Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 September 1909 — BOTH TEAMS LOADED; BROOK HELD THE JOKER. [ARTICLE]

BOTH TEAMS LOADED; BROOK HELD THE JOKER.

Wrens and Their Aides Bump Into Logan Square Team and Get Unexpected Trimming. Brook 20103200 *—B Wrens 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 I—4 How big is Jimmie Callahan, pa, That the fans all call him great, And how far back do the fielder's go When he steps up to the plate, Can he hit a ball end of the nose And send it apross the state? Brook did all the laughing Wednesday afternoon, and the confident Wrens and the fans who accompanied them to Newton county town sat around and looked sober and tried to make the most out of an impossible job. The teams were to meet for a ball game, and each got the idea that the other was going to be too swift for them, and consequently laid plans to make matters even. The Wrens took their regular team of McLain, Hanks, Morgan, Parcells, Kevin and Wilcox and also engaged two husky chaps from Sheldon, a first sacker named Preston and a center gardner by the name of Greenman. It looked like a good line-up and it was for any ordinary cluster of rural. ball players, and when the Brook players waltzed about the streets of that town it looked like a lead-pipe cinch that the birds would come home with the fifteenth victory tucked away under their pinions. But the Brookites were cautious not to let the Rensselaer fans know what huge jokers they were and there was not a whisper of the maneuver that Manager Crisler had made until both teams had gathered at the ball park. The supposed opposing teams were indulging in practice when some one happened to look over toward the automobile line and called out: “Great Scott, Jimmie Callahan.” Every one looked in that direction and seven uniformed liall players were seen climbing or rather stepping over the fence—they were so tall that climbing little things like rail fences was out of their line. One of the local players stepped up to/Pitcher Johnny Hanks and asked, “Do you know ’em.” “Yep,” said Johnny, “ that’s Jimmie Callahan and the Logan Squares.” Rensselaer enthusiasm went down to the freezing point but Rensselaer grit took its place and every player determined to fight it out and put up the best article of ball they had. Aside from having to admit that the Brook bunch put one over on us, there was nothing very annoying about the game. To be sure, Manager Harmon got only 40 per cent of the gate receipts whereas he had expected 60 per cent, but the lads had a chance to mix it up with a real ball team once and they are much encouraged by the showing they made. Hanks pitched creditably and all the boys played well and it is safe to say we would have made easy victims of the real Brook team, the members as which had to sit around and buck their thumbs while the stars of the Chicago independent teams did the business. The visiting players were entertained at the George Ade farm by Mr. Ade, who has long been an acquaintance of Jimmie Callahan, but who disclaims any responsibility for the stunt of securing the team. The game was witnessed by several Chicago men who were guests of Mr. Ade, and among them was the well known sporting writer “Hek” who sent the following substantially correct account of the game to the Chicago Tribune: Brook, Ind., Sept. 15— Brook today cinched the baseball championship of the literary belt by signally defeating Rensselaer by a score of 8 tallies to 4. Brook made eleven hits and two errors, while the Rensselaers were amassing eight and three In the corresponding columns. Rensselaer may combat the game on the ground that the Brooks employed a lot of mercenary troops from Chicago, but that argument will be met by a counter accusation that Rensselaer started the "ringing” business, and that Brook merely saw it coming. The Rensselaer papers wllLmay tomorrow that George Ade was Instrumental in the frameup. Brook is the

county seat of the Ade farm which stretches on all sides thereof. As Rensselaer is a part of the district which makes a delegate of Mr. Ade every time the opportunity presents itself, and as the playwright does not care to lose out with that prop to his slumbering political ambition, he handed “The Tribune” this statement over his own monicker: “I had nothing to do with the importation of National and American league players to assist the Brook team to forestal Rensselaer’s designs on the championship. Some time ago a delegation of my neighbors called upon pie and told me that Rensselaer was contemplating importing professional players from South Chicago, South Bend, and other places. They told me that Brook could not cope with such timber unless it had an experienced battery. Being convinced that this practice of importing players was not irregular, I gave the delegation the address of Jimmy Callahan, whom I knew as a trafficker in baseball talent. thought the Brook people would treat with Mr. Callahan purely professionally, but it appears that they represented to him that I personally was interested. If, under this impression, Mr. Callahan decided upon Brook with almost an entire team, his own distinguished services included, I do not think I should be held responsible or that my friends in Rensselaer should accuse me of participating in what in the vernacular is termed a frame up.” Be that as it may, here is what Rensselaer was up against. Ed Delaney, catcher; Ed Stack, pitcher; James Callahan, first Otto Kruger, second base; Bob Meenke, shortstop; Frank McNichols, third base, and Chick Fraser, left field. The remaining .positions were filled by the bona fide residents of Brook. The identity of the Chicago mercenaries was not supposed to be scattered broadcast, but the pitcher for the Rensselaers was a wise fish, having a “dash of lavender” himself, and he called every Chicago ringer by his first name directly the automobiles from Brook farm were unloaded. Callahan, who wished to be known as Brezalarl, Fraser who had registered ah Rittenhouse, Stack who was told to answer to the name of Ko» waleski, McNichols who was cast for the role of Schultz, Meenke who had rehearsed Uie name of McGinnis, Fraser who purported to be Flynn and Kruger who wished to be known as Cassidy—they all had to answer to their real names when the wise pitching fish had tipped It off to the official scorer.