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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (July 9, 1916)
I THE FICTION MAGAZINE, JULY 9, 1916. SUNDAY Miss Arnold as she sat in her box near the players' bench. From their glances he could tell they were-talking about him. Martin had broached the subject of re leasing Oilligan to the minors.. "You see," he explained to Miss Arnold, "we've got to keep the elub within twenty one men under the new rule, and I have a chance to get Bill Kaufman, a star that will set this league afire. It's a question of keeping Gilllgan or losing Kaufman." "I'm sorry to interfere with your plans, Mr. Martin," said Miss Arnold, "but this club cannot let Gilllgan go. For reasons that I cannot explain, it is impossible." "Is it as serious as all that?" inquired the manager, casting a knowing glance at Miss Arnold. "Mr. Martin," said the magnate severe ly, "you have no right to ask such a ques tion. Please remember your position." "Well, if that's the way you feel about it, 1 don't mind telling you it may come to a question of your keeping me or keeping Gillifran." "For other reasons that I cannot ex plain," she replied, "it is also impossible for mo to let you go." "Whether you can let me go or not, I sm going to quit unless you let Gilligan go unless, of course," 'and he smiled, "you want to get rid of the club. In that rase I am ready to buy." "Well, I am not going to sell, and neither ain I going to consent to the re lease of Mr. Gilligan." Miss Arnold an swered with emphasis. "Moreover, Mr. Martin, you are under contract and you will have to play out the season with us or not play baseball at all." f- The note left by old Silver King re strained her from saying more. "I guess I might find some other busi ness If it came to a showdown," said Mar tin peevishly. As he started for the bench Martin caught the eye of one of the promoters in a near-by box and winked significantly. "I think she'll give in soon." he said to the prospective magnate a little later on, between innings; "we've got a chance to cop it." "Hit while the iron is hot," chuckled Martin's backer. "It's your big chance." "Tomorrow, maybe," said the manager, returning to the dugout. Manager Martin was unusually sullen at game time the next day, and did not once look in the direction of Miss Arnold. "I've a hunch that something is coming off here," "Butch" Evans remarked to Gilligan. "Iet 'er come," said "Red." ' It was in the third inning that a shrill voice from the stand, just back of the Graylegs' bench, began to hurl epithets at Jack Martin. "Tryin" to win ball games with marked cards, eh?" shouted the voice. "Dressfn" punk batters up in phony whiskers! Why don't you wear the skirts yourself?" As the game proceeded the abuse of the fan became more personal. When a good opportunity offered "Red" Gilligan edged down the field to take a look at the of fending person. He was dumfounded. "What do you know about that?" he said to "Butch" Evans, returning to the bench. "The guy that's raising all the trouble is Kid Sax, the fighter! You got it right, 'Butch,' there's something doing here." Gilligan told Kvans of his having seen "Kid" Sax in the company of Martin a few nights before. "That abuse stuff ain't on the level." he added. The two puw.led players m a few min utes began to see through the scheme. Twice Jack Martin had appealed to the umpire to have the fan stopped. Even this looked to Gilligan like a piece of act ing. It smacked of insincerity. In the sixth inning the abuse had grown so personally insulting that Martin, In ap parent rage, left the coaching lines, vault ed over the railing, ran toward "Kid" Sax and deliberately struck him In the face. Bax made no effort to defend himself and for a minute, it seemed, the manager rained blow after blow upen the fighter's r ; Mil: 'Take those curtains off!" demanded the umpire of Gilligan. you think this is, a burlesque show?" "What misshapen nose and mouth. The stands found it impossible to get In communica- were in an uproar. tion with the manager. Finally she, io- Two park policemen came to the rescue cated "Red" Gilligan and sent for him. and dragged Martin away. "Don't you worry about that forfeit "Take him out of the grounds!" ordered and suspension," he advised her earnestly, the umpire. "There's something worse coming off un- Two or three of the players, Martin's less I can stop It." particular friends, ran to the umpire, de- "Something worse?" she repeated, manding that he retract his order. startled. "Jack was right in not standing for that stuff," they insisted, "and if he goes out we go with him!" The official was firm in his order, and, sure enough, seven of the Graylegs walked out of the park, leaving an insuf ficient number of players to continue the game. . Amid the excitement that followed, the hissing and groaning of the spectators. "A bunch of the players say that if