by Ring Lardner
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 besupprised to learn that I am out here, because I remember telling youwhen I was sold to San Francisco by the White Sox that not under nocircumstances would I report here. I was pretty mad when Comiskey giveme my release, because I didn't think I had been given a fair show byCallahan. I don't think so yet Al and I never will but Bill Sullivanthe old White Sox catcher talked to me and told me not to pull no bonerby refuseing to go where they sent me. He says You're only hurtingyourself. He says You must remember that this was your first time upin the big show and very few men no matter how much stuff they gotcan expect to make good right off the reel. He says All you need isexperience and pitching out in the Coast League will be just the thingfor you.
So I went in and asked Comiskey for my transportation and he saysThat's right Boy go out there and work hard and maybe I will want youback. 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 wouldrather live in Detroit than anywheres else. The little girl who gotstuck 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 theTigers I wouldn't never have to pitch against Cobb and Crawford, thoughI believe I could show both of them up if I was right. They ain't gotmuch 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 backin 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 leaguein the papers at home so you may not know that I have been standingthis league on their heads. I pitched against Oakland up home and shutthem out with two hits. I made them look like suckers Al. They hadn'tnever saw no speed like mine and they was scared to death the minuteI cut loose. I could of pitched the last six innings with my foot andtrimmed them they was so scared.
Well we come down here for a serious and I worked the second game. Theygot four hits and one run, and I just give them the one run. Theirshortstop Johnson was on the training trip with the White Sox and ofcourse I knowed him pretty well. So I eased up in the last inning andlet him hit one. If I had of wanted to let myself out he couldn't ofhit me with a board. So I am going along good and Howard our managersays he is going to use me regular. He's a pretty nice manager andnot a bit sarkastic like some of them big leaguers. I am fielding myposition good and watching the baserunners to. Thank goodness Al theyain't no Cobbs in this league and a man ain't scared of haveing hisuniform stole off his back.
But listen Al I don't want to be bought by Detroit no more. It is alloff between Violet and I. She wasn't the sort of girl I suspected. Sheis just like them all Al. No heart. I wrote her a letter from Chicagotelling her I was sold to San Francisco and she wrote back a postcardsaying something about not haveing no time to waste on bushers. Whatdo you know about that Al? Calling me a busher. I will show them. Shewasn't no good Al and I figure I am well rid of her. Good riddance isrubbish as they say.
I will let you know how I get along and if I hear anything about beingsold or drafted.
Yours truly, JACK.
_San Francisco, California, July 20._
FRIEND AL: You will forgive me for not writeing to you oftener when youhear the news I got for you. Old pal I am engaged to be married. Hername is Hazel Carney and she is some queen, Al--a great big stroppinggirl that must weigh one hundred and sixty lbs. She is out to everygame 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 onMarket Street one night. We go to a nickel show together and have sometime. Since then we been together pretty near every evening except whenI was away on the road.
Night before last she asked me if I was married and I tells her No andshe says a big handsome man like I ought not to have no trouble findinga wife. I tells her I ain't never looked for one and she says Well youwouldn't have to look very far. I asked her if she was married and shesaid No but she wouldn't mind it. She likes her beer pretty well andher and I had several and I guess I was feeling pretty good. Anyway Iguess I asked her if she wouldn't marry me and she says it was O.K. Iain't a bit sorry Al because she is some doll and will make them allsit up back home. She wanted to get married right away but I said Nowait till the season is over and maybe I will have more dough. Sheasked 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 butI 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 herhome and show her to you. She wants to live in Chi or New York but Iguess 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 woneleven straight. I have lost a couple since then, but one day I wasn'tfeeling 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 onrunning 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. Iguess he was scared I was going to smash him. No manager ain't going tobluff 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 tellthe 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. Howardcalled me up after I got to my room and tells me I am going back to theWhite Sox. Come to find out, when they sold me out here they kept aoption on me and yesterday they exercised it. He told me I would haveto report at once. So I packed up as quick as I could and then wentdown to say good-by to the kid. She was all broke up and wanted to goalong 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 Itold her she better wait. She cried all over my sleeve. She sure isgone on me Al and I couldn't help feeling sorry for her but I promisedto send for her in October and then everything will be all O.K. Sheasked me how much I was going to get in the big league and I told her Iwould get a lot more money than out here because I wouldn't play if Ididn't. You know me Al.
