Along Came Ruth
Friend Al: Well Al this is our last day here and we win the 1st 2 games and lose yesterday and have got 1 more game to play and tonight we leave for Detroit. Well if we lose today we will have a even break on the serious and a club that can’t do no better then break even with this St. Louis club better take up some other line of business but Gleason instead of useing a little judgement sent a left hander in against them yesterday and they certainly give him a welcome and the more I see of left handers I am certainly glad I pitch with my right arm the way God intended for a man.
Well the boys on our club was feeling pretty cocky the 1st 2 days about how they could hit but yesterday they could of played in a 16 ft. ring without no ground rules as the most of the time they was missing the ball all together and when they did hit it it acted like a geyser and it was Bert Gallia pitching against us and they all kept saying he didn’t have nothing but when he got through with us we didn’t have nothing either and that’s the way it always goes when a pitcher makes a sucker out of a club he didn’t have nothing but when they knock him out of the park he’s pretty good.
Well any way I told Gleason last night that it looked like we wouldn’t get no better then a even break here unless he stuck me in there to pitch the last game today. So he says “No I was figureing on you to open up in Detroit Sunday but of course if you are afraid of Detroit I can make different plans.” So I said “I am not afraid of Detroit or nobody else and you know yourself that they can’t no club beat me the way I am going whether its Detroit or no matter who it is.” So he said “All right then keep your mouth shut about who is going to pitch because if you are going to manage the club I won’t have no job left.” Well let him try and run the ball club the way he wants to but if I was running the ball club and had a pitcher that is going the way I am going I would work him every other day and get a start on the other clubs as the games we win now counts just as much as the games we win in Sept.
Well Al Florrie went back to Chi last night though I wanted her to stick with the club and go on to Detroit with us but she said she had to get back, and tend to business at the beauty parlor so I told Gleason that and he said he was sorry she was going to leave us as it was a releif for him to look at something pretty once in a wile when most of the time he had to watch ball players but he admired her for tending to business and he wished it run in the family. He says “You should ought to be thankfull that your Mrs. is what she is as most wifes is a drug on their husband but your Mrs. makes more jack then you and if she give up her business it would keep you hustleing to make both ends meet the other, where if you missed a meal some time and died from it your family would be that much ahead.” So I said “Yes and that is because your cheap skate ball club is only paying me a salary of $2,400.00 per annum instead of somewheres near what I am worth.” So he said “I have all ready told you that if you keep working hard and show me something I will tear up your contract and give you a good one but before I do it I will half to find out if you are going to win ball games for me or just use up 1 lower birth like in old times.” So I told him to shut his mouth.
Well Al I thought the war with Germany was all over but Joe Jenkins joined the club here and now the whole war is being played over again. He is 1 of the catchers on the club and he was in France and if they was any battles he wasn’t in its because he can’t pronounce them but anybody that thinks the U.S. troop movements was slow over there ought to listen to some of these birds that’s came back and some of them was at Verdun 1 evening and Flanders the next a.m. then down to Nice the next day for a couple hours rest and up in the Oregon forest the folling afternoon and etc. till its no wonder the Germans was dazzled. If some of these birds that was in the war could get around the bases like they did around the western front all as the catchers would dast do when they started to steal second base would be walk up the base line towards third with the ball in their hand and try to scare them from comeing all the way home.
Well its Detroit tomorrow and 3 more days after that and then home and I haven’t been there since the middle of March and I guess they’s 2 kids that won’t be tickled to death to see sombeody eh Al?
Friend Al: Well old pal I suppose you read in the papers what come off here yesterday and I guess Gleason won’t have no more to say after this about me being afraid of Detroit. The shoe points the other way now and Detroit is the one that’s afraid of me and no wonder.
I didn’t have the stuff that I had down to St. Louis for the opening but I had enough to make a monkey out of Cobb and Veach and I couldn’t help from feeling sorry for this new outfielder they have got name Flagstaff or something and I guess he was about half mast before I got through with him.
Well its a cinch now that I will open in Chi Thursday and I will give St. Louis another spanking and then I will make Gleason come acrost with that contract he has been promiseing me and if he trys to stall I will tell him he must either give me the jack or trade me to some other club and he has got good sence even if he don’t act like it sometimes and they’s a fine chance of him tradeing me though they’s 7 other clubs in this league that would jump at it and Detroit is 1 of them though the Detroit club would be takeing a big chance if they got a hold of somebody that could realy pitch as the fans up here would die from surprise.
