That is not right because it costs me money when
I have to go away from the hotel and eat and what right has he got to
try and help me order my meals? Because he don't know what I want and
what my stumach wants.
My stumach don't want to have him punching it all the time but he keeps
on doing it. So that shows he don't know what is good for me. But is a
old man Al otherwise I would not stand for the stuff he pulls. The 1st
thing I am going to do when we get to Chi is I am going to a resturunt
somewheres and get a good meal where Gleason or no one else can't get
at me. I know allready what I am going to eat and that is a big stake
and a apple pie and that is not all.
Well Al watch the papers and you will see what I done to that Cleveland
Club and I hope Lajoie and Jackson is both in good shape because I
don't want to pick on no cripples.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, April 16._
OLD PAL: Yesterday was the 1st pay day old pal and I know I promised to
pay you what I owe you and it is $75.00 because when I asked you for
$35.00 before I went West you only sent me $25.00 which makes the hole
sum $75.00. Well Al I can't pay you now because the pay we drawed was
only for 4 days and did not amount to nothing and I had to buy a meal
ticket and fix up about my room rent.
And then they is another thing Al which I will tell you about. I come
into the clubhouse the day the season opened and the 1st guy I seen was
Allen. I was going up to bust him but he come up and held his hand out
and what was they for me to do but shake hands with him if he is going
to be yellow like that? He says Well Jack I am glad they did not send
you to Milwaukee and I bet you will have a big year. I says Yes I will
have a big year O.K. if you don't sick another 1 of your sister-in-laws
on to me. He says Oh don't let they be no hard feelings about that.
You know it was not no fault of mine and I bet if you was to write to
Florrie everything could be fixed up O.K.
I says I don't want to write to no Florrie but I will get a attorney at
law to write to her. He says You don't even know where she is at and I
says I don't care where she is at. Where is she? He says She is down to
her home in Waco, Texas, and if I was you I would write to her myself
and not let no attorney at law write to her because that would get her
mad and besides what do you want a attorney at law to write to her
about? I says I am going to sew her for a bill of divorce.
Then he says On what grounds? and I says Dessertion. He says You better
not do no such thing or she will sew you for a bill of divorce for none
support and then you will look like a cheap guy. I says I don't care
what I look like. So you see Al I had to send Florrie $10.00 or maybe
she would be mean enough to sew me for a bill of divorce on the ground
of none support and that would make me look bad.
Well Al, Allen told me his wife wanted to talk to me and try and fix
things up between I and Florrie but I give him to understand that I
would not stand for no meeting with his wife and he says Well suit
yourself about that but they is no reason you and I should quarrel.
You see Al he don't want no mix-up with me because he knows he could
not get nothing but the worst of it. I will be friends with him but I
won't have nothing to do with Marie because if it had not of been for
she and Florrie I would have money in the bank besides not being in no
danger of getting sewed for none support.
I guess you must of read about Joe Benz getting married and I guess
he must of got a good wife and 1 that don't bother him all the time
because he pitched the opening game and shut Cleveland out with 2
hits. He was pretty good Al, better than I ever seen him and they was a
couple of times when his fast ball was pretty near as fast as mine.
I have not worked yet Al and I asked Callahan to-day what was the
matter and he says I was waiting for you to get in shape. I says I am
in shape now and I notice that when I was pitching in practice this
A.M. they did not hit nothing out of the infield. He says That was
because you are so spread out that they could not get nothing past you.
He says The way you are now you cover more ground than the grand stand.
I says Is that so? And he walked away.
We go out on a trip to Cleveland and Detroit and St. Louis in a few
days and maybe I will take my regular turn then because the other
pitchers has been getting away lucky because most of the hitters has
not got their batting eye as yet but wait till they begin hitting and
then it will take a man like I to stop them.
The 1st of May is our next pay day Al and then I will have enough money
so as I can send you the $75.00.
Your pal, JACK.
_Detroit, Michigan, April 28._
FRIEND AL: What do you think of a rotten manager that bawls me out and
fines me $50.00 for loosing a 1 to 0 game in 10 innings when it was my
1st start this season? And no wonder I was a little wild in the 10th
when I had not had no chance to work and get control. I got a good
notion to quit this rotten club and jump to the Federals where a man
gets some kind of treatment. Callahan says I throwed the game away on
purpose but I did not do no such a thing Al because when I throwed that
ball at Joe Hill's head I forgot that the bases was full and besides
if Gleason had not of starved me to death the ball that hit him in the
head would of killed him.
And how could a man go to 1st base and the winning run be forced in
if he was dead which he should ought to of been the lucky left handed
stiff if I had of had my full strenth to put on my fast one instead
of being 1/2 starved to death and weak. But I guess I better tell you
how it come off. The papers will get it all wrong like they generally
allways does.
Callahan asked me this A.M. if I thought I was hard enough to work
and I was tickled to death, because I seen he was going to give me a
chance. I told him Sure I was in good shape and if them Tigers scored
a run off me he could keep me setting on the bench the rest of the
summer. So he says All right I am going to start you and if you go good
maybe Gleason will let you eat some supper.
Well Al when I begin warming up I happened to look up in the grand
stand and who do you think I seen? Nobody but Violet. She smiled when
she seen me but I bet she felt more like crying. Well I smiled back
at her because she probily would of broke down and made a seen or
something if I had not of. They was not nobody warming up for Detroit
when I begin warming up but pretty soon I looked over to their bench
and Joe Hill Violet's husband was warming up. I says to myself Well
here is where I show that bird up if they got nerve enough to start him
against me but probily Jennings don't want to waste no real pitcher on
this game which he knows we got cinched and we would of had it cinched
Al if they had of got a couple of runs or even 1 run for me.
Well, Jennings come passed our bench just like he allways does and
tried to pull some of his funny stuff. He says Hello are you still
in the league? I says Yes but I come pretty near not being. I came
pretty near being with Detroit. I wish you could of heard Gleason and
Callahan laugh when I pulled that one on him. He says something back
but it was not no hot comeback like mine.
Well Al if I had of had any work and my regular control I guess I would
of pitched a 0 hit game because the only time they could touch me was
when I had to ease up to get them over. Cobb was out of the game and
they told me he was sick but I guess the truth is that he knowed I was
going to pitch. Crawford got a couple of lucky scratch hits off of me
because I got in the hole to him and had to let up. But the way that
lucky left handed Hill got by was something awful and if I was as lucky
as him I would quit pitching and shoot craps or something.
Our club can't hit nothing anyway. But batting against this bird was
just like hitting fungos. His curve ball broke about 1/2 a inch and
you could of wrote your name and address on his fast one while it was
comeing up there. He had good control but who would not when they put
nothing on the ball?
Well Al we could not get started against the lucky stiff and they
could not do nothing with me even if my suport was rotten and I give a
couple or 3 or 4 bases on balls but when they was men waiting to score
I zipped them threw there so as they could not see them let alone hit
them. Every time I come to the bench between innings I looked up to
where Violet was setting and give her a smile and she smiled back and
once I seen her clapping her hands at me after I had made Moriarty pop
up in the pinch.
Well we come along to the 10th inning, 0 and 0, and all of a sudden we
got after him. Bodie hits one and Schalk gets 2 strikes and 2 balls and
then singles. Callahan tells Alcock to bunt and he does it but Hill
sprawls all over himself like the big boob he is and the bases is full
with nobody down. Well Gleason and Callahan argude about should they
send somebody up for me or let me go up there and I says Let me go up
there because I can murder this bird and Callahan says Well they is
nobody out so go up and take a wallop.
Honest Al if this guy had of had anything at all I would of hit 1 out
of the park, but he did not have even a glove. And how can a man hit
pitching which is not no pitching at all but just slopping them up?
When I went up there I hollered to him and says Stick 1 over here now
you yellow stiff. And he says Yes I can stick them over allright and
that is where I got something on you.
Well Al I hit a foul off of him that would of been a fare ball and
broke up the game if the wind had not of been against it. Then I swung
and missed a curve that I don't see how I missed it. The next 1 was a
yard outside and this Evans calls it a strike. He has had it in for
me ever since last year when he tried to get funny with me and I says
something back to him that stung him. So he calls this 3d strike on me
and I felt like murdering him. But what is the use?
I throwed down my bat and come back to the bench and I was glad
Callahan and Gleason was out on the coaching line or they probily would
of said something to me and I would of cut loose and beat them up. Well
Al Weaver and Blackburne looked like a couple of rums up there and
we don't score where we ought to of had 3 or 4 runs with any kind of
hitting.
I would of been all O.K. in spite of that peace of rotten luck if this
big Hill had of walked to the bench and not said nothing like a real
pitcher. But what does he do but wait out there till I start for the
box and I says Get on to the bench you lucky stiff or do you want me
to hand you something? He says I don't want nothing more of yourn. I
allready got your girl and your goat.
Well Al what do you think of a man that would say a thing like that?
And nobody but a left hander could of. If I had of had a gun I would
of killed him deader than a doornail or something. He starts for the
bench and I hollered at him Wait till you get up to that plate and then
I am going to bean you.
Honest Al I was so mad I could not see the plate or nothing. I don't
even know who it was come up to bat 1st but whoever it was I hit him
in the arm and he walks to first base. The next guy bunts and Chase
tries to pull off 1 of them plays of hisn instead of playing safe and
he don't get nobody. Well I kept getting madder and madder and I walks
Stanage who if I had of been myself would not foul me.
Callahan has Scotty warming up and Gleason runs out from the bench and
tells me I am threw but Callahan says Wait a minute he is going to let
Hill hit and this big stiff ought to be able to get him out of the way
and that will give Scotty a chance to get warm. Gleason says You better
not take a chance because the big busher is hogwild, and they kept
argueing till I got sick of listening to them and I went back to the
box and got ready to pitch. But when I seen this Hill up there I forgot
all about the ball game and I cut loose at his bean.
Well Al my control was all O.K. this time and I catched him square on
the fourhead and he dropped like as if he had been shot. But pretty
soon he gets up and gives me the laugh and runs to first base. I did
not know the game was over till Weaver come up and pulled me off the
field. But if I had not of been 1/2 starved to death and weak so as
I could not put all my stuff on the ball you can bet that Hill never
would of ran to first base and Violet would of been a widow and probily
a lot better off than she is now. At that I never should ought to of
tried to kill a lefthander by hitting him in the head.
Well Al they jumped all over me in the clubhouse and I had to hold
myself back or I would of gave somebody the beating of their life.
Callahan tells me I am fined $50.00 and suspended without no pay. I
asked him What for and he says They would not be no use in telling
you because you have not got no brains. I says Yes I have to got some
brains and he says Yes but they is in your stumach. And then he says I
wish we had of sent you to Milwaukee and I come back at him. I says I
wish you had of.
Well Al I guess they is no chance of getting square treatment on this
club and you won't be supprised if you hear of me jumping to the
Federals where a man is treated like a man and not like no white slave.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, May 2._
AL: I have got to disappoint you again Al. When I got up to get my
pay yesterday they held out $150.00 on me. $50.00 of it is what I was
fined for loosing a 1 to 0 10-inning game in Detroit when I was so weak
that I should ought never to of been sent in there and the $100.00 is
the advance money that I drawed last winter and which I had forgot all
about and the club would of forgot about it to if they was not so tight
fisted.
So you see all I get for 2 weeks' pay is about $80.00 and I sent $25.00
to Florrie so she can't come no none support business on me.
I am still suspended Al and not drawing no pay now and I got a notion
to hire a attorney at law and force them to pay my salery or else jump
to the Federals where a man gets good treatment.
Allen is still after me to come over to his flat some night and see his
wife and let her talk to me about Florrie but what do I want to talk
about Florrie for or talk about nothing to a nut left hander's wife?
The Detroit Club is here and Cobb is playing because he knows I am
suspended but I wish Callahan would call it off and let me work against
them and I would certainly love to work against this Joe Hill again and
I bet they would be a different story this time because I been getting
something to eat since we been home and I got back most of my strenth.
Your old pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, May 5._
FRIEND AL: Well Al if you been reading the papers you will know before
this letter is received what I done. Before the Detroit Club come here
Joe Hill had win 4 strate but he has not win no 5 strate or won't
neither Al because I put a crimp in his winning streek just like I
knowed I would do if I got a chance when I was feeling good and had all
my strenth. Callahan asked me yesterday A.M. if I thought I had enough
rest and I says Sure because I did not need no rest in the 1st place.