Martin ain't reinstated tomorrow they'll refuse to play," he told her. "They're go ing on a strike! I might as well come right out m the open and tell you this thing ain't on the level. Miss Arnold. That fellow that Martin struck was his friend. He is a tough little prize fighter and framed up to do that so that Jack could hit him and get suspended." etart with," he added, "and, you see, w already- forfeited one game today." "And you mean -that we will lose every-! thing?" she asked. "We would have if "Butch" Evans and myself hadn't got on in time." "And that's why Martin wanted to have you released? I see it all now. What will we do? I've got to depend on you." "Never you mind; old Silver King wa my friend. You sit right still In the boat and loave It to me. I've got 'Butch Evan on the job now. He's gone to Schuettzen's Park to talk to some of the fellows he used to play with out there a lot of ama teurs. Just you keep quiet. I've tipped off a few of our newspaper friends. We'll beat that bunch yet." He rose and started for the door. "Do you have to leave, Mr. Gilligan? asked Miss Arnold coyly. "I know now what my uncle meant when he requested that I should never release you from this club." "He said that?" asked Gilligan. sur prised. "And is that why you objected to my release? Is that " "Not the only reason," she answered, a touch of color rising to her cheeks. "You see, I couldn't wouldn't release you "Nor me you," said "Red" boldly. And it was several minutes before he did. Gilligan, crafty, nimble-witted Gilligan,, was all business again. "I want the key to your office that's) where you keep the blank contracts, ain't it?" he asked. "Yes," replied Miss Arnold. "I can't understand it and I don't core to now, for I leave it all to you." And she handed him the key. It was a strange gathering in the office of the Graylegs that night. Athletes, bigt i n.l little, had rallied to the call of "Mutch" Evans; and one after another i hoy signed contracts set before them by lied" Gilligan. They were amateur ball plnyrs, but whether they could play made no difference to "'the red-headed outfielder, who had set about to save the little woman from financial ruin. The next day came and with it the dis covery that the striking ball players had 1 taken their uniforms from the clubhouse.' It was a queer looking team that sallied onto the field under the name of Graylegs. No two uniforms were alike; one, a brtl-; liant red, earned for its wearer the sobriquet of "the Zouave." The game had only been under way a few minutes before it was evident that the fans were to witness a burlesque. Gilli gan's makeshift club could otter no serious opposition to the Seagulls. The president of the league and several members of the board sat in the stand and scowled. As Gilligan stepped to the plate he-, swung onto the ball viciously and smashed, out his longest hit of the year. It was an easy three bagger, but he decided to stretch it into a home run. The ball wan relayed in by the shortstop, and it looked as if "Red" would be thrown out. The throw was a little wild, however, the catcher getting the ball fifteen feet back of the plate. Gilligan was about the same distance from the rubber when he decided to make a slide for it. The catch er saw that his only chance was to slide with the ball. He and "Red" slid at the same time. Gilligan swerved to one side, missing the plate by a foot, and the catch-; er missed touching him by the same dis tance. The umpire made no decision, and tak ing it for granted that he was safe, Gilli- "Why did he want to get suspended?" ganxot up and started for the bench. The catcher, holding hi ground, looked at the umpire inquiringly. "Well, how about it?" asked the back stop. "He didn't touch the plate." "No. and you didn't touch him," said the official. That being sufficient hint, the catcher the umpire declared the game forfeited against the Graylegs by a score of. 9 to 0. sh asked in astonishment. Hundreds of fans stormed the box of- - fice, demanding their money back. Those "He and that bunch of players he's had who were there after Miss Arnold got in around -him so long wanted to bring about communication with the ticket sellers a strike." were paid. Others, refusing to wait, went Seeing that the woman magnate could away, swearing they would never come to not grasp such intrigue, "Red" explained another ball game In that park. to her that If the club went on strike and turned and started for the Graylegs' bench By o'clock that night Jack Martin had refused to show'up on the field that the to touch the runner, Just as had been dona received notice that he had been Indefinite- game would be forfeited, as well a the in the case of Landis and Evans the sea- ly suspended for striking a spectator, franchise. son before the case mentioned by Mlaa Miss Arnold got a copy of the notice, but "The directors are all against you to (Continued on PdQt 10)