Well I had a letter from Florrie today and it was just like the most of her letters when you got through reading it you wondered what she had in mind and about all as she said was that she had a surprise to tell me when I got home and I use to get all excited when she wrote about them surprises but now I can guess what it is. She probably seen a roach in the apartment or something and any way I guess I can wait till I get home and not burn up the wires trying to find out before hand.
Friend Al: Well Al we leave for home tonight and open up the season in Chi tomorrow but I won’t be out there pitching unless Gleason apologizes for what he pulled on me last night. It was more rotten weather yesterday just like we been haveing ever since the 1st day in St. Louis and I near froze to death setting out there on the bench so when we come back to the hotel they was a friend of mine here in Detroit waiting for me here in the lobby and he come up in the room with me and I was still shivering yet with the cold and he said how would I like something to warm me up. So I said “That’s a fine line of talk to hand out in a dry town.” So he said I could easy get a hold of some refreshments if I realy wanted some and all as I would half to do would be call a bell hop and tell him what I wanted.
Well I felt like a good shot would just about save my life so I called a boy and told him to go fetch me some bourbon and he said OK and he went out and come back in about a half hr. and he had a qt. with him and I asked him how much did we owe him and he said $15.00. How is that for reasonable Al and I guess it was the liquor men themselfs that voted Michigan dry and you can’t blame them. Well my friend seemed to of had a stroke in his arm so as he couldn’t even begin to reach in his pocket so I dug down and got 15 berrys and handed it to the kid and he still stood there yet like he expected a tip so I told him to beat it or I would tip him 1 in the jaw.
Well I asked my friend would he have a shot and his arm was OK again and he took the bottle and went to it without waiting for no glass or nothing but he got the neck of the bottle caught in his teeth and before he could pry it loose they was about a quarter of the bourbon gone.
Well I was just going to pore some of it out for myself and all of a sudden they come a rap at the door and I said come in and who walked in but Gleason. So I asked him what did he want.
So he said “Well you wasn’t the 1st one in the dinning rm. so I thought you must be pretty sick so I come up to see what was the matter.” Well it was to late to hide the bottle and he come over to the table where I was setting and picked it up and looked at it and then he pored out a couple drops in the glass and tasted it and said it tastes like pretty good stuff. So I said it ought to be pretty good stuff as it cost enough jack so he asked me how much and I told him $15.00.
So he said “Well they’s some of the newspaper boys has been asking me to try and get a hold of some stuff for them so I will just take this along.”
So I said I guest the newspaper boys could write crazy enough without no help from the Michigan boot legs and besides the bottle belongs to me as I payed good money for it. So Gleason said “Oh I wouldn’t think of stealing it off of you but I will take it and pay you for it. You say it cost $15.00 but they’s only about $11.00 and a half worth of it left so I will settle with you for $11.00 and a half.” Well I didn’t want to quarrel with him in the front of a outsider so I didn’t say nothing and he took the bottle and started out of the rm. and I said hold on a minute where is my $11.00 and a half? So he said “Oh I am going to fine you $11.00 and a half for haveing liquor in your rm. but instead of takeing the fine out of your check I will take what’s left in the bottle and that makes us even.” So he walked out.
Well Al only for my friend being here in the rm. I would of took the bottle away from Gleason and cracked his head open with it but I didn’t want to make no seen before a outsider as he might tell it around and people would say the White Sox players was fighting with their mgr. So I left Gleason get away with $11.00 and a half worth of bourbon that I payed $15.00 for it and never tasted it and don’t know now if it was bourbon or cat nip.
Well my friend said “What kind of a bird are you to let a little scrimp like that make a monkey out of you?” So I said I didn’t want to make no seen in the hotel. So he said “Well if it had of been me I would of made a seen even if it was in church.” So I says “Well they’s no danger of you ever haveing a chance to make a seen in church and a specialy with Gleason but if you did make a seen with Gleason you would be in church 3 days later and have a box right up close to the front.”
Well Al I have told Gleason before this all ready that I would stand for him manageing me out on the old ball field but I wouldn’t stand for him trying to run my private affairs and this time I mean it and if he don’t apologize this p.m. or tonight on the train he will be shy of a pitcher tomorrow and will half to open up the home season with 1 of them other 4 flushers that claims they are pitchers but if Jackson and Collins didn’t hit in 7 or 8 runs every day they would be beating rugs in the stead of ball clubs.
