Lefty Locke Pitcher-Manager

he spluttered, staring upward at the tow

re a perfect stranger to me you could not inveigle me into the management of the Blue Stockings on the conditions you have named. Management!" he sco

ng ways, coupled with undoubted ambition and a desire to get on, had le

Collier's name properly attached and witnessed. If you doubt my authority to put the deal through, I can show you my power of attorney from Mr. Collier. In case

interrupted Locke, "I would

got up. "I won't! I didn't supp

son or design I admit I don't quite understand. Just how you hypnotized Charles Collier and led him to consent to such a scheme I can't say; but I do say that no successful ball team has ever been run in such a way. You're not fit to manage a ball club, and you wouldn't dare assume the title as wel

the way through, but still he l

ere so shrewd and discerning. Now let me tell you something, my kn

itcher incredulously. "You

ding the winter down here trying to work it back into shape. You can pitch a little against weak bush teams, but you can't even go the whole distance against one of them. That being the case,

ou should wish to hold me. Certainly I'd be a great

ow why you declined to dicker with the Feds when they made you a big offer? You didn't dare, for you know you couldn't deliver

cke, longing to haste

you pitch against these bushwhacking Wind Jammers to-morrow. I imagine your efforts should be amusing. Pe

Weegman walked away in the moonlight, the sm

League. His rise having been rocketlike, the pessimistic and the envious had never wholly ceased to look for the fall of a stick. Thus far, in spite of the fact that each year of his service with the Blue Stockings saw him shouldering more and more of the pitchin

e crippling of players it had begun to slip in the latter part of the season. In the desperate struggle to hold on, going against Manager Kennedy's judgment and advice, Lefty did more pitching than any other two men on

ths a remarkably pretty young woman sat reading by a shaded lamp. She looked up from the magazine

sked, with a touch of anx

interview with Bailey Weegman. As she listened, her

of Weegman's devising. I'm sure, when the season ended, Collier had no idea of changi

said. "How about yourself? What will happen

fact, I've been wondering just where I'

le cry. "But you'v

aseball. Weegman is wise, yet he offered me a contract to pitch and to manage the team. On paper it would seem that he had retained one star twirler for the staff, but if I failed to c

aside, and clasped her ha

f the club. As Weegman says, it's doubtful if the stock would bring fifty cents on the dollar at a forced sale to-day. Collier has met with heavy financial reverses in other lines. He's sick, an

e not tied up with Weegman, and the Federals have made you a

to Jack Kennedy, the man who gave me a square deal. Then I don't care to bunko anybody, and unless my arm comes back I won't be worth the money

that their plan of dealing directly with players, instead of buying and selling them li

d be bought, sold, or traded without receiving a dollar of the purchasing or trading price. He had to go where he was sent, regardless of his personal likes, wishes, or convenience. He had to accept whatever salary a manager chose to give him, or get out. Even if his contract had expired with one manager, he couldn't go to another and make a ba

bly unfair,

and a bonus besides. The bonus goes to the player, not to the club owner. Added to that, the Federal contracts provide that a club must increase a player's s

sympathy is wit

rganized baseball and sell out," sa