Salt Lake Tribune | 1904-05-29 | Page 11 | How Lucas Outwitted a Foxy Manager

HOW LUCAS OUTWITTED A "FOXY" MANAGER W. H. Lucas, who has been maklug a success of thc Pacific National league in tho far West, is well remembered by the old baseball fans of this city and also in the Association circuit, says tho lSvcning Wisconsin. In 1SSS Mr. Lucan was managing man-aging the Duluth team and ho had Mark Baldwin as hl3 premier pitcher. In thoso days 11 was tho rulo of iho leaguo to pay tho visiting club a guarantoo of $7o and no percontago of tho receipts. On Iho occasion oc-casion of this trip hero during tho lat-ler lat-ler part of tho season It happened that tho Brewers were not drawing well at that time and being Monday tho chances wore Uiat the club would not take in enough money to pay tho guarantee. Ted Sullivan was managing tho Brewers, and ho hit upon thc old schemo of "rain to evade the guarantee. Thoro had been no rain for two day, but Ted locked tho irat's mid had tho diamond sprinkled bo much that they really ivero wet grounds. Lucas started to Interview Harry Quin, who was secretary of tho league, and see what could bo done. Mr. Quin notllicd tho Duluth manager that if ho demanded tho Karoc he (as secretary of tho league) would havo to grant It. Mr. Lucas was fighting for tho pennant Just then and ho said ho would rather havo the gamo than tho moncv, so in company with Mr. Quin ho started for the- park- Vlcn they ar-rlvd ar-rlvd tha gate3 wero locked, but aftci sonio pounding Catcher Blchl climbed on ton of tho fenco and said tho game was off for that day. Thereupon Secretary Quin took off his hat and solemnly announced an-nounced that he declared tho gamo forfeited for-feited to Duluth 0 to 0. Ted Sulllvnn and all tho players woro peeking over tlio fonco and watched tho proceedings. Lu-oas Lu-oas left happy at having won the gamo so easily and it transpired that tho victory vic-tory helped tho Duluth nn-n along to tho pennant. But Manager Lucas nover for-Kavo for-Kavo Tfd for postponing tho game on account ac-count of wet proundn when there had been no rain for days and tho grounds wero hard and dry.