Well any way we go home tonight and tomorrow I will be where it don’t cost no $15.00 per qt. and if Gleason walks in on me he can’t only rob me of $.20 worth at a time unless he operates.
Friend Al: Well Al I have just now came back from the ball pk. and will set down and write you a few lines before supper. I give the St. Louis club another good trimming today Al and that is 3 games I have pitched and win them all and only 1 run scored off of me in all 3 games together and that was the 1 the St. Louis club got today and they wouldn’t of never had that if Felsch had of been playing right for Tobin. But 1 run off of me in 3 games is going some and I should worry how many runs they scratch in as long as I win the ball game.
Well you know we was to open up here Thursday and it rained and we opened yesterday and I was waiting for Gleason to tell me I was going to pitch and then I was going to tell him I would pitch if he would apologize to me for what he done in Detroit but instead of picking me to pitch he picked Lefty Williams and the crowd was sore at him for not picking me and before the 1st inning was over he was sore at himself and Lefty was enjoying the shower bath. Gallia give us another beating and after it was over Gleason come up to me in the club house and said he was going to start me today. So I said “How about what you pulled on me in Detroit?” So he says “Do you mean about grabbing that bottle off of you?” So I said yes and he says “Look at here Jack you have got a great chance to get somewheres this yr. and if you keep on pitching like the way you started you will make a name for yourself and I will see that you get the jack. But you can’t do it and be stewed all the wile so that is the reason I took that bottle off of you.” So I said “They’s no danger of me being stewed all the wile or any part of the wile when bourbon is $15.00 per qt. and me getting a bat boy’s salery.” So he said “Well you lay off of the old burb and pitch baseball and you won’t be getting no bat boy’s salery. And besides I have told the newspaper boys that you are going to pitch and it will be in the morning papers and if you don’t pitch the bugs will jump out of the stand and knock me for a gool.” So as long as he put it up to me that way I couldn’t do nothing only say all right.
So sure enough it come out in the papers this a.m. that I was going to pitch and you ought to seen the crowd out there today Al and you ought to heard them when my name was gave out to pitch and when I walked out there on the field. Well I got away to a bad start you might say as Felsch wasn’t laying right for Tobin and he got a two base hit on a ball that Felsch ought to of caught in his eye and then after I got rid of Gedeon this Sisler hit at a ball he couldn’t hardly reach and it dropped over third base and Tobin scored and after that I made a monkey out of them and the 1st time I come up to bat the fans give me a traveling bag and I suppose they think I have been running around the country all these yrs. with my night gown in a peach basket but I suppose we can give it to 1 of Florrie’s friends next xmas and besides it shows the fans of old Chi have got a warm spot for old Jack.
Speaking about Florrie Al when we was in Detroit she wrote and said she had a surprise for me and I thought little Al had picked up a couple hives or something but no it seems like wile I was on the road she met some partys that runs a beauty parlor down town and they wanted she should sell her interest in the one out south and go in pardners with them and they would give her a third interest for $3,000.00 and pay her a salery of $300.00 per mo. and a share of the receits and she could pay for her interest on payments. So she asked me what I thought about it and I said if I was her I would stick to what she had where she was makeing so good but no matter what I thought she would do like she felt like so what was the use of asking me so she said she didn’t like to make a move without consulting me. That’s a good one Al as the only move she ever made and did consult me about it was when we got married and then it wouldn’t of made no differents to her what I said.
Well she will do as she pleases and if she goes into this here down town parlor and gets stung we should worry as I will soon be getting real jack and it looks like a cinch we would be in the world serious besides, and besides that the kids would be better off if she was out of business and could be home with them more as the way it is now they don’t hardly ever see anybody only the Swede nurse and 1st thing as we know they will be saying I ban this and I ban that and staying away from the bldg. all the wile like the janitor.
Friend Al: 4 straight now Al. How is that for a way to start out the season? It was Detroit again today and that is twice I have beat them and twice I have beat St. Louis and it don’t look like I was never going to stop. They got 2 runs off of me today but it was after we had 7 and had them licked and I kind of eased up to save the old souper for the Cleveland serious. But I wished you could of heard the 1 I pulled on Cobb. You know I have always kind of had him on the run ever since I come in the league and he would as leaf have falling archs as see me walk out there to pitch.