Well, he says, I thought maybe if I layed you off a few days you would
do some thinking and if you done some thinking once in a while you
would be a better pitcher.
Well anyway I worked and I wish you could of saw them Tigers trying to
hit me Cobb and Crawford incluseive. The 1st time Cobb come up Weaver
catched a lucky line drive off of him and the next time I eased up a
little and Collins run back and took a fly ball off of the fence. But
the other times he come up he looked like a sucker except when he come
up in the 8th and then he beat out a bunt but allmost anybody is liable
to do that once in a while.
Crawford got a scratch hit between Chase and Blackburne in the 2d
inning and in the 4th he was gave a three-base hit by this Evans who
should ought to be writeing for the papers instead of trying to umpire.
The ball was 2 feet foul and I bet Crawford will tell you the same
thing if you ask him. But what I done to this Hill was awful. I give
him my curve twice when he was up there in the 3d and he missed it a
foot. Then I come with my fast ball right past his nose and I bet if he
had not of ducked it would of drove that big horn of hisn clear up in
the press box where them rotten reporters sits and smokes their hops.
Then when he was looking for another fast one I slopped up my slow one
and he is still swinging at it yet.
But the best of it was that I practally won my own game. Bodie and
Schalk was on when I come up in the 5th and Hill hollers to me and
says I guess this is where I shoot one of them bean balls. I says Go
ahead and shoot and if you hit me in the head and I ever find it out I
will write and tell your wife what happened to you. You see what I was
getting at Al. I was insinuateing that if he beaned me with his fast
one I would not never know nothing about it if somebody did not tell
me because his fast one is not fast enough to hurt nobody even if it
should hit them in the head. So I says to him Go ahead and shoot and
if you hit me in the head and I ever find it out I will write and tell
your wife what happened to you. See, Al?
Of coarse you could not hire me to write to Violet but I did not mean
that part of it in ernest. Well sure enough he shot at my bean and I
ducked out of the way though if it had of hit me it could not of did
no more than tickle. He takes 2 more shots and misses me and then
Jennings hollers from the bench What are you doing pitching or trying
to win a cigar? So then Hill sees what a monkey he is makeing out of
himself and tries to get one over, but I have him 3 balls and nothing
and what I done to that groover was a plenty. She went over Bush's head
like a bullet and got between Cobb and Veach and goes clear to the
fence. Bodie and Schalk scores and I would of scored to if anybody else
besides Cobb had of been chaseing the ball. I got 2 bases and Weaver
scores me with another wallop.
Say, I wish I could of heard what they said to that baby on the bench.
Callahan was tickled to death and he says Maybe I will give you back
that $50.00 if you keep that stuff up. I guess I will get that $50.00
back next pay day and if I do Al I will pay you the hole $75.00.
Well Al I beat them 5 to 4 and with good support I would of held them
to 1 run but what do I care as long as I beat them? I wish though that
Violet could of been there and saw it.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, May 29._
OLD PAL: Well Al I have not wrote to you for a long while but it is
not because I have forgot you and to show I have not forgot you I am
incloseing the $75.00 which I owe you. It is a money order Al and you
can get it cashed by takeing it to Joe Higgins at the P.O.
Since I wrote to you Al I been East with the club and I guess you know
what I done in the East. The Athaletics did not have no right to win
that 1 game off of me and I will get them when they come here the week
after next. I beat Boston and just as good as beat New York twice
because I beat them 1 game all alone and then saved the other for Eddie
Cicotte in the 9th inning and shut out the Washington Club and would of
did the same thing if Johnson had of been working against me instead of
this left handed stiff Boehling.
Speaking of left handers Allen has been going rotten and I would not be
supprised if they sent him to Milwaukee or Frisco or somewheres.
But I got bigger news than that for you Al. Florrie is back and we are
liveing together in the spair room at Allen's flat so I hope they don't
send him to Milwaukee or nowheres else because it is not costing us
nothing for room rent and this is no more than right after the way the
Allens grafted off of us all last winter.
I bet you will be supprised to know that I and Florrie has made it up
and they is a secret about it Al which I can't tell you now but maybe
next month I will tell you and then you will be more supprised than
ever. It is about I and Florrie and somebody else. But that is all I
can tell you now.
We got in this A.M. Al and when I got to my room they was a slip of
paper there telling me to call up a phone number so I called it up and
it was Allen's flat and Marie answered the phone. And when I reckonized
her voice I was going to hang up the phone but she says Wait a minute
somebody wants to talk with you. And then Florrie come to the phone and
I was going to hang up the phone again when she pulled this secret on
me that I was telling you about.
So it is all fixed up between us Al and I wish I could tell you the
secret but that will come later. I have tooken my baggage over to
Allen's and I am there now writeing to you while Florrie is asleep.
And after a while I am going out and mail this letter and get a glass
of beer because I think I have got 1 comeing now on account of this
secret. Florrie says she is sorry for the way she treated me and she
cried when she seen me. So what is the use of me being nasty Al? And
let bygones be bygones.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, June 16._
FRIEND AL: Al I beat the Athaletics 2 to 1 to-day but I am writeing to
you to give you the supprise of your life. Old pal I got a baby and he
is a boy and we are going to name him Allen which Florrie thinks is
after his uncle and aunt Allen but which is after you old pal. And she
can call him Allen but I will call him Al because I don't never go back
on my old pals. The baby was born over to the hospital and it is going
to cost me a bunch of money but I should not worry. This is the secret
I was going to tell you Al and I am the happyest man in the world and I
bet you are most as tickled to death to hear about it as I am.
The baby was born just about the time I was makeing McInnis look like
a sucker in the pinch but they did not tell me nothing about it till
after the game and then they give me a phone messige in the clubhouse.
I went right over there and everything was all O.K. Little Al is a
homely little skate but I guess all babys is homely and don't have no
looks till they get older and maybe he will look like Florrie or I then
I won't have no kick comeing.
Be sure and tell Bertha the good news and tell her everything has came
out all right except that the rent man is still after me about that
flat I had last winter. And I am still paying the old man $10.00 a
month for that house you got for me and which has not never done me no
good. But I should not worry about money when I got a real family. Do
you get that Al, a real family?
Well Al I am to happy to do no more writeing to-night but I wanted you
to be the 1st to get the news and I would of sent you a telegram only I
did not want to scare you.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, July 2._
OLD PAL: Well old pal I just come back from St. Louis this A.M. and
found things in pretty fare shape. Florrie and the baby is out to
Allen's and we will stay there till I can find another place. The Dr.
was out to look at the baby this A.M. and the baby was waveing his
arm round in the air. And Florrie asked was they something the matter
with him that he kept waveing his arm. And the Dr. says No he was just
getting his exercise.
Well Al I noticed that he never waved his right arm but kept waveing
his left arm and I asked the Dr. why was that. Then the Dr. says I
guess he must be left handed. That made me sore and I says I guess you
doctors don't know it all. And then I turned round and beat it out of
the room.
Well Al it would be just my luck to have him left handed and Florrie
should ought to of knew better than to name him after Allen. I am
going to hire another Dr. and see what he has to say because they must
be some way of fixing babys so as they won't be left handed. And if
nessary I will cut his left arm off of him. Of coarse I would not do
that Al. But how would I feel if a boy of mine turned out like Allen
and Joe Hill and some of them other nuts?
We have a game with St. Louis to-morrow and a double header on the 4th
of July. I guess probily Callahan will work me in one of the 4th of
July games on account of the holiday crowd.
Your pal, JACK.
P.S. Maybe I should ought to leave the kid left handed so as he can
have some of their luck. The lucky stiffs.
CHAPTER V
THE BUSHER'S KID
_Chicago, Illinois, July 31._
FRIEND AL: Well Al what do you think of little Al now? But I guess I
better tell you first what he done. Maybe you won't believe what I am
telling you but did you ever catch me telling you a lie? I guess you
know you did not Al. Well we got back from the East this A.M. and I
don't have to tell you we had a rotten trip and if it had not of been
for me beating Boston once and the Athaletics two times we would of
been ashamed to come home.
I guess these here other pitchers thought we was haveing a vacation and
when they go up in the office to-morrow to get there checks they should
ought to be arrested if they take them. I would not go nowheres near
Comiskey if I had not of did better than them others but I can go and
get my pay and feel all O.K. about it because I done something to ern
it.
Me loseing that game in Washington was a crime and Callahan says so
himself. This here Weaver throwed it away for me and I would not be
surprised if he done it from spitework because him and Scott is pals
and probily he did not want to see me winning all them games when Scott
was getting knocked out of the box. And no wonder when he has not got
no stuff. I wish I knowed for sure that Weaver was throwing me down and
if I knowed for sure I would put him in a hospital or somewheres.
But I was going to tell you what the kid done Al. So here goes. We are
still liveing at Allen's and his wife. So I and him come home together
from the train. Well Florrie and Marie was both up and the baby was up
too--that is he was not up but he was woke up. I beat it right into the
room where he was at and Florrie come in with me. I says Hello Al and
what do you suppose he done. Well Al he did not say Hello pa or nothing
like that because he is not only one month old. But he smiled at me
just like as if he was glad to see me and I guess maybe he was at that.
I was tickled to death and I says to Florrie Did you see that. And she
says See what. I says The baby smiled at me. Then she says They is
something the matter with his stumach. I says I suppose because a baby
smiles that is a sign they is something the matter with his stumach
and if he had the toothacke he would laugh. She says You think your
smart but I am telling you that he was not smileing at all but he was
makeing a face because they is something the matter with his stumach. I
says I guess I know the difference if somebody is smileing or makeing a
face. And she says I guess you don't know nothing about babys because
you never had none before. I says How many have you had. And then she
got sore and beat it out of the room.
I did not care because I wanted to be in there alone with him and see
would he smile at me again. And sure enough Al he did. Then I called
Allen in and when the baby seen him he begin to cry. So you see I was
right and Florrie was wrong. It don't take a man no time at all to get
wise to these babys and it don't take them long to know if a man is
there father or there uncle.
When he begin to cry I chased Allen out of the room and called Florrie
because she should ought to know by this time how to make him stop
crying. But she was still sore and she says Let him cry or if you know
so much about babys make him stop yourself. I says Maybe he is sick.
And she says I was just telling you that he had a pane in his stumach
or he would not of made that face that you said was smileing at you.
I says Do you think we should ought to call the doctor but she says No
if you call the doctor every time he has the stumach acke you might
just as well tell him he should bring his trunk along and stay here.
She says All babys have collect and they is not no use fusing about it
but come and get your breakfast.
Well Al I did not injoy my breakfast because the baby was crying all
the time and I knowed he probily wanted I should come in and visit with
him. So I just eat the prunes and drunk a little coffee and did not
wait for the rest of it and sure enough when I went back in our room
and started talking to him he started smileing again and pretty soon he
went to sleep so you see Al he was smileing and not makeing no face and
that was a hole lot of bunk about him haveing the collect. But I don't
suppose I should ought to find fault with Florrie for not knowing no
better because she has not never had no babys before but still and all
I should think she should ought to of learned something about them by
this time or ask somebody.
Well Al little Al is woke up again and is crying and I just about got
time to fix him up and get him asleep again and then I will have to go
to the ball park because we got a poseponed game to play with Detroit
and Callahan will probily want me to work though I pitched the next
to the last game in New York and would of gave them a good beating
except for Schalk dropping that ball at the plate but I got it on these
Detroit babys and when my name is announced to pitch they feel like
forfiting the game. I won't try for no strike out record because I want
them to hit the first ball and get the game over with quick so as I can
get back here and take care of little Al.
Your pal, JACK.
P.S. Babys is great stuff Al and if I was you I would not wait no
longer but would hurry up and adopt 1 somewheres.
_Chicago, Illinois, August 15._
OLD PAL: What do you think Al. Kid Gleason is comeing over to the flat
and look at the baby the day after to-morrow when we don't have no game
skeduled but we have to practice in the A.M. because we been going so
rotten. I had a hard time makeing him promise to come but he is comeing
and I bet he will be glad he come when he has came. I says to him in
the clubhouse Do you want to see a real baby? And he says You're real
enough for me Boy.