I come over here to Sacramento with the club this morning and I amleaveing to-night for Chi. I will get there next Tuesday and I guessCallahan will work me right away because he must of seen his mistake inletting me go by now. I will show them Al.
I looked up the skedule and I seen where we play in Detroit the fifthand sixth of September. I hope they will let me pitch there Al. Violetgoes to the games and I will make her sorry she give me that kindof treatment. And I will make them Tigers sorry they kidded me lastspring. 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 doneto them Athaletics, the best ball club in the country? I bet Violetwishes she hadn't called me no busher.
I got here last Tuesday and set up in the stand and watched the gamethat afternoon. Washington was playing here and Johnson pitched. I wasanxious to watch him because I had heard so much about him. Honest Alhe ain't as fast as me. He shut them out, but they never was much of ahitting club. I went to the clubhouse after the game and shook handswith the bunch. Kid Gleason the assistant manager seemed pretty glad tosee me and he says Well have you learned something? I says Yes I guessI have. He says Did you see the game this afternoon? I says I had andhe asked me what I thought of Johnson. I say
s I don't think so much ofhim. He says Well I guess you ain't learned nothing then. He says Whatwas the matter with Johnson's work? I says He ain't got nothing but afast ball. Then he says Yes and Rockefeller ain't got nothing but ahundred million bucks.
Well I asked Callahan if he was going to give me a chance to workand he says he was. But I sat on the bench a couple of days and hedidn't ask me to do nothing. Finally I asked him why not and he saysI am saving you to work against a good club, the Athaletics. Well theAthaletics 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 ofthem now Al.
Baker didn't hit one hard all afternoon and I didn't have no troublewith Collins neither. I let them down with five blows all thoughthe papers give them seven. Them reporters here don't no more aboutscoreing than some old woman. They give Barry a hit on a fly ball thatBodie ought to of eat up, only he stumbled or something and they handedOldring a two base hit on a ball that Weaver had to duck to get out ofthe way from. But I don't care nothing about reporters. I beat themAthaletics and beat them good, five to one. Gleason slapped me on theback after the game and says Well you learned something after all. Rubsome arnicky on your head to keep the swelling down and you may be areal pitcher yet. I says I ain't got no swell head. He says No. If Ihated 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 saysSure. 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 seenno man get worse treatment than them Tigers give you last spring. Isays Well they won't do it this time because I will know how to pitchto them. He says How are you going to pitch to Cobb? I says I am goingto feed him on my slow one. He says Well Cobb had ought to make a goodmeal off of that. Then we quit jokeing and he says You have improveda hole lot and I am going to work you right along regular and if youcan stand the gaff I may be able to use you in the city serious. Youknow Al the White Sox plays a city serious every fall with the Cubs andthe players makes quite a lot of money. The winners gets about eighthundred dollars a peace and the losers about five hundred. We will bethe winners if I have anything to say about it.
I am tickled to death at the chance of working in Detroit and I can'thardly 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'tgot a thing, Al, and I don't see how he gets by. He is married and hiswife's sister is visiting them. She wants to meet me but it won't doher much good. I seen her out to the game to-day and she ain't much forlooks.
_Detroit, Mich., September 6._
FRIEND AL: I got a hole lot to write but I ain't got much time becausewe are going over to Cleveland on the boat at ten P.M. I made themTigers 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 tellyou about the game first.
They got one hit off of me and Cobb made it a scratch single that hebeat out. If he hadn't of been so dam fast I would of had a no hitgame. At that Weaver could of threw him out if he had of started afterthe ball in time. Crawford didn't get nothing like a hit and I whiffedhim once. I give two walks both of them to Bush but he is such a littleguy that you can't pitch to him.
When I was warming up before the game Callahan was standing beside meand pretty soon Jennings come over. Jennings says You ain't going topitch that bird are you? And Callahan said Yes he was. Then Jenningssays I wish you wouldn't because my boys is all tired out and can'trun the bases. Callahan says They won't get no chance to-day. No, saysJennings I suppose not. I suppose he will walk them all and they won'thave 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 theybetter stay away from the plate. Jennings says He won't never hurt myboys by beaning them. Then I cut in. Nor you neither, I says. Callahanlaughs at that so I guess I must of pulled a pretty good one. Jenningsdidn't have no comeback so he walks away.