Well the 1st time he come up they was 2 out and no one on and I had him 2 strikes and nothing and in place of monking with him I stuck a fast one right through the groove and he took it for a third strike. Well he come up again in the 4th inning and little Bush was on third base and 1 out and Cobb hit the 1st ball and hit it pretty good towards left field but Weaver jumped up and stabbed it with his glove hand and then stepped on third base and the side was out. Well Cobb hollered at me and said “You didn’t put that strike acrost on me.” So I said “No why should I put strikes acrost on you when I can hit your bat and get 2 out at a time?” You ought to of heard the boys give him the laugh.
Well he hit one for 3 bases in the 7th inning with Bush and Ellison both on and that’s how they got their 2 runs but he wouldn’t of never hit the ball only I eased up on acct. of the lead we had and besides I felt sorry for him on acct. of the way the crowd was rideing him. So wile he was standing over there on third base I said “You wouldn’t of hit that one Ty only I eased up.” So he said “Yes I knew you was easeing up and I wouldn’t take advantage of you so that’s why I bunted.”
Well 1 more game with Detroit and then we go down to Cleveland and visit Mr. Speaker and the rest of the boys and Speaker hasn’t been going any to good against them barbers that’s supposed to pitch for Detroit and St. Louis so God help him when he runs up against Williams and Cicotte and I.
Friend Al: Well Gleason told me today he wasn’t going to pitch me here till the Sunday game to get the crowd. We have broke even on the 2 games so far and ought to of win them both only for bad pitching but we can’t expect to win them all and you really can’t blame the boys for not pitching baseball when we run into weather like we have got down here and it seems like every place we go its colder then where we just come from and I have heard about people going crazy with the heat but we will all be crazy with the cold if it keeps up like this way and Speaker was down to our hotel last night and said the Cleveland club had a couple of bushers from the Southren league that’s all ready lost their mind and he told us what they pulled off wile the St. Louis club was here.
Well it seems like Cleveland was beat to death 1 day and they thought they would give some of the regulars a rest and they put in a young catcher name Drew and the 1st time he come up to bat they was men on first and second and 1 out and Sothoron was pitching for St. Louis and 1 of the St. Louis infielders yelled at him “Don’t worry about this bird as he will hit into a double play.” Well Drew stood up there and took 3 strikes without never takeing the bat off his shoulder so then he come back to the bench and said “Well I crossed them on their double play.”
Well in another game Bagby was pitching and he had them licked 8 to 1 in the 7th inning and he had a bad finger so they took him out and sent in a busher name Francis to finish the game. Well he got through 1 inning and when he come up to hit they was a man on 3rd base and 2 out and Davenport was pitching for St. Louis and he was kind of wild and he throwed 3 balls to Francis. So then he throwed a strike and Francis took it and then he throwed one that was over the kid’s head but he took a cut at it and hit it over Tobin’s head and made 3 bases on it. So when the inning was over Larry Gardner heard him calling himself names and balling himself out and Larry asked him what was the matter and he said he was just thinking that if he had of left that ball go by he would of had a base on balls.
Well I had a letter from Florrie today and she has closed up that deal and sold out her interest in the place out near home and went in pardners in that place down town and she said she thought it was a wise move and she would clean up a big bunch of jack and it won’t only take her a little wile to pay for her interest in the new parlor as with what she had saved up and what she got out of the other joint she had over $2,000.00 cash to start in with.
Well I don’t know who her new pardners is but between you and I it looks to me like she was pulling a boner to leave a place where she knew her pardners was friends and go into pardners with a couple women that’s probably old hands at the game and maybe wanted some new capital or something and are libel to get her role and then can her out of the firm but as I say they’s no use me trying to tell her what to do and I might just is well tell Gleason to take Collins off of second base and send for Jakey Atz.
Well Al nothing to do till Sunday and if I beat them it will make me 5 straight and you can bet I will beat them Al as I am going like a crazy man and they can’t no club stop me.
Friend Al: Well old pal its kind of late to be setting up writeing a letter but I had a little run in with Florrie tonight and I don’t feel like I could go to sleep and besides I don’t half to work tomorrow as I win yesterday’s game in Cleveland and Gleason is saveing me for the Boston serious.