I says No I am talking about babys. He says Oh I thought you was
talking about ice cream soda or something. I says No I want you to come
over to the flat to-morrow and take a look at my kid and tell me what
you think of him. He says I can tell you what I think of him without
takeing no look at him. I think he is out of luck. I says What do you
mean out of luck. But he just laughed and would not say no more.
I asked him again would he come over to the flat and look at the baby
and he says he had troubles enough without that and kidded along for
a while but finally he seen I was in ernest and then he says he would
come if I would keep the missus out of the room while he was there
because he says if she seen him she would probily be sorry she married
me.
He was just jokeing and I did not take no excepshun to his remarks
because Florrie could not never fall for him after seeing me because he
is not no big stropping man like I am but a little runt and look at how
old he is. But I am glad he is comeing because he will think more of me
when he sees what a fine baby I got though he thinks a hole lot of me
now because look what I done for the club and where would they be at
if I had jumped to the Federal like I once thought I would. I will tell
you what he says about little Al and I bet he will say he never seen no
prettyer baby but even if he don't say nothing at all I will know he is
kidding.
The Boston Club comes here to-morrow and plays 4 days includeing the
day after to-morrow when they is not no game. So on account of the off
day maybe I will work twice against them and if I do they will wish the
grounds had of burned down.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, August 17._
AL: Well old pal what did I tell you about what I would do to that
Boston Club? And now Al I have beat every club in the league this year
because yesterday was the first time I beat the Boston Club this year
but now I have beat all of them and most of them severel times.
This should ought to of gave me a record of 16 wins and 0 defeats
because the only games I lost was throwed away behind me but instead of
that my record is 10 games win and 6 defeats and that don't include the
games I finished up and helped the other boys win which is about 6 more
alltogether but what do I care about my record Al? because I am not
the kind of man that is allways thinking about there record and playing
for there record while I am satisfied if I give the club the best I got
and if I win all O.K. And if I lose who's fault is it. Not mine Al.
I asked Callahan would he let me work against the Boston Club again
before they go away and he says I guess I will have to because you
are going better than anybody else on the club. So you see Al he is
beginning to appresiate my work and from now on I will pitch in my
regular turn and a hole lot offtener then that and probily Comiskey
will see the stuff I am made from and will raise my salery next year
even if he has got me signed for 3 years and for the same salery I am
getting now.
But all that is not what I was going to tell you Al and what I was
going to tell you was about Gleason comeing to see the baby and what he
thought about him. I sent Florrie and Marie downtown and says I would
take care of little Al and they was glad to go because Florrie says she
should ought to buy some new shoes though I don't see what she wants
of no new shoes when she is going to be tied up in the flat for a long
time yet on account of the baby and nobody cares if she wears shoes in
the flat or goes round in her bear feet. But I was glad to get rid of
the both of them for a while because little Al acts better when they is
not no women round and you can't blame him.
The baby was woke up when Gleason come in and I and him went right in
the room where he was laying. Gleason takes a look at him and says Well
that is a mighty fine baby and you must of boughten him. I says What do
you mean? And he says I don't believe he is your own baby because he
looks humaner than most babys. And I says Why should not he look human.
And he says Why should he.
Then he goes to work and picks the baby right up and I was a-scared he
would drop him because even I have not never picked him up though I am
his father and would be a-scared of hurting him. I says Here, don't
pick him up and he says Why not? He says Are you going to leave him on
that there bed the rest of his life? I says No but you don't know how
to handle him. He says I have handled a hole lot bigger babys than him
or else Callahan would not keep me.
Then he starts patting the baby's head and I says Here, don't do that
because he has got a soft spot in his head and you might hit it. He
says I thought he was your baby and I says Well he is my baby and he
says Well then they can't be no soft spot in his head. Then he lays
little Al down because he seen I was in ernest and as soon as he lays
him down the baby begins to cry. Then Gleason says See he don't want me
to lay him down and I says Maybe he has got a pane in his stumach and
he says I would not be supprised because he just took a good look at
his father.
But little Al did not act like as if he had a pane in his stumach and
he kept sticking his finger in his mouth and crying. And Gleason says
He acts like as if he had a toothacke. I says How could he have a
toothacke when he has not got no teeth? He says That is easy. I have
saw a lot of pitchers complane that there arm was sore when they did
not have no arm.
Then he asked me what was the baby's name and I told him Allen but that
he was not named after my brother-in-law Allen. And Gleason says I
should hope not. I should hope you would have better sense then to name
him after a left hander. So you see Al he don't like them no better
then I do even if he does jolly Allen and Russell along and make them
think they can pitch.
Pretty soon he says What are you going to make out of him, a ball
player? I says Yes I am going to make a hitter out of him so as he can
join the White Sox and then maybe they will get a couple of runs once
in a while. He says If I was you I would let him pitch and then you
won't have to give him no educasion. Besides, he says, he looks now
like he would divellop into a grate spitter.
Well I happened to look out of the window and seen Florrie and Marie
comeing acrost Indiana Avenue and I told Gleason about it. And you
ought to of seen him run. I asked him what was his hurry and he says it
was in his contract that he was not to talk to no women but I knowed
he was kidding because I allready seen him talking to severel of the
players' wifes when they was on trips with us and they acted like as
if they thought he was a regular comeedion though they really is not
nothing funny about what he says only it is easy to make women laugh
when they have not got no grouch on about something.
Well Al I am glad Gleason has saw the baby and maybe he will fix it
with Callahan so as I won't have to go to morning practice every A.M.
because I should ought to be home takeing care of little Al when
Florrie is washing the dishs or helping Marie round the house. And
besides why should I wear myself all out in practice because I don't
need to practice pitching and I could hit as well as the rest of the
men on our club if I never seen no practice.
After we get threw with Boston, Washington comes here and then we go to
St. Louis and Cleveland and then come home and then go East again. And
after that we are pretty near threw except the city serious. Callahan
is not going to work me no more after I beat Boston again till it is
this here Johnson's turn to pitch for Washington. And I hope it is not
his turn to work the 1st game of the serious because then I would not
have no rest between the last game against Boston and the 1st game
against Washington.
But rest or no rest I will work against this here Johnson and show him
up for giveing me that trimming in Washington, the lucky stiff. I wish
I had a team like the Athaletics behind me and I would loose about 1
game every 6 years and then they would have to get all the best of it
from these rotten umpires.
Your pal, JACK.
_New York, New York, September 16._
FRIEND AL: Al it is not no fun running round the country no more and I
wish this dam trip was over so as I could go home and see how little
Al is getting along because Florrie has not wrote since we was in
Philly which was the first stop on this trip. I am a-scared they is
something the matter with the little fellow or else she would of wrote
but then if they was something the matter with him she would of sent me
a telegram or something and let me know.
So I guess they can't be nothing the matter with him. Still and all
I don't see why she has not wrote when she knows or should ought to
know that I would be worrying about the baby. If I don't get no letter
to-morrow I am going to send her a telegram and ask her what is the
matter with him because I am positive she would of wrote if they was
not something the matter with him.
The boys has been trying to get me to go out nights and see a show
or something but I have not got no heart to go to shows. And besides
Callahan has not gave us no pass to no show on this trip. I guess
probily he is sore on account of the rotten way the club has been going
but still he should ought not to be sore on me because I have win 3 out
of my last 4 games and would of win the other if he had not of started
me against them with only 1 day's rest and the Athaletics at that, who
a man should ought not to pitch against if he don't feel good.
I asked Allen if he had heard from Marie and he says Yes he did but
she did not say nothing about little Al except that he was keeping
her awake nights balling. So maybe Al if little Al is balling they
is something wrong with him. I am going to send Florrie a telegram
to-morrow--that is if I don't get no letter.
If they is something the matter with him I will ask Callahan to send
me home and he won't want to do it neither because who else has he got
that is a regular winner. But if little Al is sick and Callahan won't
let me go home I will go home anyway. You know me Al.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Boston, Massachusetts, September 24._
AL: I bet if Florrie was a man she would be a left hander. What do
you think she done now Al? I sent her a telegram from New York when I
did not get no letter from her and she did not pay no atension to the
telegram. Then when we got up here I sent her another telegram and it
was not more then five minutes after I sent the 2d telegram till I got
a letter from her. And it said the baby was all O.K. but she had been
so busy takeing care of him that she had not had no time to write.
Well when I got the letter I chased out to see if I could catch the boy
who had took my telegram but he had went allready so I was spending
$.60 for nothing. Then what does Florrie do but send me a telegram
after she got my second telegram and tell me that little Al is all
O.K., which I knowed all about then because I had just got her letter.
And she sent her telegram c. o. d. and I had to pay for it at this end
because she had not paid for it and that was $.60 more but I bet if I
had of knew what was in the telegram before I read it I would of told
the boy to keep it and would not of gave him no $.60 but how did I
know if little Al might not of tooken sick after Florrie had wrote the
letter?
I am going to write and ask her if she is trying to send us both to
the Poor House or somewheres with her telegrams. I don't care nothing
about the $.60 but I like to see a woman use a little judgement though
I guess that is impossable.
It is my turn to work to-day and to-night we start West but we have
got to stop off at Cleveland on the way. I have got a nosion to ask
Callahan to let me go right on threw to Chi if I win to-day and not
stop off at no Cleveland but I guess they would not be no use because
I have got that Cleveland Club licked the minute I put on my glove.
So probily Callahan will want me with him though it don't make no
difference if we win or lose now because we have not got no chance for
the pennant. One man can't win no pennant Al I don't care who he is.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 2._
FRIEND AL: Well old pal I am all threw till the city serious and it is
all fixed up that I am going to open the serious and pitch 3 of the
games if nessary. The club has went to Detroit to wind up the season
and Callahan did not take me along but left me here with a couple other
pitchers and Billy Sullivan and told me all as I would have to do was
go over to the park the next 3 days and warm up a little so as to keep
in shape. But I don't need to be in no shape to beat them Cubs Al. But
it is a good thing Al that Allen was tooken on the trip to Detroit or I
guess I would of killed him. He has not been going good and he has been
acting and talking nasty to everybody because he can't win no games.
Well the 1st night we was home after the trip little Al was haveing
a bad night and was balling pretty hard and they could not nobody in
the flat get no sleep. Florrie says he was haveing the collect and
I says Why should he have the collect all the time when he did not
drink nothing but milk? She says she guessed the milk did not agree
with him and upsetted his stumach. I says Well he must take after his
mother if his stumach gets upsetted every time he takes a drink because
if he took after his father he could drink a hole lot and not never
be effected. She says You should ought to remember he has only got a
little stumach and not a great big resservoire. I says Well if the milk
don't agree with him why don't you give him something else? She says
Yes I suppose I should ought to give him weeny worst or something.
Allen must of heard us talking because he hollered something and I did
not hear what it was so I told him to say it over and he says Give the
little X-eyed brat poison and we would all be better off. I says You
better take poison yourself because maybe a rotten pitcher like you
could get by in the league where you're going when you die. Then I says
Besides I would rather my baby was X-eyed then to have him left handed.
He says It is better for him that he is X-eyed or else he might get a
good look at you and then he would shoot himself. I says Is that so?
and he shut up. Little Al is not no more X-eyed than you or I are Al
and that was what made me sore because what right did Allen have to
talk like that when he knowed he was lying?
Well the next morning Allen nor I did not speak to each other and I
seen he was sorry for the way he had talked and I was willing to fix
things up because what is the use of staying sore at a man that don't
know no better.
But all of a sudden he says When are you going to pay me what you owe
me? I says What do you mean? And he says You been liveing here all
summer and I been paying all the bills. I says Did not you and Marie
ask us to come here and stay with you and it would not cost us nothing.
He says Yes but we did not mean it was a life sentence. You are getting
more money than me and you don't never spend a nichol. All I have to
do is pay the rent and buy your food and it would take a millionare or
something to feed you.
Then he says I would not make no holler about you grafting off of me
if that brat would shut up nights and give somebody a chance to sleep.
I says You should ought to get all the sleep you need on the bench.
Besides, I says, who done the grafting all last winter and without no
invatation? If he had of said another word I was going to bust him but
just then Marie come in and he shut up.