Then Cobb come over and asked if I was going to work. Callahan told himYes. Cobb says How many innings? Callahan says All the way. Then Cobbsays Be a good fellow Cal and take him out early. I am lame and can'trun. I butts in then and said Don't worry, Cobb. You won't have to runbecause we have got a catcher who can hold them third strikes. Callahanlaughed again and says to me You sure did learn something out on thatCoast.
Well I walked Bush right off the real and they all begun to holler onthe Detroit bench There he goes again. Vitt come up and Jennings yellsLeave your bat in the bag Osker. He can't get them over. But I got themover for that bird all O.K. and he pops out trying to bunt. And then Iwhiffed Crawford. He starts off with a foul that had me scared for aminute because it was pretty close to the foul line and it went clearout of the park. But he missed a spitter a foot and then I supprisedthem Al. I give him a slow ball and I honestly had to laugh to see himlunge for it. I bet he must of strained himself. He throwed his batway like he was mad and I guess he was. Cobb came pranceing up like healways 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 wasgoing I handed him a spitter. He hit it all right but it was a linedrive right in Chase's hands. He says Pretty lucky Boy but I will getyou 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 inningCallahan 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 ifSchalk had of let me throw him spitters instead of fast ones. At thatWeaver ought to of threw him out. Anyway they didn't score and we madea monkey out of Dubuque, or whatever his name is.
Well Al I got back to the hotel and snuck down the street a ways andhad a couple of beers before supper. So I come to the supper table lateand Walsh tells me they had been several phone calls for me. I go downto the desk and they tell me to call up a certain number. So I calledup and they charged me a nickel for it. A girl's voice answers thephone and I says Was they some one there that wanted to talk to JackKeefe? She says You bet they is. She says Don't you know me, Jack? Thisis 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 Wellyou can't see me. She says Why what's the matter, Jack? What have Idid 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 nopostcard.
Then we argued along for a while and she swore up and down that shedidn't write me no postcard or call me no busher. I says Well then whydidn't you write me a letter when I was in Frisco? She says she hadlost my address. Well Al I don't know if she was telling me the truthor not but may be she didn't write that postcard after all. She wascrying over the telephone so I says Well it is too late for I and youto get together because I am engaged to be married. Then she screamedand I hang up the receiver. She must of called back two or three timesbecause they was calling my name round the hotel but I wouldn't go nearthe phone. You know me Al.
Well when I hang up and went back to finish my supper the dining roomwas locked. So I had to go out and buy myself a sandwich. They soakedme fifteen cents for a sandwich and a cup of coffee so with the nickelfor the phone I am out twenty cents altogether for nothing. But then Iwould 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 Hazelin Cleveland and maybe Violet will write to me too. She is stuck on meall right Al. I can see that. And I don't believe she could of wrotethat postcard after all.
Yours truly, JACK.
_Boston, Massachusetts, September 12._
OLD PAL: Well Al I got a letter from Hazel in Cleveland and she iscomeing
to Chi in October for the city serious. She asked me to sendher a hundred dollars for her fare and to buy some cloths with. I senther thirty dollars for the fare and told her she could wait till shegot to Chi to buy her cloths. She said she would give me the money backas soon as she seen me but she is a little short now because one ofher girl friends borrowed fifty off of her. I guess she must be prettysoft-hearted Al. I hope you and Bertha can come up for the weddingbecause 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 likeshe had been crying. She swore she did not write that postcard and saidshe would die if I didn't believe her. She wants to know who the luckygirl is who I am engaged to be married to. I believe her Al when shesays she did not write that postcard but it is too late now. I will letyou 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 goingawful bad in Cleveland and I relieved him in the eighth when we had alead of two runs. I put them out in one-two-three order in the eighthbut had hard work in the ninth due to rotten support. I walked Johnstonand Chapman and Turner sacrificed them ahead. Jackson come up thenand I had two strikes on him. I could of whiffed him but Schalk makesme give him a fast one when I wanted to give him a slow one. He hitit to Berger and Johnston ought to of been threw out at the plate butBerger fumbles and then has to make the play at first base. He gotJackson all O.K. but they was only one run behind then and Chapman wason third base. Lajoie was up next and Callahan sends out word for meto walk him. I thought that was rotten manageing because Lajoie or noone else can hit me when I want to cut loose. So after I give him twobad balls I tried to slip over a strike on him but the lucky stiff hitit on a line to Weaver. Anyway the game was over and I felt prettygood. But Callahan don't appresiate good work Al. He give me a call inthe clubhouse and said if I ever disobeyed his orders again he wouldsuspend me without no pay and lick me too. Honest Al it was all I coulddo to keep from wrapping his jaw but Gleason winks at me not to donothing.