Well we got in from Cleveland early this a.m. and of course I hurried right home and I was here before 8 o’clock but the Swede said Florrie had left home before 7 as she didn’t want to be late on the new job and she would call me up dureing the forenoon. Well it got pretty near time to start over to the ball pk. before the phone rung and it was Florrie and I asked her if she wasn’t going to congratulate me and she says what for and I said for what I done in Cleveland yesterday and she said she hadn’t had time to look at the paper. So I told her I had win my 5th straight game and she acted about as interested as if I said we had a new mail man so I got kind of sore and told her I would half to hang up and go over to the ball pk. So she said she would see me at supper and we hung up.
Well we had a long game this p.m. and it seemed longer on acct. of how anxious I was to get back home and when I finely got here it was half past 6 and no Florrie. Well the Swede said she had called up and said she had to stay down town and have supper with some business friends and she would try and be home early this evening.
Well the kids was put in bed and I tried to set down and eat supper alone and they didn’t nothing taste right and finaly I give it up and put on my hat and went out and went in a picture show but it was as old as Pat and Mike so I blew it and went in Kramer’s to get a couple drinks but I had kind of promised Gleason to lay off of the hard stuff and you take the beer you get now days and its cheaper to stay home and draw it out of the sink so I come back here and it was 8 bells and still no Florrie.
Well I set down and picked up the evening paper and all of a sudden the phone rung and it was a man’s voice and he wanted to know if Mrs. Keefe had got home. So I done some quick thinking and I said “Yes she is here who wants her?” So he said “That’s all right. I just wanted to know if she got home OK.” So I said who is it but he had hung up. Well I rung central right back and asked her where that party had called from and she said she didn’t know and I asked her what and the he‑ll she did know and she begun to play some jazz on my ear drum so I hung up.
Well in about 10 minutes more Florrie come in and come running over to give me a smack like usual when I get back off a trip. But she didn’t get by with it. So she asked what was the matter. So I said “They’s nothing the matter only they was a bird called up here a wile ago and wanted to know if you was home.” So she says “Well what of it?” So I said “I suppose he was 1 of them business friends that you had to stay down town to supper with them.” So she said “Maybe he was.” So I said “Well you ought to know if he was or not.” So she says “Do you think I can tell you who all the people are that calls me up when I haven’t even heard their voice? I don’t even know a one of the girls that keeps calling up and asking for you.” So I said “They don’t no gals call up here and ask for me because they have got better sence but even if they did I couldn’t help it as they see me out there on the ball field and want to get aquainted.”
Then she swelled up and says “It may be hard for you to believe but there is actualy men that want to get aquainted with me even if they never did see me out there on the ball field.” So I said “You tell me who this bird is that called up on the phone.” Soshesaid “I thought they was only the 2 babys in this apartment but it seems like there is 3.” So then she went in her rm. and shut the door.
Well Al that’s the way it stands and if it wasn’t for the kiddies I would pack up and move somewheres else but kiddies or no kiddies she has got to explain herself tomorrow morning and meanwile Al you should ought to thank God that you married a woman that isn’t flighty and what if a wife ain’t the best looker in the world if she has got something under her hat besides marcel wavers?
Friend Al: Well old pal it looks like your old pal was through working for nothing you might say and by tomorrow night I will be signed up to a new contract calling for a $600.00 raise or $3,000.00 per annum. I guess I have all ready told you that Gleason promised to see that I got real jack provide it I showed I wasn’t no flash out of the pan and this noon we come to a definite understanding.
We was to open against the Boston club and I called him to 1 side in the club house and asked him if I was to pitch the game. So he says you can suit yourself. So I asked him what he meant and he said “I am going to give you a chance to get real money. If you win your game against the Boston club I will tear up your old contract and give you a contract for $3,000.00. And you can pick your own spot. You can work against them today or you can work against them tomorrow just as you feel like. They will probably pitch Mays against us today and Ruth tomorrow and you can take your choice.” Well Al Mays has always been good against our club and besides my old souper is better this kind of weather the longer I give it a rest so after I thought it over I said I would wait and pitch against Ruth tomorrow. So tomorrow is my big day and you know what I will do to them old pal and if the boys only gets 1 run behind me that is all as I ask.
