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.