I worked the second game here and give them three hits two of which wasbunts that Lord ought to of eat up. I got better support in Frisco thanI been getting here Al. But I don't care. The Boston bunch couldn't ofhit me with a shovvel and we beat them two to nothing. I worked againstWood at that. They call him Smoky Joe and they say he has got a lot ofspeed.
Boston is some town, Al, and I wish you and Bertha could come heresometime. I went down to the wharf this morning and seen them unloadthe fish. They must of been a million of them but I didn't have time tocount them. Every one of them was five or six times as big as a bluegill.
Violet asked me what would be my address in New York City so I amdropping her a postcard to let her know all though I don't know whatgood it will do her. I certainly won't start no correspondents with hernow 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 youmust of saw about it in the Chi papers. At that they don't give me nofair show in the Chi papers. One of the boys bought one here and I seenin it where I was lucky to win that game in Cleveland. If I knowedwhich 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 neverseen nothing like it and I been going some since we got here. I walkeddown Broadway the Main Street last night and I run into a couple ofthe ball players and they took me to what they call the Garden but itain't like the gardens at home because this one is indoors. We satdown to a table and had several drinks. Pretty soon one of the boysasked me if I was broke and I says No, why? He says You better get somelubricateing oil and loosen up. I don't know what he meant but prettysoon when we had had a lot of drinks the waiter brings a check andhands it to me. It was for one dollar. I says Oh I ain't paying for allof them. The waiter says This is just for that last drink.
I thought the other boys would make a holler but they didn't saynothing. So I give him a dollar bill and even then he didn't actsatisfied so I asked him what he was waiting for and he said Ohnothing, kind of sassy. I was going to bust him but the boys give methe sign to shut up and not to say nothing. I excused myself prettysoon because I wanted to get some air. I give my check for my hat to aboy and he brought my hat and I started going and he says Haven't youforgot 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 andasked me did I want to go to the show. He said he had a ticket. I askedhim what show and he said the Follies. I never heard of it but I toldhim I would go if he had a ticket to spare. He says I will spare youthis 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 ofinsulted me I would of busted him.
I went back to the hotel then and run into Kid Gleason. He asked meto take a walk with him so out I go again. We went to the corner andhe bought me a beer. He don't drink nothing but pop himself. The twodrinks was only ten cents so I says This is the place for me. He saysWhere have you been? and I told him about paying one dollar for threedrinks. He says I see I will have to take charge of you. Don't go roundwith them ball players no more. When you want to go out and see thesights come to me and I will stear you. So to-night he is going tostear 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. Weall been loafing round the hotel all day and I am glad of it becauseI got all tired out over in New York City. I and Kid Gleason wentround together the last couple of nights over there and he wouldn'tlet me spend no money. I seen a lot of girls that I would of liked toof got acquainted with but he wouldn't even let me answer them whenthey spoke to me. We run in to a couple of peaches last night and theyhad us spotted too. One of them says I'll bet you're a couple of ballplayers. But Kid says You lose your bet. I am a bellhop and the bigrube with me is nothing but a pitcher.
One of them says What are you trying to do kid somebody? He says Gohome and get some soap and remove your disguise from your face. Ididn't think he ought to talk like that to them and I called him aboutit and said maybe they was lonesome and it wouldn't hurt none if wetreated them to a soda or something. But he says Lonesome. If I don'tget you away from here they will steal everything you got. They won'teven leave you your fast ball. So we left them and he took me to apicture show. It was some California pictures and they made me think ofHazel 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 waspretty tired anyway because he had walked me all over town. I guess wemust of saw twenty shows. He says I would take you to the grand operaonly it would be throwing money away because we can hear Ed Walsh fornothing. Walsh has got some voice Al a loud high tenor.
To-morrow is Sunday and we have a double header Monday on account ofthe rain to-day. I thought sure I would get another chance to beat theAthaletics and I asked Callahan if he was going to pitch me here but hesaid 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 beathim 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 feellike crying. I wish they was two of me so both them girls could behappy.
_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 Ididn't tire myself out because I am going to pitch against Johnson thisafternoon.
This is the prettiest town I ever seen but I believe they is morecolored people here than they is in Evansville or Chi. I seen the WhiteHouse and the Monumunt. They say that Bill Sullivan and Gabby St. oncecatched a baseball that was threw off of the to
p of the Monumunt but Ibet they couldn't catch it if I throwed it.