That’s all we got today Al was 1 run but Eddie Cicotte was in there with everything and the 1 run was a plenty. They was only 1 time when they had a chance and it looked that time like they couldn’t hardly help from scoreing but Eddie hates to beat this Boston club on acct. they canned him once and he certainly give a exhibition in there that I would of been proud of myself. This inning I am speaking of Scott got on and Schang layed down a bunt and Eddie tried to force Scott at second base but he throwed bad and the ball went to center field and Scott got around to third and Schang to second and they wasn’t nobody out. Well Mays hit a fly ball to Jackson but it was so short that Scott didn’t dast go in. Then Hooper popped up to Collins and Barry hit the 1st ball and fouled out to Schalkie. Some pitching eh Al and that is the kind I will show them tomorrow. And another thing Eddie done was make a monkey out of Ruth and struck him out twice and they claim he is a great hitter Al but all you half to do is pitch right to him and pitch the ball anywheres but where he can get a good cut at it.
Well they never had another look in against Eddie and we got a run when Barry booted one on Collins and Jackson plastered one out between Ruth and Strunk for 2 bases.
Well Al I am feeling pretty good again as I and Florrie kind of made up our quarrel last night. She come home to supper and I was still acting kind of cross and she asked me if I was still mopping over that bird that called her up and I didn’t say nothing so she said “Well that was a man that was the husband of 1 of the girls I had supper with and he was there to and him and his wife wanted to bring me home but I told them I didn’t want nobody to bring me home so his wife probably told him to call up and see if I got home all right as they was worried.” So she asked me if I was satisfied and I said I guessed I was but why couldn’t she of told me that in the 1st place and she said because she liked to see me jealous. Well I left her think I was jealous but between you and I it was just a kind of a kid on my part as of course I knew all the wile that she was OK only I wanted to make her give in and I knew she would if I just held out and pretended like I was sore. Make them come to you Al is the way to get along with them.
I haven’t told Florrie what this game tomorrow means to us as I want to surprise her and if I win I will take her out somewheres on a party tomorrow night. And now old pal I must get to bed as I want to get a good rest before I tackle those birds. Oh you $600.00 baseball game.
Friend Al: Well Al I don’t care if school keeps or not and all as I wish is that I could get the flu or something and make a end out of it. I have quit the ball club Al and I have quit home and if I ever go back again to baseball it depends on whether I will have my kiddies to work for or whether they will be warded to her.
It all happened yesterday Al and I better start at the start and tell you what come off. Florrie had eat her breakfast and went down town before I got up but she left word with the ski jumper that she was going to try and get out to the ball game and maybe bring the rest of her pardners with her and show me off to them.
Well to make it a short story I was out to the pk. early and Gleason asked me how I felt and I told him fine and I certainly did Al and Danforth was working against us in batting practice to get us use to a left hander and I was certainly slapping the ball on the pick and Gleason said it looked like I was figureing on winning my own game. Well we got through our batting practice and I looked up to where Florrie usualy sets right in back of our bench but she wasn’t there but after a wile it come time for me to warm up and I looked over and Ruth was warming up for them so then I looked up in the stand again and there was Florrie. She was just setting down Al and she wasn’t alone.
Well Al I had to look up there twice to make sure I wasn’t looking cock eyed. But no I was seeing just what was there and what I seen was she and a man with her if that’s what you want to call him.
Well I guess I couldn’t of throwed more than 4 or 5 balls when I couldn’t stand it no more so I told Lynn to wait a minute and Gleason was busy hitting to the infield so I snuck out under the bench and under the stand and I seen 1 of the ushers and sent word up to Florrie to come down a minute as I wanted to see her. Well I waited and finely she come down and we come to the pt. without waisting no time. I asked her to explain herself and do it quick. So she said “You needn’t act so crazy as they’s nothing to explain. I said I was going to bring my pardner out here and the gentleman with me is him.” “Your pardner” I said “What does a man do in a beauty parlor?” “Well” she said “This man happens to do a whole lot.
“Besides owning two thirds of the business he is 1 of the best artists in the world on quaffs.” Well I asked her what and the he‑ll was quaffs and she said it meant fixing lady’s hair.
Well by this time Gleason had found out I wasn’t warming up and sent out to find me. So all as I had time to say was to tell her she better get that bird out of the stand before I come up there and quaffed him in the jaw. Then I had to leave her and go back on the field.
Well I throwed about a dozen more balls to Lynn and then I couldn’t throw no more and Gleason come over and asked me what was the matter and I told him nothing so he said “Are you warmed up enough?” and I said “I should say I am.”
Well Al to make it a short story pretty soon our names was announced to pitch and I walked out there on the field.