The more I thought about what he said and him a rotten left hander that
should ought to be hussling freiht the more madder I got and if he had
of opened his head to me the last day or 2 before he went to Detroit I
guess I would of finished him. But Marie stuck pretty close to the both
of us when we was together and I guess she knowed they was something in
the air and did not want to see her husband get the worst of it though
if he was my husband and I was a woman I would push him under a st. car.
But Al I won't even stand for him saying that I am grafting off of him
and I and Florrie will get away from here and get a flat of our own as
soon as the city serious is over. I would like to bring her and the kid
down to Bedford for the winter but she wont listen to that.
I allmost forgot Al to tell you to be sure and thank Bertha for the
little dress she made for little Al. I don't know if it will fit him or
not because Florrie has not yet tried it on him yet and she says she is
going to use it for a dishrag but I guess she is just kidding.
I suppose you seen where Callahan took me out of that game down to
Cleveland but it was not because I was not going good Al but it was
because Callahan seen he was makeing a mistake wasteing me on that
bunch who allmost any pitcher could beat. They beat us that game at
that but only by one run and it was not no fault of mine because I was
tooken out before they got the run that give them the game.
Your old pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 4._
FRIEND AL: Well Al the club winds up the season at Detroit to-morrow
and the serious starts the day after to-morrow and I will be in there
giveing them a battle. I wish I did not have nobody but the Cubs to
pitch against all season and you bet I would have a record that would
make Johnson and Mathewson and some of them other swell heads look like
a dirty doose.
I and Florrie and Marie has been haveing a argument about how could
Florrie go and see the city serious games when they is not nobody here
that can take care of the baby because Marie wants to go and see the
games to even though they is not no more chance of Callahan starting
Allen than a rabbit or something.
Florrie and Marie says I should ought to hire a nurse to take care of
little Al and Florrie got pretty sore when I told her nothing doing
because in the first place I can't afford to pay no nurse a salery and
in the second place I would not trust no nurse to take care of the baby
because how do I know the nurse is not nothing but a grafter or a dope
fiend maybe and should ought not to be left with the baby?
Of coarse Florrie wants to see me pitch and a man can't blame her for
that but I won't leave my baby with no nurse Al and Florrie will have
to stay home and I will tell her what I done when I get there. I might
of gave my consent to haveing a nurse at that if it had not of been
for the baby getting so sick last night when I was takeing care of him
while Florrie and Marie and Allen was out to a show and if I had not of
been home they is no telling what would of happened. It is a cinch that
none of them bonehead nurses would of knew what to do.
Allen must of been out of his head because right after supper he says
he would take the 2 girls to a show. I says All right go on and I will
take care of the baby. Then Florrie says Do you think you can take
care of him all O.K.? And I says Have not I tooken care of him before
allready? Well, she says, I will leave him with you only don't run in
to him every time he cries. I says Why not? And she says Because it is
good for him to cry. I says You have not got no heart or you would not
talk that way.
They all give me the laugh but I let them get away with it because I
am not picking no fights with girls and why should I bust this Allen
when he don't know no better and has not got no baby himself. And I did
not want to do nothing that would stop him takeing the girls to a show
because it is time he spent a peace of money on somebody.
Well they all went out and I went in on the bed and played with the
baby. I wish you could of saw him Al because he is old enough now to
do stunts and he smiled up at me and waved his arms and legs round
and made a noise like as if he was trying to say Pa. I did not think
Florrie had gave him enough covers so I rapped him up in some more and
took a blanket off of the big bed and stuck it round him so as he could
not kick his feet out and catch cold.
I thought once or twice he was going off to sleep but all of a sudden
he begin to cry and I seen they was something wrong with him. I gave
him some hot water but that made him cry again and I thought maybe
he was to cold yet so I took another blanket off of Allen's bed and
wrapped that round him but he kept on crying and trying to kick inside
the blankets. And I seen then that he must have collect or something.
So pretty soon I went to the phone and called up our regular Dr. and
it took him pretty near a hour to get there and the baby balling all
the time. And when he come he says they was nothing the matter except
that the baby was to hot and told me to take all them blankets off of
him and then soaked me 2 dollars. I had a nosion to bust his jaw. Well
pretty soon he beat it and then little Al begin crying again and kept
getting worse and worse so finally I got a-scared and run down to the
corner where another Dr. is at and I brung him up to see what was the
matter but he said he could not see nothing the matter but he did not
charge me a cent so I thought he was not no robber like our regular
doctor even if he was just as much of a boob.
The baby did not cry none while he was there but the minute he had went
he started crying and balling again and I seen they was not no use of
fooling no longer so I looked around the house and found the medicine
the doctor left for Allen when he had a stumach acke once and I give
the baby a little of it in a spoon but I guess he did not like the
taste because he hollered like a Indian and finally I could not stand
it no longer so I called that second Dr. back again and this time he
seen that the baby was sick and asked me what I had gave it and I told
him some stumach medicine and he says I was a fool and should ought not
to of gave the baby nothing. But while he was talking the baby stopped
crying and went off to sleep so you see what I done for him was the
right thing to do and them doctors was both off of there nut.
This second Dr. soaked me 2 dollars the 2d time though he had not did
no more than when he was there the 1st time and charged me nothing but
they is all a bunch of robbers Al and I would just as leave trust a
policeman.
Right after the baby went to sleep Florrie and Marie and Allen come
home and I told Florrie what had came off but instead of giveing me
credit she says If you want to kill him why don't you take a ax? Then
Allen butts in and says Why don't you take a ball and throw it at him?
Then I got sore and I says Well if I did hit him with a ball I would
kill him while if you was to throw that fast ball of yours at him and
hit him in the head he would think the musketoes was biteing him and
brush them off. But at that, I says, you could not hit him with a ball
except you was aiming at something else.
I guess they was no comeback to that so him and Marie went to there
room. Allen should ought to know better than to try and get the best of
me by this time and I would shut up anyway if I was him after getting
sent home from Detroit with some of the rest of them when he only
worked 3 innings up there and they had to take him out or play the rest
of the game by electrick lights.
I wish you could be here for the serious Al but you would have to stay
at a hotel because we have not got no spair room and it would cost you
a hole lot of money. But you can watch the papers and you will see what
I done.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 6._
DEAR OLD PAL: Probily before you get this letter you will of saw by the
paper that we was licked in the first game and that I was tooken out
but the papers don't know what really come off so I am going to tell
you and you can see for yourself if it was my fault.
I did not never have no more stuff in my life then when I was warming
up and I seen the Cubs looking over to our bench and shakeing there
heads like they knowed they did not have no chance. O'Day was going to
start Cheney who is there best bet and had him warming up but when he
seen the smoke I had when I and Schalk was warming up he changed his
mind because what was the use of useing his best pitcher when I had all
that stuff and it was a cinch that no club in the world could score a
run off of me when I had all that stuff?
So he told a couple others to warm up to and when my name was announced
to pitch Cheney went and set on the bench and this here lefthander
Pierce was announced for them.
Well Al you will see by the paper where I sent there 1st 3 batters back
to the bench to get a drink of water and all 3 of them good hitters
Leach and Good and this here Saier that hits a hole lot of home runs
but would not never hit one off of me if I was O.K. Well we scored
a couple in our half and the boys on the bench all says Now you got
enough to win easy because they won't never score none off of you.
And they was right to because what chance did they have if this thing
that I am going to tell you about had not of happened? We goes along
seven innings and only 2 of there men had got to 1st base one of them
on a bad peg of Weaver's and the other one I walked because this blind
Evans don't know a ball from a strike. We had not did no more scoreing
off of Pierce not because he had no stuff but because our club could
not take a ball in there hands and hit it out of the infield.
Well Al I did not tell you that before I come out to the park I kissed
little Al and Florrie good by and Marie says she was going to stay home
to and keep Florrie Co. and they was not no reason for Marie to come to
the game anyway because they was not a chance in the world for Allen to
do nothing but hit fungos. Well while I was doing all this here swell
pitching and makeing them Cubs look like a lot of rummys I was thinking
about little Al and Florrie and how glad they would be when I come
home and told them what I done though of coarse little Al is not only
a little over 3 months of age and how could he appresiate what I done?
But Florrie would.
Well Al when I come in to the bench after there 1/2 of the 7th I
happened to look up to the press box to see if the reporters had gave
Schulte a hit on that one Weaver throwed away and who do you think I
seen in a box right alongside of the press box? It was Florrie and
Marie and both of them claping there hands and hollering with the rest
of the bugs.
Well old pal I was never so supprised in my life and it just took all
the heart out of me. What was they doing there and what had they did
with the baby? How did I know that little Al was not sick or maybe dead
and balling his head off and nobody round to hear him?
I tried to catch Florrie's eyes but she would not look at me. I
hollered her name and the bugs looked at me like as if I was crazy and
I was to Al. Well I seen they was not no use of standing out there
in front of the stand so I come into the bench and Allen was setting
there and I says Did you know your wife and Florrie was up there in the
stand? He says No and I says What are they doing here? And he says What
would they be doing here--mending there stockings? I felt like busting
him and I guess he seen I was mad because he got up off of the bench
and beat it down to the corner of the field where some of the others
was getting warmed up though why should they have anybody warming up
when I was going so good?
Well Al I made up my mind that ball game or no ball game I was not
going to have little Al left alone no longer and I seen they was not
no use of sending word to Florrie to go home because they was a big
crowd and it would take maybe 15 or 20 minutes for somebody to get up
to where she was at. So I says to Callahan You have got to take me
out. He says What is the matter? Is your arm gone? I says No my arm is
not gone but my baby is sick and home all alone. He says Where is your
wife? And I says She is setting up there in the stand.
Then he says How do you know your baby is sick? And I says I don't
know if he is sick or not but he is left home all alone. He says Why
don't you send your wife home? And I says I could not get word to her
in time. He says Well you have only got two innings to go and the way
your going the game will be over in 10 minutes. I says Yes and before
10 minutes is up my baby might die and are you going to take me out or
not? He says Get in there and pitch you yellow dog and if you don't I
will take your share of the serious money away from you.
By this time our part of the inning was over and I had to go out there
and pitch some more because he would not take me out and he has not got
no heart Al. Well Al how could I pitch when I kept thinking maybe the
baby was dying right now and maybe if I was home I could do something?
And instead of paying attension to what I was doing I was thinking
about little Al and looking up there to where Florrie and Marie was
setting and before I knowed what come off they had the bases full and
Callahan took me out.
Well Al I run to the clubhouse and changed my cloths and beat it for
home and I did not even hear what Callahan and Gleason says to me when
I went by them but I found out after the game that Scott went in and
finished up and they batted him pretty hard and we was licked 3 and 2.
When I got home the baby was crying but he was not all alone after all
Al because they was a little girl about 14 years of age there watching
him and Florrie had hired her to take care of him so as her and Marie
could go and see the game. But just think Al of leaveing little Al with
a girl 14 years of age that did not never have no babys of her own! And
what did she know about takeing care of him? Nothing Al.
You should ought to of heard me ball Florrie out when she got home and
I bet she cried pretty near enough to flood the basemunt. We had it hot
and heavy and the Allens butted in but I soon showed them where they
was at and made them shut there mouth.
I had a good nosion to go out and get a hole lot of drinks and was
just going to put on my hat when the doorbell rung and there was Kid
Gleason. I thought he would be sore and probily try to ball me out and
I was not going to stand for nothing but instead of balling me out he
come and shook hands with me and interduced himself to Florrie and
asked how was little Al.
Well we all set down and Gleason says the club was depending on me to
win the serious because I was in the best shape of all the pitchers.
And besides the Cubs could not never hit me when I was right and he was
telling the truth to.
So he asked me if I would stand for the club hireing a train nurse to
stay with the baby the rest of the serious so as Florrie could go and
see her husband win the serious but I says No I would not stand for
that and Florrie's place was with the baby.
So Gleason and Florrie goes out in the other room and talks a while and
I guess he was persuadeing her to stay home because pretty soon they
come back in the room and says it was all fixed up and I would not have
to worry about little Al the rest of the serious but could give the
club the best I got. Gleason just left here a little while ago and I
won't work to-morrow Al but I will work the day after and you will see
what I can do when I don't have nothing to worry me.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 8._
OLD PAL: Well old pal we got them 2 games to one now and the serious is
sure to be over in three more days because I can pitch 2 games in that
time if nessary. I shut them out to-day and they should ought not to of
had four hits but should ought to of had only 2 but Bodie don't cover
no ground and 2 fly balls that he should ought to of eat up fell safe.