I was in to breakfast this morning with Gleason and Bodie and Weaverand Fournier. Gleason says I'm supprised that you ain't sick in bedto-day. I says Why?
He says Most of our pitchers gets sick when Cal tells them they aregoing to work against Johnson. He says Here's these other fellows allfeeling pretty sick this morning and they ain't even pitchers. All theyhave to do is hit against him but it looks like as if Cal would have tosend substitutes in for them. Bodie is complaining of a sore arm whichhe must of strained drawing to two card flushes. Fournier and Weaverhave strained their legs doing the tango dance. Nothing could cure themexcept to hear that big Walter had got throwed out of his machine andwouldn'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 Iain't afraid to hit against him neither. Then Weaver says Have you eversaw him work? Yes, I says, I seen him in Chi. Then Weaver says Well ifyou have saw him work and ain't afraid to hit against him I'll bet youwould go down to Wall Street and holler Hurrah for Roosevelt. I saysNo I wouldn't do that but I ain't afraid of no pitcher and what is moreif you get me a couple of runs I'll beat him. Then Fournier says Oh wewill get you a couple of runs all right. He says That's just as easy ascatching whales with a angleworm.
Well Al I must close and go in and get some lunch. My arm feels greatand 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 notwo runs for me, only one, but I beat him just the same. I beat him oneto nothing and Callahan was so pleased that he give me a ticket to thetheater. I just got back from there and it is pretty late and I alreadyhave wrote you one letter to-day but I am going to sit up and tell youabout it.
It was cloudy before the game started and when I was warming up I madethe 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 Schaeferand Altrock got out on the infield and cut up and I pretty near bustedlaughing at them. They certainly is funny Al. Callahan asked me whatwas I laughing at and I told him and he says That's the first time Iever seen a pitcher laugh when he was going to work against Johnson. Hesays Griffith is a pretty good fellow to give us something to laugh atbefore he shoots that guy at us.
I warmed up good and told Schalk not to ask me for my spitter muchbecause my fast one looked faster than I ever seen it. He says itwon't make much difference what you pitch to-day. I says Oh, yes, itwill because Callahan thinks enough of me to work me against Johnsonand I want to show him he didn't make no mistake. Then Gleason says Nohe didn't make no mistake. Wasteing Cicotte or Scotty would of been amistake in this game.
Well, Johnson whiffs Weaver and Chase and makes Lord pop out in thefirst inning. I walked their first guy but I didn't give Milan nothingto bunt and finally he flied out. And then I whiffed the next two. Onthe bench Callahan says That's the way, boy. Keep that up and we got achance.
Johnson had fanned four of us when I come up with two out in the thirdinning and he whiffed me to. I fouled one though that if I had evergot a good hold of I would of knocked out of the park. In the firstseven innings we didn't have a hit off of him. They had got five orsix lucky ones off of me and I had walked two or three, but I cutloose with all I had when they was men on and they couldn't do nothingwith me. The only reason I walked so many was because my fast one wasjumping so. Honest Al it was so fast that Evans the umpire couldn't seeit half the time and he called a lot of balls that was right over theheart.
Well I come up in the eighth with two out and the score still nothingand nothing. I had whiffed the second time as well as the first but itwas account of Evans missing one on me. The eighth started with Shanksmuffing a fly ball off of Bodie. It was way out by the fence so he gottwo bases on it and he went to third while they was throwing Bergerout. Then Schalk whiffed.
Callahan says Go up and try to meet one Jack. It might as well be youas anybody else. But your old pal didn't whiff this time Al. He getstwo strikes on me with fast ones and then I passed up two bad ones. Itook my healthy at the next one and slapped it over first base. I guessI 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 onewe 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 waspretty dark then and I made McBride and their catcher look like suckerswith 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 poorlittle Violet. I don't care nothing about her but it don't hurt me noneto try and cheer her up once in a while. We leave here Thursday nightfor home and they had ought to be two or three letters there for mefrom Hazel because I haven't heard from her lately. She must of lost myroad addresses.
Your pal, JACK.
P.S. I forgot to tell you what Callahan said after the game. He said Iwas 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 guessshe must of been sick. Or maybe she didn't think it was worth whilewriteing 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 canfind 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. Oldman 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 howmuch rent they want Al and if it is not no more than twelve dollars amonth get it for me. We will buy our furniture here in Chi when Hazelcomes.