Well when I was throwing them practice balls to Schalk I didn’t know if he was behind the plate or up in Comiskey’s office and when Hooper stepped in the batters box I seen a dozen of him. Well I don’t know what was signed for but I throwed something up there and Hooper hit it to right field for 2 bases. Then I throwed something else to Barry and he cracked it out to Jackson on the 1st hop so fast that Hooper couldn’t only get to third base. Well wile Strunk was up there I guess I must of looked up in the stand again and any way the ball I pitched come closer to the barber then it did to Strunk and before they got it back in the game Hooper had scored and Barry was on third base.
Then Schalkie come running out and asked me what was the matter so I said I didn’t know but I thought they was getting our signs. “Well” he said “you certainly crossed them on that one as I didn’t sign you for no bench ball.” Then he looked over at Gleason to have me took out but Gleason hollered “Let him stay in there and see what kind of a money pitcher he is.”
Well Al I didn’t get one anywheres near close for Strunk and walked him and it was Ruth’s turn. The next thing I seen of the ball it was sailing into the right field bleachers where the black birds sets. And that’s all I seen of the ball game.
Well old pal I didn’t stop to look up in the stand on the way out and I don’t remember changing clothes or nothing but I know I must of rode straight down town and when I woke up this a.m. I was still down town and I haven’t called up home or the ball pk. or nowheres else and as far is I am concerned I am through with the both of them as a man can’t pitch baseball and have any home life and a man can’t have the kind of home life I have got and pitch baseball.
All that worrys me is the kiddies and what will become of them if they don’t ward them to me. And another thing I would like to know is who put me to bed in this hotel last night as who ever undressed me forgot to take off my clothes.
Friend Al: Well Al I am writeing this from home and that means that everything is OK again as I decided to give in and let bygones be bygones for the kiddies sake and besides I found out that this bird that Florrie is pardners with him is OK and got a Mrs. of his own and she works down there with him and Florrie is cleaning up more jack then she could of ever made in the old parlor out south so as long as she is makeing good and everything is OK why they would be no sence in me makeing things unpleasant.
Well I told you about me staying down town 1 night and I stayed down till late the next p.m. and finely I called up the Swede and told her to pack up my things as I was comeing out there the next day and get them. Well the Swede said that Gleason had been there the night before looking for me and he left word that I was to call him up at the ball pk. So I thought maybe he might have a letter out there for me or something or maybe I could persuade him to trade me to some other club so I called him up and just got him before he left the pk. and he asked me where I was at and said he wanted to see me so I give him the name of the hotel where I was stopping and he come down and met me there at 6 o’clock that night.
“Well” he says “I was over to see your little wife last night and I have got a notion to bust you in the jaw.” So I asked him what he meant and he said “She sported your kids wile you was in the war and she is doing more than you to sport them now and she goes in pardners with a man that’s OK and has got a wife of his own that works with him and you act like a big sap and make her cry and pretty near force her out of a good business and all for nothing except that you was born a busher and can’t get over it.”
So I said to him “You mind your own business and keep out of my business and trade me to some ball club where I can get a square deal and we will all get along a hole lot better.” So he said where did I want to be traded and I said Boston. “Oh no” he said. “I would trade you to Boston in a minute only Babe Ruth wouldn’t stand for it as he likes to have you on our club.” But he said “The 1st thing is what are you going to do about your family?” So I said I would go back to my family if Florrie would get out of that down town barber shop. So Gleason said “Now listen you are going back home right now tonight and your Mrs. isn’t going to sacrifice her business neither.” So I said “You can’t make me do nothing I don’t want to do.” So he says “No I can’t make you but I can tell your Mrs. about that St. Louis janitor’s daughter that was down in Texas and then if she wants to get rid of you she can do it and be better off.”
Well Al I thought as long as Florrie was all rapped up in this new business it wasn’t right to make her drop it and pull out and besides there was the kiddies to be considered so I decided to not make no trouble. So I promised Gleason to go home that night.
So then I asked him about the ball club. “Well,” he said “you still belong to us.” “Yes” I said “but I can’t work for no $2,400.00.”
“Well” he said “we are scheduled against a club now that hasn’t no Ruths on it and its a club that even you should ought to beat and if you want to try it again why I will leave you pick your day to work against the Philadelphia club and the same bet goes.”
So yesterday was the day I picked Al and Roth got a base hit and Burns got a base hit and that’s all the base hits they got and the only 2 runs we got I drove in myself. But they was worth $600.00 to me Al and I guess Gleason knows now what kind of a money pitcher I am.