But I beat them anyway and Benz beat them yesterday but why should he
not beat them when the club made 6 runs for him? All they made for me
was three but all I needed was one because they could not hit me with a
shuvvel. When I come to the bench after the 5th inning they was a note
there for me from the boy that answers the phone at the ball park and
it says that somebody just called up from the flat and says the baby
was asleep and getting along fine. So I felt good Al and I was better
then ever in the 6th.
When I got home Florrie and Marie was both there and asked me how did
the game come out because I beat Allen home and I told them all about
what I done and I bet Florrie was proud of me but I supose Marie is a
little jellus because how could she help it when Callahan is depending
on me to win the serious and her husband is wearing out the wood on the
bench? But why should she be sore when it is me that is winning the
serious for them? And if it was not for me Allen and all the rest of
them would get about $500.00 apeace instead of the winners' share which
is about $750.00 apeace.
Cicotte is going to work to-morrow and if he is lucky maybe he can get
away with the game and that will leave me to finish up the day after
to-morrow but if nessary I can go in to-morrow when they get to hitting
Cicotte and stop them and then come back the following day and beat
them again. Where would this club be at Al if I had of jumped to the
Federal?
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 11._
FRIEND AL: We done it again Al and I guess the Cubs won't never want to
play us again not so long as I am with the club. Before you get this
letter you will know what we done and who done it but probily you could
of guessed that Al without seeing no paper.
I got 2 more of them phone messiges about the baby dureing the game
and I guess that was what made me so good because I knowed then that
Florrie was takeing care of him but I could not help feeling sorry
for Florrie because she is a bug herself and it must of been pretty
hard for her to stay away from the game espesially when she knowed I
was going to pitch and she has been pretty good to sacrifice her own
plesure for little Al.
Cicotte was knocked out of the box the day before yesterday and then
they give this here Faber a good beating but I wish you could of saw
what they done to Allen when Callahan sent him in after the game was
gone allready. Honest Al if he had not of been my brother in law I
would of felt like laughing at him because it looked like as if they
would have to call the fire department to put the side out. They had
Bodie and Collins hollering for help and with there tongue hanging out
from running back to the fence.
Anyway the serious is all over and I won't have nothing to do but stay
home and play with little Al but I don't know yet where my home is
going to be at because it is a cinch I won't stay with Allen no longer.
He has not came home since the game and I suppose he is out somewheres
lapping up some beer and spending some of the winner's share of the
money which he would not of had no chance to get in on if it had not of
been for me.
I will write and let you know my plans for the winter and I wish
Florrie would agree to come to Bedford but nothing doing Al and after
her staying home and takeing care of the baby instead of watching me
pitch I can't be too hard on her but must leave her have her own way
about something.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 13._
AL: I am all threw with Florrie Al and I bet when you hear about it you
won't say it was not no fault of mine but no man liveing who is any
kind of a man would act different from how I am acting if he had of
been decieved like I been.
Al Florrie and Marie was out to all them games and was not home takeing
care of the baby at all and it is not her fault that little Al is not
dead and that he was not killed by the nurse they hired to take care of
him while they went to the games when I thought they was home takeing
care of the baby. And all them phone messiges was just fakes and maybe
the baby was sick all the time I was winning them games and balling his
head off instead of being asleep like they said he was.
Allen did not never come home at all the night before last and when
he come in yesterday he was a sight and I says to him Where have you
been? And he says I have been down to the Y.M.C.A. but that is not none
of your business. I says Yes you look like as if you had been to the
Y.M.C.A. and I know where you have been and you have been out lushing
beer. And he says Suppose I have and what are you going to do about it?
And I says Nothing but you should ought to be ashamed of yourself and
leaveing Marie here while you was out lapping up beer.
Then he says Did you not leave Florrie home while you was getting away
with them games, you lucky stiff? And I says Yes but Florrie had to
stay home and take care of the baby but Marie don't never have to stay
home because where is your baby? You have not got no baby. He says I
would not want no X-eyed baby like yourn. Then he says So you think
Florrie stayed to home and took care of the baby do you? And I says
What do you mean? And he says You better ask her.
So when Florrie come in and heard us talking she busted out crying and
then I found out what they put over on me. It is a wonder Al that I
did not take some of that cheap furniture them Allens got and bust it
over there heads, Allen and Florrie. This is what they done Al. The
club give Florrie $50.00 to stay home and take care of the baby and she
said she would and she was to call up every so often and tell me the
baby was all O.K. But this here Marie told her she was a sucker so she
hired a nurse for part of the $50.00 and then her and Marie went to the
games and beat it out quick after the games was over and come home in a
taxicab and chased the nurse out before I got home.
Well Al when I found out what they done I grabbed my hat and goes out
and got some drinks and I was so mad I did not know where I was at or
what come off and I did not get home till this A.M. And they was all
asleep and I been asleep all day and when I woke up Marie and Allen was
out but Florrie and I have not spoke to each other and I won't never
speak to her again.
But I know now what I am going to do Al and I am going to take little
Al and beat it out of here and she can sew me for a bill of divorce and
I should not worry because I will have little Al and I will see that he
is tooken care of because I guess I can hire a nurse as well as they
can and I will pick out a train nurse that knows something. Maybe I
and him and the nurse will come to Bedford Al but I don't know yet and
I will write and tell you as soon as I make up my mind. Did you ever
hear of a man getting a rottener deal Al? And after what I done in the
serious too.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 17._
OLD PAL: I and Florrie has made it up Al but we are threw with Marie
and Allen and I and Florrie and the baby is staying at a hotel here on
Cottage Grove Avenue the same hotel we was at when we got married only
of coarse they was only the 2 of us then.
And now Al I want to ask you a favor and that is for you to go and see
old man Cutting and tell him I want to ree-new the lease on that house
for another year because I and Florrie has decided to spend the winter
in Bedford and she will want to stay there and take care of little Al
while I am away on trips next summer and not stay in no high-price flat
up here. And may be you and Bertha can help her round the house when I
am not there.
I will tell you how we come to fix things up Al and you will see that I
made her apollojize to me and after this she will do what I tell her
to and won't never try to put nothing over. We was eating breakfast--I
and Florrie and Marie. Allen was still asleep yet because I guess he
must of had a bad night and he was snoreing so as you could hear him
in the next st. I was not saying nothing to nobody but pretty soon
Florrie says to Marie I don't think you and Allen should ought to kick
on the baby crying when Allen's snoreing makes more noise than a hole
wagonlode of babys. And Marie got sore and says I guess a man has got a
right to snore in his own house and you and Jack has been grafting off
of us long enough.
Then Florrie says What did Allen do to help win the serious and get
that $750.00? Nothing but set on the bench except when they was makeing
him look like a sucker the 1 inning he pitched. The trouble with you
and Allen is you are jellous of what Jack has did and you know he will
be a star up here in the big league when Allen is tending bar which is
what he should ought to be doing because then he could get stewed for
nothing.
Marie says Take your brat and get out of the house. And Florrie says
Don't you worry because we would not stay here no longer if you hired
us. So Florrie went in her room and I followed her in and she says
Let's pack up and get out.
Then I says Yes but we won't go nowheres together after what you done
to me but you can go where you dam please and I and little Al will go
to Bedford. Then she says You can't take the baby because he is mine
and if you was to take him I would have you arrested for kidnaping.
Besides, she says, what would you feed him and who would take care of
him?
I says I would find somebody to take care of him and I would get him
food from a resturunt. She says He can't eat nothing but milk and I
says Well he has the collect all the time when he is eating milk and he
would not be no worse off if he was eating watermelon. Well, she says,
if you take him I will have you arrested and sew you for a bill of
divorce for dessertion.
Then she says Jack you should not ought to find no fault with me for
going to them games because when a woman has a husband that can pitch
like you can do you think she wants to stay home and not see her
husband pitch when a lot of other women is cheering him and makeing her
feel proud because she is his wife?
Well Al as I said right along it was pretty hard on Florrie to have to
stay home and I could not hardly blame her for wanting to be out there
where she could see what I done so what was the use of argueing?
So I told her I would think it over and then I went out and I went and
seen a attorney at law and asked him could I take little Al away and he
says No I did not have no right to take him away from his mother and
besides it would probily kill him to be tooken away from her and then
he soaked me $10.00 the robber.
Then I went back and told Florrie I would give her another chance and
then her and I packed up and took little Al in a taxicab over to this
hotel. We are threw with the Allens Al and let me know right away if
I can get that lease for another year because Florrie has gave up and
will go to Bedford or anywheres else with me now.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 20._
FRIEND AL: Old pal I won't never forget your kindnus and this is to
tell you that I and Florrie except your kind invatation to come and
stay with you till we can find a house and I guess you won't regret it
none because Florrie will livun things up for Bertha and Bertha will be
crazy about the baby because you should ought to see how cute he is now
Al and not yet four months old. But I bet he will be talking before we
know it.
We are comeing on the train that leaves here at noon Saturday Al and
the train leaves here about 12 o'clock and I don't know what time it
gets to Bedford but it leaves here at noon so we shall be there probily
in time for supper.
I wish you would ask Ben Smith will he have a hack down to the deepo to
meet us but I won't pay no more than $.25 and I should think he should
ought to be glad to take us from the deepo to your house for nothing.
Your pal, JACK.
P.S. The train we are comeing on leaves here at noon Al and will
probily get us there in time for a late supper and I wonder if Bertha
would have spair ribs and crout for supper. You know me Al.
CHAPTER VI
THE BUSHER BEATS IT HENCE
_Chicago, Ill., Oct. 18._
FRIEND AL: I guess may be you will begin to think I dont never do what
I am going to do and that I change my mind a hole lot because I wrote
and told you that I and Florrie and little Al would be in Bedford
to-day and here we are in Chi yet on the day when I told you we would
get to Bedford and I bet Bertha and you and the rest of the boys will
be dissapointed but Al I dont feel like as if I should ought to leave
the White Sox in a hole and that is why I am here yet and I will tell
you how it come off but in the 1st place I want to tell you that it
wont make a diffrence of more then 5 or 6 or may be 7 days at least
and we will be down there and see you and Bertha and the rest of the
boys just as soon as the N.Y. giants and the White Sox leaves here and
starts a round the world. All so I remember I told you to fix it up so
as a hack would be down to the deepo to meet us to-night and you wont
get this letter in time to tell them not to send no hack so I supose
the hack will be there but may be they will be some body else that gets
off of the train that will want the hack and then every thing will be
all O.K. but if they is not nobody else that wants the hack I will pay
them 1/2 of what they was going to charge me if I had of came and road
in the hack though I dont have to pay them nothing because I am not
going to ride in the hack but I want to do the right thing and besides
I will want a hack at the deepo when I do come so they will get a peace
of money out of me any way so I dont see where they got no kick comeing
even if I dont give them a nichol now.
I will tell you why I am still here and you will see where I am trying
to do the right thing. You knowed of coarse that the White Sox and
the N. Y. giants was going to make a trip a round the world and they
been after me for a long time to go a long with them but I says No I
would not leave Florrie and the kid because that would not be fare and
besides I would be paying rent and grocerys for them some wheres and me
not getting nothing out of it and besides I would probily be spending
a hole lot of money on the trip because though the clubs pays all of
our regular expences they would be a hole lot of times when I felt
like blowing my self and buying some thing to send home to the Mrs and
to good old friends of mine like you and Bertha so I turned them down
and Callahan acted like he was sore at me but I dont care nothing for
that because I got other people to think a bout and not Callahan and
besides if I was to go a long the fans in the towns where we play at
would want to see me work and I would have to do a hole lot of pitching
which I would not be getting nothing for it and it would not count in
no standing because the games is to be just for fun and what good would
it do me and besides Florrie says I was not under no circumstance to
go and of coarse I would go if I wanted to go no matter what ever she
says but all and all I turned them down and says I would stay here all
winter or rather I would not stay here but in Bedford. Then Callahan
says All right but you know before we start on the trip the giants and
us is going to play a game right here in Chi next Sunday and after what
you done in the city serious the fans would be sore if they did not
get no more chance to look at you so will you stay and pitch part of
the game here and I says I would think it over and I come home to the
hotel where we are staying at and asked Florrie did she care if we did
not go to Bedford for an other week and she says No she did not care
if we dont go for 6 years so I called Callahan up and says I would stay
and he says Thats the boy and now the fans will have an other treat so
you see Al he appresiates what I done and wants to give the fans fare
treatment because this town is nuts over me after what I done to them
Cubs but I could do it just the same to the Athaletics or any body else
if it would of been them in stead of the Cubs. May be we will leave
here the A.M. after the game that is Monday and I will let you know so
as you can order an other hack and tell Bertha I hope she did not go to
no extra trouble a bout getting ready for us and did not order no spair
ribs and crout but you can eat them up if she all ready got them and
may be she can order some more for us when we come but tell her it dont
make no diffrence and not to go to no trouble because most anything she
has is O.K. for I and Florrie accept of coarse we would not want to
make no meal off of sardeens or something.