We have a couple of days off now Al and then we play St. Louis twogames here. Then Detroit comes to finish the season the third andfourth of October.
Your pal, JACK.
_Chicago, Illinois, October 3._
DEAR OLD AL: Thanks Al for getting the house. The one-year lease isO.K. You and Bertha and me and Hazel can have all sorts of good timestogether. I guess the walk needs repairs but I can fix that up when Icome. 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 wantyou and Bertha to be sure and come up for our wedding. I will let youknow the date as soon as Hazel gets here.
The serious starts Tuesday and this town is wild over it. The Cubsfinished second in their league and we was fifth in ours but that don'tscare me none. We would of finished right on top if I had of been hereall season.
Callahan pitched one of the bushers against Detroit this afternoon andthey beat him bad. Callahan is saveing up Scott and Allen and Russelland Cicotte and I for the big show. Walsh isn't in no shape and neitheris Benz. It looks like I would have a good deal to do because most ofthem others can't work no more than once in four days and Allen ain'tno good at all.
We have a day to rest after to-morrow's game with the Tigers and thenwe go at them Cubs.
Your pal, JACK.
P.S. I have got it figured that Hazel is fixing to surprise me bydropping 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 andtied up the serious. But I have still got plenty of time Al and I willget them before it is over. My arm wasn't feeling good Al and my fastball didn't hop like it had ought to. But it was the rotten support Igot that beat me. That lucky stiff Zimmerman was the only guy that gota real hit off of me and he must of shut his eyes and throwed his batbecause the ball he hit was a foot over his head. And if they hadn'tbeen makeing all them errors behind me they wouldn't of been nobody onbases when Zimme
rman got that lucky scratch. The serious now standsone and one Al and it is a cinch we will beat them even if they are abunch of lucky stiffs. They has been great big crowds at both games andit looks like as if we should ought to get over eight hundred dollarsa peace if we win and we will win sure because I will beat them threestraight if necessary.
But Al I have got bigger news than that for you and I am the happyestman in the world. I told you I had not heard from Hazel for a longtime. To-night when I got back to my room they was a letter waiting forme from her.
Al she is married. Maybe you don't know why that makes me happy but Iwill tell you. She is married to Kid Levy the middle weight. I guessmy thirty dollars is gone because in her letter she called me a cheapskate and she inclosed one one-cent stamp and two twos and said shewas paying me for the glass of beer I once bought her. I bought hermore than that Al but I won't make no holler. She all so said not forme to never come near her or her husband would bust my jaw. I ain'tafraid of him or no one else Al but they ain't no danger of me everbothering them. She was no good and I was sorry the minute I agreed tomarry her.
But I was going to tell you why I am happy or maybe you can guess. NowI can make Violet my wife and she's got Hazel beat forty ways. Sheain't nowheres near as big as Hazel but she's classier Al and she willmake 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 tocome on over here at once at my expense. We will be married right afterthe serious is over and I want you and Bertha to be sure and stand upwith us. I will wire you at my own expence the exact date.
It all seems like a dream now about Violet and I haveing ourmisunderstanding Al and I don't see how I ever could of accused her ofsending me that postcard. You and Bertha will be just as crazy abouther as I am when you see her Al. Just think Al I will be married insideof a week and to the only girl I ever could of been happy with insteadof the woman I never really cared for except as a passing fancy. Myhappyness would be complete Al if I had not of let that woman stealthirty dollars off of me.
Your happy pal, JACK.
P.S. Hazel probibly would of insisted on us takeing a trip to Niagarafalls or somewheres but I know Violet will be perfectly satisfied if Itake 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 andwill wind up the serious to-morrow sure. Callahan sent me in to savepoor Allen yesterday and I stopped them dead. But I don't care nowAl. I have lost all interest in the game and I don't care if Callahanpitches me to-morrow or not. My heart is just about broke Al and Iwouldn'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 thehappyest man in the world. We will get the big money but it won't do meno good. They can keep my share because I won't have no little girl tospend it on.
Her answer to my letter was waiting for me at home to-night. She isengaged to be married to Joe Hill the big lefthander Jennings got fromProvidence. Honest Al I don't see how he gets by. He ain't got no morecurve ball than a rabbit and his fast one floats up there like a bigballoon. He beat us the last game of the regular season here but it wasbecause 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 madeCallahan pitch me against him. And when he come up to bat I would ofbeaned him. But I don't suppose you could hurt him by hitting him inthe head. The big stiff. Their wedding ain't going to come off tillnext summer and by that time he will be pitching in the SouthwesternTexas League for about fifty dollars a month.
