Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 27, 1925 — page 126: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

® For Heaven’s sake, marm. arters 9 You can’t “No; I suppose not. Are you going [0 this year?” “i ™ sd Were lucky if we come in seventh. Eighth and last is our usual berth. “Sq I] am informed. If we were to have a new team we could not be any more dis- , could we?” ; “Sure. Occasionally the Zulus win 4 game, and they often give the other teams 2 run for their money. If we couldn’t play bell at all they'd throw us out of the league.” “ Indeed. Where are you most weak, m bowlers?” “ Bowlers! For God’s sake! We don't play cricket.” “Do you have to use such strang Jan- guage? I meant throwers—no, pitchers.’ “Say, lady, you don’t know anything about baseball, do you?” “T know that under your management the club has brought up the rear of the association for four years.” “Sure, rub it in. And that’s exactly where we'll be this vear.” “Really? That is a dreadful frame of mind for a manager. You should be the inspiration of your team. You should am for first position, and never give up fighting. Carry on, as it were.” “ Gimminy Moses, ain’t you the Iittle sunshine? Say, lady, you don’t know what you're up against. If you have a couple of hundred thousand to buy players that won't strike out every time they get up against a good pitcher, and that can catch a hard hit ball, if you could even buy a pitcher that could put one over the plate faster than one of them Alabama trams you came down on, I might pin on a button with ‘Excelsior’ written on it, but with what we've got now, say, you just make me laugh. I don't believe we could beat an English baseball team, if you got any over there.” ‘ What’s the matter with our players?” “This team is starved. Every time I developed a good player old Moody sold him to the Yankees. All we got are old timers that the other teams fired, or tramps ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. we got in the draft after the wealthy teams bought all the good ones.” “7 haven’t any money, Mr. McNulty. I thought if we won the trophy—”’ ‘‘ Pennant, lady, please say pennant.” “ Pennant, then, I might sell the club and return home. They tell me baseball clubs sell for a miltion dollars.” “ Championship clubs, not tail-enders.” “Oh, Isee. There is quite a distinction, isn’t there?” “ You bet you. Now I tefl you what you do. Go off somewhere, and forget about this club. We'll go right along the way we always do, and maybe I can pick up a good man or two that’ll help us pull out of the cellar. We might have a good year and make some money, you never can tell, and when there is anything I want to con- sult you about, I'll just write you a letter.” Crab was very eamest and eager, but he was silenced by a cold gleam from the big blue eyes. “It is my intention to accompany my team everywhere and, by my presence, in- spire my men.” “Say, you'll raise hell with the young fellers if you stick around, but you’ll never make them play any better. Go away, lady, please go away.” “Tf you suggest my departure agaim I'll be compelled to dispense with your ser- vices.” “You will, hey? And what will you do without a manager?” She smiled, a cold satirical smile which would have floored anybody but Crab. ‘Ead in eighth place, just the same as you expect to do,” she imformed him. “Now, Mr. McNulty, I want to meet the players this afternoon and speak to them. And please keep saying to yourself the phrase of the French philosopher and healer, ‘Every day, in every way, we are getting better and better.’ ” ‘Oh, my Lord!” exclaimed Crab in an- guish as he started for the door. II. THE doings of the girl owner gave the press men much to amuse the public during the next few days. Ordinarily the Bolton GOMIGDOOo C SS Co