Well Al I bet them N.Y. giants will wish I would of went home before
they come for this here exibishun game because my arm feels grate and
I will show them where they would be at if they had to play ball in
our league all the time though I supose they is some pitchers in our
league that they would hit good against them if they can hit at all
but not me. You will see in the papers how I come out and I will write
and tell you a bout it.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Ill., Oct. 25._
OLD PAL: I have not only got a little time but I have got some news for
you and I knowed you would want to hear all a bout it so I am writeing
this letter and then I am going to catch the train. I would be saying
good by to little Al instead of writeing this letter only Florrie wont
let me wake him up and he is a sleep but may be by the time I get this
letter wrote he will be a wake again and I can say good by to him. I
am going with the White Sox and giants as far as San Francisco or may
be Van Coover where they take the boat at but I am not going a round
the world with them but only just out to the coast to help them out
because they is a couple of men going to join them out there and untill
them men join them they will be short of men and they got a hole lot of
exibishun games to play before they get out there so I am going to help
them out. It all come off in the club house after the game to-day and
I will tell you how it come off but 1st I want to tell you a bout the
game and honest Al them giants is the luckyest team in the world and
it is not no wonder they keep wining the penant in that league because
a club that has got there luck could win ball games with out sending no
team on the field at all but staying down to the hotel.
They was a big crowd out to the park so Callahan says to me I did not
know if I was going to pitch you or not but the crowd is out here to
see you so I will have to let you work so I warmed up but I knowed
the minute I throwed the 1st ball warming up that I was not right and
I says to Callahan I did not feel good but he says You wont need to
feel good to beat this bunch because they heard a hole lot a bout you
and you would have them beat if you just throwed your glove out there
in the box. So I went in and tried to pitch but my arm was so lame it
pretty near killed me every ball I throwed and I bet if I was some
other pitchers they would not never of tried to work with my arm so
sore but I am not like some of them yellow dogs and quit because I
would not dissapoint the crowd or throw Callahan down when he wanted me
to pitch and was depending on me. You know me Al. So I went in there
but I did not have nothing and if them giants could of hit at all
in stead of like a lot of girls they would of knock down the fence
because I was not my self. At that they should not ought to of had
only the 1 run off of me if Weaver and them had not of begin kicking
the ball a round like it was a foot ball or something. Well Al what
with dropping fly balls and booting them a round and this in that the
giants was gave 5 runs in the 1st 3 innings and they should ought to
of had just the 1 run or may be not that and that ball Merkle hit in
to the seats I was trying to waist it and a man that is a good hitter
would not never of hit at it and if I was right this here Merkle could
not foul me in 9 years. When I was comeing into the bench after the
3th inning this here smart alex Mcgraw come passed me from the 3 base
coaching line and he says Are you going on the trip and I says No I
am not going on no trip and he says That is to bad because if you was
going we would win a hole lot of games and I give him a hot come back
and he did not say nothing so I went in to the bench and Callahan says
Them giants is not such rotten hitters is they and I says No they hit
pretty good when a man has got a sore arm against them and he says
Why did not you tell me your arm was sore and I says I did not want
to dissapoint no crowd that come out here to see me and he says Well
I guess you need not pitch no more because if I left you in there
the crowd might begin to get tired of watching you a bout 10 oclock
to-night and I says What do you mean and he did not say nothing more
so I set there a while and then went to the club house. Well Al after
the game Callahan come in to the club house and I was still in there
yet talking to the trainer and getting my arm rubbed and Callahan says
Are you getting your arm in shape for next year and I says No but it
give me so much pane I could not stand it and he says I bet if you was
feeling good you could make them giants look like a sucker and I says
You know I could make them look like a sucker and he says Well why dont
you come a long with us and you will get an other chance at them when
you feel good and I says I would like to get an other crack at them but
I could not go a way on no trip and leave the Mrs and the baby and then
he says he would not ask me to make the hole trip a round the world but
he wisht I would go out to the coast with them because they was hard
up for pitchers and he says Mathewson of the giants was not only going
as far as the coast so if the giants had there star pitcher that far
the White Sox should ought to have theren and then some of the other
boys coaxed me would I go so finely I says I would think it over and I
went home and seen Florrie and she says How long would it be for and
I says a bout 3 or 4 weeks and she says If you dont go will we start
for Bedford right a way and I says Yes and then she says All right go a
head and go but if they was any thing should happen to the baby while I
was gone what would they do if I was not a round to tell them what to
do and I says Call a Dr. in but dont call no Dr. if you dont have to
and besides you should ought to know by this time what to do for the
baby when he got sick and she says Of coarse I know a little but not
as much as you do because you know it all. Then I says No I dont know
it all but I will tell you some things before I go and you should not
ought to have no trouble so we fixed it up and her and little Al is
to stay here in the hotel untill I come back which will be a bout the
20 of Nov. and then we will come down home and tell Bertha not to get
to in patient and we will get there some time. It is going to cost me
$6.00 a week at the hotel for a room for she and the baby besides there
meals but the babys meals dont cost nothing yet and Florrie should not
ought to be very hungry because we been liveing good and besides she
will get all she can eat when we come to Bedford and it wont cost me
nothing for meals on the trip out to the coast because Comiskey and
Mcgraw pays for that.
I have not even had no time to look up where we play at but we stop
off at a hole lot of places on the way and I will get a chance to make
them giants look like a sucker before I get threw and Mcgraw wont be so
sorry I am not going to make the hole trip. You will see by the papers
what I done to them before we get threw and I will write as soon as we
stop some wheres long enough so as I can write and now I am going to
say good by to little Al if he is a wake or not a wake and wake him up
and say good by to him because even if he is not only 5 months old he
is old enough to think a hole lot of me and why not. I all so got to
say good by to Florrie and fix it up with the hotel clerk a bout she
and the baby staying here a while and catch the train. You will hear
from me soon old pal.
Your pal, JACK.
_St. Joe, Miss., Oct. 29._
FRIEND AL: Well Al we are on our way to the coast and they is quite a
party of us though it is not no real White Sox and giants at all but
some players from off of both clubs and then some others that is from
other clubs a round the 2 leagues to fill up. We got Speaker from the
Boston club and Crawford from the Detroit club and if we had them with
us all the time Al I would not never loose a game because one or the
other of them 2 is good for a couple of runs every game and that is all
I need to win my games is a couple of runs or only 1 run and I would
win all my games and would not never loose a game.
I did not pitch to-day and I guess the giants was glad of it because
no matter what Mcgraw says he must of saw from watching me Sunday that
I was a real pitcher though my arm was so sore I could not hardly raze
it over my sholder so no wonder I did not have no stuff but at that I
could of beat his gang with out no stuff if I had of had some kind of
decent suport. I will pitch against them may be to-morrow or may be
some day soon and my arm is all O.K. again now so I will show them up
and make them wish Callahan had of left me to home. Some of the men has
brung there wife a long and besides that there is some other men and
there wife that is not no ball players but are going a long for the
trip and some more will join the party out the coast before they get a
bord the boat but of coarse I and Mathewson will drop out of the party
then because why should I or him go a round the world and throw our
arms out pitching games that dont count in no standing and that we dont
get no money for pitching them out side of just our bare expences. The
people in the towns we played at so far has all wanted to shake hands
with Mathewson and I so I guess they know who is the real pitchers on
these here 2 clubs no matter what them reporters says and the stars
is all ways the men that the people wants to shake there hands with
and make friends with them but Al this here Mathewson pitched to-day
and honest Al I dont see how he gets by and either the batters in the
National league dont know nothing a bout hitting or else he is such
a old man that they feel sorry for him and may be when he was a bout
10 years younger then he is may be then he had some thing and was a
pretty fare pitcher but all as he does now is stick the 1st ball right
over with 0 on it and pray that they dont hit it out of the park. If a
pitcher like he can get by in the National league and fool them batters
they is not nothing I would like better then to pitch in the National
league and I bet I would not get scored on in 2 to 3 years. I heard a
hole lot a bout this here fade a way that he is suposed to pitch and it
is a ball that is throwed out between 2 fingers and falls in at a right
hand batter and they is not no body cant hit it but if he throwed 1
of them things to-day he done it while I was a sleep and they was not
no time when I was not wide a wake and looking right at him and after
the game was over I says to him Where is that there fade a way I heard
so much a bout and he says O I did not have to use none of my regular
stuff against your club and I says Well you would have to use all you
got if I was working against you and he says Yes if you worked like you
done Sunday I would have to do some pitching or they would not never
finish the game. Then I says a bout me haveing a sore arm Sunday and
he says I wisht I had a sore arm like yourn and a little sence with it
and was your age and I would not never loose a game so you see Al he
has heard a bout me and is jellus because he has not got my stuff but
they cant every body expect to have the stuff that I got or 1/2 as much
stuff. This smart alex Mcgraw was trying to kid me to-day and says Why
did not I make friends with Mathewson and let him learn me some thing
a bout pitching and I says Mathewson could not learn me nothing and he
says I guess thats right and I guess they is not nobody could learn you
nothing a bout nothing and if you was to stay in the league 20 years
probily you would not be no better then you are now so you see he had
to add mit that I am good Al even if he has not saw me work when my arm
was O.K.
Mcgraw says to me to-night he says I wisht you was going all the way
and I says Yes you do. I says Your club would look like a sucker after
I had worked against them a few times and he says May be thats right to
because they would not know how to hit against a regular pitcher after
that. Then he says But I dont care nothing a bout that but I wisht you
was going to make the hole trip so as we could have a good time. He
says We got Steve Evans and Dutch Schaefer going a long and they is
both of them funny but I like to be a round with boys that is funny and
dont know nothing a bout it. I says Well I would go a long only for my
wife and baby and he says Yes it would be pretty tough on your wife to
have you a way that long but still and all think how glad she would be
to see you when you come back again and besides them dolls acrost the
ocean will be pretty sore at I and Callahan if we tell them we left you
to home. I says Do you supose the people over there has heard a bout
me and he says Sure because they have wrote a lot of letters asking me
to be sure and bring you and Mathewson a long. Then he says I guess
Mathewson is not going so if you was to go and him left here to home
they would not be nothing to it. You could have things all your own way
and probily could marry the Queen of europe if you was not all ready
married. He was giveing me the strate dope this time Al because he did
not crack a smile and I wisht I could go a long but it would not be
fare to Florrie but still and all did not she leave me and beat it for
Texas last winter and why should not I do the same thing to her only I
am not that kind of a man. You know me Al.
We play in Kansas city to-morrow and may be I will work there because
it is a big town and I have got to close now and write to Florrie.
Your old pal, JACK.
_Abilene, Texas, Nov. 4._
AL: Well Al I guess you know by this time that I have worked against
them 2 times since I wrote to you last time and I beat them both times
and Mcgraw knows now what kind of a pitcher I am and I will tell you
how I know because after the game yesterday he road down to the place
we dressed at a long with me and all the way in the automobile he was
after me to say I would go all the way a round the world and finely it
come out that he wants I should go a long and pitch for his club and
not pitch for the White Sox. He says his club is up against it for
pitchers because Mathewson is not going and all they got left is a man
named Hern that is a young man and not got no experiense and Wiltse
that is a left hander. So he says I have talked it over with Callahan
and he says if I could get you to go a long it was all O.K. with him
and you could pitch for us only I must not work you to hard because he
is depending on you to win the penant for him next year. I says Did not
none of the other White Sox make no holler because may be they might
have to bat against me and he says Yes Crawford and Speaker says they
would not make the trip if you was a long and pitching against them but
Callahan showed them where it would be good for them next year because
if they hit against you all winter the pitchers they hit against next
year will look easy to them. He was crazy to have me go a long on the
hole trip but of coarse Al they is not no chance of me going on acct.
of Florrie and little Al but you see Mcgraw has cut out his trying to
kid me and is treating me now like a man should ought to be treated
that has did what I done.