Violet wrote that she wished me all the luck and happyness in the worldbut it is too late for me to be happy Al and I don't care what kind ofluck I have now.
Al you will have to get rid of that lease for me. Fix it up the bestway you can. Tell the old man I have changed my plans. I don't knowjust yet what I will do but maybe I will go to Australia with MikeDonlin's team. If I do I won't care if the boat goes down or not. Idon't believe I will even come back to Bedford this winter. It woulddrive me wild to go past that little house every day and think howhappy I might of been.
Maybe I will pitch to-morrow Al and if I do the serious will be overto-morrow night. I can beat them Cubs if I get any kind of decentsupport. 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 Iwill have to try and rent the house to some one else. Do you know ofany couple that wants one Al? It looks like I would have to come downthere myself and fix things up someway. He is just mean enough to stickme 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 itrained 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 pitcherswas all shot to peaces and the bad weather is just nuts for thembecause it will give Cheney a good rest. But I will beat him Al if theydon't kick it away behind me.
I must close because I promised Allen the little lefthander that Iwould come over to his flat and play cards a while to-night and I mustwash up and change my collar. Allen's wife's sister is visiting themagain and I would give anything not to have to go over there. I amthrough 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 dreamtabout Violet last night and went out and got a couple of high ballsbefore breakfast this morning. I hadn't never drank nothing beforebreakfast 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 Idone it. I may be home the day after to-morrow or I may not come for acouple of days. I want to see Comiskey before I leave and fix up aboutmy contract for next year. I won't sign for no less than five thousandand if he hands me a contract for less than that I will leave the WhiteSox flat on their back. I have got over fourteen hundred dollars nowAl with the city serious money which was $814.30 and I don't have toworry.
Them reporters will have to give me a square deal this time Al. I hadeverything and the Cubs done well to score a run. I whiffed Zimmermanthree times. Some of the boys say he ain't no hitter but he is a hitterand a good one Al only he could not touch the stuff I got. The umpsgive them their run because in the fourth inning I had Leach flatfootedoff of second base and Weaver tagged him O.K. but the umps wouldn'tcall it. Then Schulte the lucky stiff happened to get a hold of one andpulled it past first base. I guess Chase must of been asleep. Anywaythey scored but I don't care because we piled up six runs on Cheney andI drove in one of them myself with one of the prettiest singles youever see. It was a spitter and I hit it like a shot. If I had hit itsquare it would of went out of the park.
Comiskey ought to feel pretty good about me winning and I guess he willgive me a contract for anything I want. He will have to or I will go tothe Federal League.
We are all invited to a show to-night and I am going with Allen and hiswife and her sister Florence. She is O.K. Al and I guess she thinks thesame about me. She must because she was out to the game to-day and seenme hand it to them. She maybe ain't as pretty as Violet and Hazel butas they say beauty isn't only so deep.
Well Al tell the boys I will be with them soon. I have gave up the ideaof going to Australia because I would have to buy a evening full-dresssuit 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 Aland I have got the supprise of your life for you.
When I come home to Bedford I will bring my wife with me. I andFlorence fixed things all up after the show last night and we are goingto be married to-morrow morning. I am a busy man t
o-day Al because Ihave got to get the license and look round for furniture. And I havealso got to buy some new cloths but they are haveing a sale on CottageGrove 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 andFlorence will have all kinds of good times together this winter becauseI know Bertha and Florence will like each other. Florence lookssomething like Bertha at that. I am glad I didn't get tied up withViolet or Hazel even if they was a little bit prettier than Florence.
Florence knows a lot about baseball for a girl and you would besupprised to hear her talk. She says I am the best pitcher in theleague and she has saw them all. She all so says I am the best lookingball player she ever seen but you know how girls will kid a guy Al. Youwill 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 Iwent in to see him and told me I would be a star next year if I tookgood care of myself. I guess I am a star without waiting for nextyear Al. My contract calls for twenty-eight hundred a year which is athousand more than I was getting. And it is pretty near a cinch that Iwill be in on the World Serious money next season.
P.S. I certainly am relieved about that lease. It would of been fierceto of had that place on my hands all winter and not getting any use outof it. Everything is all O.K. now. Oh you little yellow house.
