Here is today's Daily Conlon card #172 of Hans Lobert as he speaks about how "The Horse Just Did Beat Me In."This is a great story... especially when you consider the Daily Conlon card from just a few days ago about how great a manager John McGraw was. Check this out.
"The mayor (McGraw) asked me if I would race a horse around the bases that afternoon."John McGraw was the master. Can you imagine a manager today convincing a player to do such a thing?
"'Lord,' I said, 'I'm not here to run horses around the bases. I'm here to play baseball.'"
"But he wouldn't take no for an answer, and McGraw finally talked me into agreeing to it."
Bill Klem was to be the referee and we were ready to go. A pistol started us , and off we went. I led at first base by at least five feet, and by the second base I had picked up and was a t least ten feet ahead. I was in perfect stride, hitting each bag with my right foot and going faster all the time. But instead of the horse keeping his distance, he crowded me between second and third and I had to dodger to avoid being knocked down. I broke stride, and that was the end. I was still in front as we rounded third, but not by much ad on the home stretch the horse just did beat me in. I still think I would have won if I hadn't been practically bowled over at shortstop.
"Bill Klem said the horse won by a nose."
No comments:
Post a Comment