They was not no game here to-day on acct. of it raining and the people
here was sore because they did not see no game but they all come a
round to look at us and says they must have some speechs from the most
prommerent men in the party so I and Comiskey and Mcgraw and Callahan
and Mathewson and Ted Sullivan that I guess is putting up the money
for the trip made speechs and they clapped there hands harder when I
was makeing my speech then when any 1 of the others was makeing there
speech. You did not know I was a speech maker did you Al and I did not
know it neither untill to-day but I guess they is not nothing I can do
if I make up my mind and 1 of the boys says that I done just as well as
Dummy Taylor could of.
I have not heard nothing from Florrie but I guess may be she is to busy
takeing care of little Al to write no letters and I am not worring none
because she give me her word she would let me know was they some thing
the matter.
Yours truly, JACK.
_San Dago, Cal., Nov. 9._
FRIEND AL: Al some times I wisht I was not married at all and if it
was not for Florrie and little Al I would go a round the world on this
here trip and I guess the boys in Bedford would not be jellus if I was
to go a round the world and see every thing they is to be saw and some
of the boys down home has not never been no futher a way then Terre
Haute and I dont mean you Al but some of the other boys. But of coarse
Al when a man has got a wife and a baby they is not no chance for him
to go a way on 1 of these here trips and leave them a lone so they is
not no use I should even think a bout it but I cant help thinking a
bout it because the boys keeps after me all the time to go. Callahan
was talking a bout it to me to-day and he says he knowed that if I was
to pitch for the giants on the trip his club would not have no chance
of wining the most of the games on the trip but still and all he wisht
I would go a long because he was a scared the people over in Rome and
Paris and Africa and them other countrys would be awful sore if the 2
clubs come over there with out bringing none of there star pitchers
along. He says We got Speaker and Crawford and Doyle and Thorp and some
of them other real stars in all the positions accept pitcher and it
will make us look bad if you and Mathewson dont neither 1 of you come a
long. I says What is the matter with Scott and Benz and this here left
hander Wiltse and he says They is not nothing the matter with none of
them accept they is not no real stars like you and Mathewson and if we
cant show them forreners 1 of you 2 we will feel like as if we was
cheating them. I says You would not want me to pitch my best against
your club would you and he says O no I would not want you to pitch
your best or get your self all wore out for next year but I would want
you to let up enough so as we could make a run oncet in a while so the
games would not be to 1 sided. I says Well they is not no use talking
a bout it because I could not leave my wife and baby and he says Why
dont you write and ask your wife and tell her how it is and can you go.
I says No because she would make a big holler and besides of coarse I
would go any way if I wanted to go with out no I yes or no from her
only I am not the kind of a man that runs off and leaves his family and
besides they is not nobody to leave her with because her and her sister
Allens wife has had a quarrle. Then Callahan says Where is Allen at now
is he still in Chi. I says I dont know where is he at and I dont care
where he is at because I am threw with him. Then Callahan says I asked
him would he go on the trip before the season was over but he says he
could not and if I knowed where was he I would wire a telegram to him
and ask him again. I says What would you want him a long for and he
says Because Mcgraw is shy of pitchers and I says I would try and help
him find 1. I says Well you should ought not to have no trouble finding
a man like Allen to go along because his wife probily would be glad to
get rid of him. Then Callahan says Well I wisht you would get a hold
of where Allen is at and let me know so as I can wire him a telegram.
Well Al I know where Allen is at all O.K. but I am not going to give
his adress to Callahan because Mcgraw has treated me all O.K. and why
should I wish a man like Allen on to him and besides I am not going to
give Allen no chance to go a round the world or no wheres else after
the way he acted a bout I and Florrie haveing a room in his flat and
asking me to pay for it when he give me a invatation to come there and
stay. Well Al it is to late now to cry in the sour milk but I wisht I
had not never saw Florrie untill next year and then I and her could
get married just like we done last year only I dont know would I do it
again or not but I guess I would on acct. of little Al.
Your pal, JACK.
_San Francisco, Cal., Nov. 14._
OLD PAL: Well old pal what do you know a bout me being back here in San
Francisco where I give the fans such a treat 2 years ago and then I
was not nothing but a busher and now I am with a team that is going a
round the world and are crazy to have me go a long only I cant because
of my wife and baby. Callahan wired a telegram to the reporters here
from Los Angeles telling them I would pitch here and I guess they is
going to be 20 or 25000 out to the park and I will give them the best I
got.
But what do you think Florrie has did Al. Her and the Allens has made
it up there quarrle and is friends again and Marie told Florrie to
write and tell me she was sorry we had that there argument and let
by gones be by gones. Well Al it is all O.K. with me because I cant
help not feeling sorry for Allen because I dont beleive he will be in
the league next year and I feel sorry for Marie to because it must be
pretty tough on her to see how well her sister done and what a misstake
she made when she went and fell for a left hander that could not fool
a blind man with his curve ball and if he was to hit a man in the head
with his fast ball they would think there nose iched. In Florries
letter she says she thinks us and the Allens could find an other flat
like the 1 we had last winter and all live in it to gether in stead
of going to Bedford but I have wrote to her before I started writeing
this letter all ready and told her that her and I is going to Bedford
and the Allens can go where they feel like and they can go and stay on
a boat on Michigan lake all winter if they want to but I and Florrie
is comeing to Bedford. Down to the bottom of her letter she says Allen
wants to know if Callahan or Mcgraw is shy of pitchers and may be he
would change his mind and go a long on the trip. Well Al I did not ask
either Callahan nor Mcgraw nothing a bout it because I knowed they was
looking for a star and not for no left hander that could not brake a
pane of glass with his fast 1 so I wrote and told Florrie to tell Allen
they was all filled up and would not have no room for no more men.
It is pretty near time to go out to the ball park and I wisht you could
be here Al and hear them San Francisco fans go crazy when they hear my
name anounced to pitch. I bet they wish they had of had me here this
last year.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Medford, Organ, Nov. 16._
FRIEND AL: Well Al you know by this time that I did not pitch the hole
game in San Francisco but I was not tooken out because they was hitting
me Al but because my arm went back on me all of a sudden and it was
the change in the clime it that done it to me and they could not hire
me to try and pitch another game in San Francisco. They was the biggest
crowd there that I ever seen in San Francisco and I guess they must of
been 40000 people there and I wisht you could of heard them yell when
my name was anounced to pitch. But Al I would not never of went in
there but for the crowd. My arm felt like a wet rag or some thing and
I knowed I would not have nothing and besides the people was packed
in a round the field and they had to have ground rules so when a man
hit a pop fly it went in to the crowd some wheres and was a 2 bagger
and all them giants could do against me was pop my fast ball up in
the air and then the wind took a hold of it and dropped it in to the
crowd the lucky stiffs. Doyle hit 3 of them pop ups in to the crowd
so when you see them 3 2 base hits oposit his name in the score you
will know they was not no real 2 base hits and the infielders would of
catched them had it not of been for the wind. This here Doyle takes a
awful wallop at a ball but if I was right and he swang at a ball the
way he done in San Francisco the catcher would all ready be throwing
me back the ball a bout the time this here Doyle was swinging at it. I
can make him look like a sucker and I done it both in Kansas city and
Bonham and if he will get up there and bat against me when I feel good
and when they is not no wind blowing I will bet him a $25.00 suit of
cloths that he cant foul 1 off of me. Well when Callahan seen how bad
my arm was he says I guess I should ought to take you out and not run
no chance of you getting killed in there and so I quit and Faber went
in to finnish it up because it dont make no diffrence if he hurts his
arm or dont. But I guess Mcgraw knowed my arm was sore to because he
did not try and kid me like he done that day in Chi because he has saw
enough of me since then to know I can make his club look rotten when
I am O.K. and my arm is good. On the train that night he come up and
says to me Well Jack we catched you off your strid to-day or you would
of gave us a beating and then he says What your arm needs is more work
and you should ought to make the hole trip with us and then you would
be in fine shape for next year but I says You cant get me to make no
trip so you might is well not do no more talking a bout it and then he
says Well I am sorry and the girls over to Paris will be sorry to but I
guess he was just jokeing a bout the last part of it.
Well Al we go to 1 more town in Organ and then to Washington but of
coarse it is not the same Washington we play at in the summer but this
is the state Washington and have not got no big league club and the
boys gets there boat in 4 more days and I will quit them and then I
will come strate back to Chi and from there to Bedford.
Your pal, JACK.
_Portland, Organ, Nov. 17._
FRIEND AL: I have just wrote a long letter to Florrie but I feel like
as if I should ought to write to you because I wont have no more chance
for a long while that is I wont have no more chance to male a letter
because I will be on the pacific Ocean and un less we should run passed
a boat that was comeing the other way they would not be no chance of
getting no letter maled. Old pal I am going to make the hole trip clear
a round the world and back and so I wont see you this winter after all
but when I do see you Al I will have a lot to tell you a bout my trip
and besides I will write you a letter a bout it from every place we
head in at.
I guess you will be surprised a bout me changeing my mind and makeing
the hole trip but they was not no way for me to get out of it and I
will tell you how it all come off. While we was still in that there
Medford yesterday Mcgraw and Callahan come up to me and says was they
not no chance of me changeing my mind a bout makeing the hole trip.
I says No they was not. Then Callahan says Well I dont know what we
are going to do then and I says Why and he says Comiskey just got a
letter from president Wilson the President of the united states and in
the letter president Wilson says he had got an other letter from the
king of Japan who says that they would not stand for the White Sox and
giants comeing to Japan un less they brought all there stars a long
and president Wilson says they would have to take there stars a long
because he was a scared if they did not take there stars a long Japan
would get mad at the united states and start a war and then where
would we be at. So Comiskey wired a telegram to president Wilson and
says Mathewson could not make the trip because he was so old but would
everything be all O.K. if I was to go a long and president Wilson wired
a telegram back and says Yes he had been talking to the priest from
Japan and he says Yes it would be all O.K. I asked them would they show
me the letter from president Wilson because I thought may be they might
be kiding me and they says they could not show me no letter because
when Comiskey got the letter he got so mad that he tore it up. Well
Al I finely says I did not want to brake up there trip but I knowed
Florrie would not stand for letting me go so Callahan says All right I
will wire a telegram to a friend of mine in Chi and have him get a hold
of Allen and send him out here and we will take him a long and I says
It is to late for Allen to get here in time and Mcgraw says No they was
a train that only took 2 days from Chi to where ever it was the boat is
going to sale from because the train come a round threw canada and it
was down hill all the way. Then I says Well if you will wire a telegram
to my wife and fix things up with her I will go a long with you but if
she is going to make a holler it is all off. So we all 3 went to the
telegram office to gether and we wired Florrie a telegram that must of
cost $2.00 but Callahan and Mcgraw payed for it out of there own pocket
and then we waited a round a long time and the anser come back and the
anser was longer than the telegram we wired and it says it would not
make no diffrence to her but she did not know if the baby would make a
holler but he was hollering most of the time any way so that would not
make no diffrence but if she let me go it was on condishon that her
and the Allens could get a flat to gether and stay in Chi all winter
and not go to no Bedford and hire a nurse to take care of the baby and
if I would send her a check for the money I had in the bank so as she
could put it in her name and draw it out when she need it. Well I says
at 1st I would not stand for nothing like that but Callahan and Mcgraw
showed me where I was makeing a mistake not going when I could see all
them diffrent countrys and tell Florrie all a bout the trip when I come
back and then in a year or 2 when the baby was a little older I could
make an other trip and take little Al and Florrie a long so I finely
says O.K. I would go and we wires still an other telegram to Florrie
and told her O.K. and then I set down and wrote her a check for 1/2 the
money I got in the bank and I got $500.00 all together there so I wrote
the check for 1/2 of that or $250.00 and maled it to her and if she
cant get a long on that she would be a awfull spendrift because I am
not only going to be a way untill March. You should ought to of heard
the boys cheer when Callahan tells them I am going to make the hole
trip but when he tells them I am going to pitch for the giants and not
for the White Sox I bet Crawford and Speaker and them wisht I was going
to stay to home but it is just like Callahan says if they bat against
me all winter the pitchers they bat against next season will look easy
to them and you wont be supprised Al if Crawford and Speaker hits a
bout 500 next year and if they hit good you will know why it is. Steve
Evans asked me was I all fixed up with cloths and I says No but I was
going out and buy some cloths includeing a full dress suit of evening
cloths and he says You dont need no full dress suit of evening cloths
because you look funny enough with out them. This Evans is a great
kidder Al and no body never gets sore at the stuff he pulls some thing
like Kid Gleason. I wisht Kid Gleason was going on the trip Al but I
will tell him all a bout it when I come back.
Well Al old pal I wisht you was going a long to and I bet we could have
the time of our life but I will write to you right a long Al and I will
send Bertha some post cards from the diffrent places we head in at.
I will try and write you a letter on the boat and male it as soon as
we get to the 1st station which is either Japan or Yokohama I forgot
which. Good by Al and say good by to Bertha for me and tell her how
sorry I and Florrie is that we cant come to Bedford this winter but we
will spend all the rest of the winters there and her and Florrie will
have a plenty of time to get acquainted. Good by old pal.
Your pal, JACK.
_Seattle, Wash., Nov. 18._
AL: Well Al it is all off and I am not going on no trip a round the
world and back and I been looking for Callahan or Mcgraw for the last
1/2 hour to tell them I have changed my mind and am not going to make
no trip because it would not be fare to Florrie and besides that I
think I should ought to stay home and take care of little Al and not
leave him to be tooken care of by no train nurse because how do I know
what would she do to him and I am not going to tell Florrie nothing a
bout it but I am going to take the train to-morrow night right back to
Chi and supprise her when I get there and I bet both her and little Al
will be tickled to death to see me. I supose Mcgraw and Callahan will
be sore at me for a while but when I tell them I want to do the right
thing and not give my famly no raw deal I guess they will see where I
am right.
We was to play 2 games here and was to play 1 of them in Tacoma and
the other here but it rained and so we did not play neither 1 and the
people was pretty mad a bout it because I was announced to pitch and
they figured probily this would be there only chance to see me in axion
and they made a awful holler but Comiskey says No they would not be
no game because the field neither here or in Tacoma was in no shape
for a game and he would not take no chance of me pitching and may be
slipping in the mud and straneing myself and then where would the White
Sox be at next season. So we been laying a round all the P.M. and I and
Dutch Schaefer had a long talk to gether while some of the rest of the
boys was out buying some cloths to take on the trip and Al I bought a
full dress suit of evening cloths at Portland yesterday and now I owe
Callahan the money for them and am not going on no trip so probily I
wont never get to ware them and it is just $45.00 throwed a way but I
would rather throw $45.00 a way then go on a trip a round the world and
leave my famly all winter.
Well Al I and Schaefer was talking to gether and he says Well may be
this is the last time we will ever see the good old US and I says What
do you mean and he says People that gos acrost the pacific Ocean most
generally all ways has there ship recked and then they is not no more
never heard from them. Then he asked me was I a good swimmer and I
says Yes I had swam a good deal in the river and he says Yes you have
swam in the river but that is not nothing like swimming in the pacific
Ocean because when you swim in the pacific Ocean you cant move your
feet because if you move your feet the sharks comes up to the top of
the water and bites at them and even if they did not bite your feet
clean off there bite is poison and gives you the hiderofobeya and when
you get that you start barking like a dog and the water runs in to your
mouth and chokes you to death. Then he says Of coarse if you can swim
with out useing your feet you are all O.K. but they is very few can
do that and especially in the pacific Ocean because they got to keep
useing there hands all the time to scare the sord fish a way so when
you dont dare use your feet and your hands is busy you got nothing left
to swim with but your stumach mussles. Then he says You should ought
to get a long all O.K. because your stumach mussles should ought to
be strong from the exercise they get so I guess they is not no danger
from a man like you but men like Wiltse and Mike Donlin that is not hog
fat like you has not got no chance. Then he says Of coarse they have
been times when the boats got acrost all O.K. and only a few lives lost
but it dont offten happen and the time the old Minneapolis club made
the trip the boat went down and the only thing that was saved was the
catchers protector that was full of air and could not do nothing else
but flote. Then he says May be you would flote to if you did not say
nothing for a few days.
I asked him how far would a man got to swim if some thing went wrong
with the boat and he says O not far because they is a hole lot of
ilands a long the way that a man could swim to but it would not do a
man no good to swim to these here ilands because they dont have nothing
to eat on them and a man would probily starve to death un less he
happened to swim to the sandwich ilands. Then he says But by the time
you been out on the pacific Ocean a few months you wont care if you get
any thing to eat or not. I says Why not and he says the pacific Ocean
is so ruff that not nothing can set still not even the stuff you eat.
I asked him how long did it take to make the trip acrost if they was
not no ship reck and he says they should ought to get acrost a long in
febuery if the weather was good. I says Well if we dont get there until
febuery we wont have no time to train for next season and he says You
wont need to do no training because this trip will take all the weight
off of you and every thing else you got. Then he says But you should
not ought to be scared of getting sea sick because they is 1 way you
can get a way from it and that is to not eat nothing at all while you
are on the boat and they tell me you dont eat hardly nothing any way so
you wont miss it. Then he says Of coarse if we should have good luck
and not get in to no ship reck and not get shot by 1 of them war ships
we will have a grate time when we get acrost because all the girls
in europe and them places is nuts over ball players and especially
stars. I asked what did he mean saying we might get shot by 1 of them
war ships and he says we would have to pass by Swittserland and the
Swittserland war ships was all the time shooting all over the ocean and
of coarse they was not trying to hit no body but they was as wild as
most of them left handers and how could you tell what was they going to
do next.
Well Al after I got threw talking to Schaefer I run in to Jack Sheridan
the umpire and I says I did not think I would go on no trip and I
told him some of the things Schaefer was telling me and Sheridan says
Schaefer was kidding me and they was not no danger at all and of coarse
Al I did not believe 1/2 of what Schaefer was telling me and that has
not got nothing to do with me changeing my mind but I don't think it
is not hardly fare for me to go a way on a trip like that and leave
Florrie and the baby and suppose some of them things really did happen
like Schaefer said though of coarse he was kidding me but if 1 of them
was to happen they would not be no body left to take care of Florrie
and little Al and I got a $1000.00 insurence policy but how do I know
after I am dead if the insurence co. comes acrost and gives my famly
the money.
Well Al I will male this letter and then try again and find Mcgraw and
Callahan and then I will look up a time table and see what train can
I get to Chi. I dont know yet when I will be in Bedford and may be
Florrie has hired a flat all ready but the Allens can live in it by
them self and if Allen says any thing a bout I paying for 1/2 of the
rent I will bust his jaw.
Your pal, JACK.
_Victoria, Can., Nov. 19._
DEAR OLD AL: Well old pal the boat gos to-night I am going a long
and I would not be takeing no time to write this letter only I wrote
to you yesterday and says I was not going and you probily would be
expecting to see me blow in to Bedford in a few days and besides Al I
got a hole lot of things to ask you to do for me if any thing happens
and I want to tell you how it come a bout that I changed my mind and
am going on the trip. I am glad now that I did not write Florrie no
letter yesterday and tell her I was not going because now I would have
to write her an other letter and tell her I was going and she would be
expecting to see me the day after she got the 1st letter and in stead
of seeing me she would get this 2nd. letter and not me at all. I have
all ready wrote her a good by letter to-day though and while I was
writeing it Al I all most broke down and cried and espesially when I
thought a bout leaveing little Al so long and may be when I see him
again he wont be no baby no more or may be some thing will of happened
to him or that train nurse did some thing to him or may be I wont never
see him again no more because it is pretty near a cinch that some thing
will either happen to I or him. I would give all most any thing I got
Al to be back in Chi with little Al and Florrie and I wisht she had not
of never wired that telegram telling me I could make the trip and if
some thing happens to me think how she will feel when ever she thinks a
bout wireing me that telegram and she will feel all most like as if she
was a murder.
Well Al after I had wrote you that letter yesterday I found Callahan
and Mcgraw and I tell them I have changed my mind and am not going on
no trip. Callahan says Whats the matter and I says I dont think it
would be fare to my wife and baby and Callahan says Your wife says it
would be all O.K. because I seen the telegram my self. I says Yes but
she dont know how dangerus the trip is and he says Whos been kiding you
and I says They has not no body been kiding me. I says Dutch Schaefer
told me a hole lot of stuff but I did not believe none of it and that
has not got nothing to do with it. I says I am not a scared of nothing
but supose some thing should happen and then where would my wife and
my baby be at. Then Callahan says Schaefer has been giveing you a lot
of hot air and they is not no more danger on this trip then they is in
bed. You been in a hole lot more danger when you was pitching some of
them days when you had a sore arm and you would be takeing more chances
of getting killed in Chi by 1 of them taxi cabs or the dog catcher
then on the Ocean. This here boat we are going on is the Umpires of
Japan and it has went acrost the Ocean a million times with out nothing
happening and they could not nothing happen to a boat that the N.Y.
giants was rideing on because they is to lucky. Then I says Well I
have made up my mind to not go on no trip and he says All right then
I guess we might is well call the trip off and I says Why and he says
You know what president Wilson says a bout Japan and they wont stand
for us comeing over there with out you a long and then Mcgraw says Yes
it looks like as if the trip was off because we dont want to take no
chance of starting no war between Japan and the united states. Then
Callahan says You will be in fine with Comiskey if he has to call the
trip off because you are a scared of getting hit by a fish. Well Al we
talked and argude for a hour or a hour and 1/2 and some of the rest
of the boys come a round and took Callahan and Mcgraw side and finely
Callahan says it looked like as if they would have to posepone the trip
a few days un till he could get a hold of Allen or some body and get
them to take my place so finely I says I would go because I would not
want to brake up no trip after they had made all there plans and some
of the players wifes was all ready to go and would be dissapointed if
they was not no trip. So Mcgraw and Callahan says Thats the way to talk
and so I am going Al and we are leaveing to-night and may be this is
the last letter you will ever get from me but if they does not nothing
happen Al I will write to you a lot of letters and tell you all a bout
the trip but you must not be looking for no more letters for a while
untill we get to Japan where I can male a letter and may be its likely
as not we wont never get to Japan.
Here is the things I want to ask you to try and do Al and I am not
asking you to do nothing if we get threw the trip all right but if some
thing happens and I should be drowned here is what I am asking you to
do for me and that is to see that the insurence co. dont skin Florrie
out of that $1000.00 policy and see that she all so gets that other
$250.00 out of the bank and find her some place down in Bedford to
live if she is willing to live down there because she can live there
a hole lot cheaper then she can live in Chi and besides I know Bertha
would treat her right and help her out all she could. All so Al I want
you and Bertha to help take care of little Al untill he grows up big
enough to take care of him self and if he looks like as if he was going
to be left handed dont let him Al but make him use his right hand for
every thing. Well Al they is 1 good thing and that is if I get drowned
Florrie wont have to buy no lot in no cemetary and hire no herse.
Well Al old pal you all ways been a good friend of mine and I all ways
tried to be a good friend of yourn and if they was ever any thing I
done to you that was not O.K. remember by gones is by gones. I want you
to all ways think of me as your best old pal. Good by old pal.
Your old pal, JACK.
P.S. Al if they should not nothing happen and if we was to get acrost
the Ocean all O.K. I am going to ask Mcgraw to let me work the 1st game
against the White Sox in Japan because I should certainly ought to be
right after giveing my arm a rest and not doing nothing at all on the
trip acrost and I bet if Mcgraw lets me work Crawford and Speaker will
wisht the boat had of sank. You know me Al.
Transcribers Note:
Original spelling and grammar has been retained.
G.M.
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