n my meals in order that I might become
worthy of the honor.

My father was as enthusiastic over the game as I was myself and during
the long summer seasons the moment that we had swallowed our supper, or,
rather, bolted it, he and I would betake ourselves to the ball grounds,
where we would practice until the gathering darkness put a stop to our
playing.

My brother Sturgis, who was also a member of the team, was not so
enthusiastic over base-ball as were my father and myself, and he would
finish his supper in a leisurely fashion before following us to the
grounds. He was far above the average as a player, however, and excelled
both as a thrower and a batsman. I have seen him on more than one
occasion throw a ball a distance of from 125 to 130 yards, and in a game
that was played at Omaha, Neb., he is credited with making the longest
hit ever seen there, the old-timers declaring that he knocked the ball
out of sight, which must be true, because nobody was ever able to find
it.

It was some time after the tournaments at Belle Plaine and Waterloo
before I was promoted to the dignity of a first-niner, and then it was
due to the solicitation of my father, who declared that I played as good
ball as anybody in the team, even if I was "only a kid."

If ever there was a proud youngster I was one at that particular time,
and I think I justified the old gentleman's good opinion of me by
playing fairly good ball, at least many of my friends were good enough
to tell me so.

With my father playing third base, my brother playing center field and
myself playing second base the Anson family was pretty well represented
on that old Marshalltown nine, and as the team held the State
championship for several years the Anson trio must at least have done
their share of the playing.

It was while I was away at Notre Dame that misfortune came to
Marshalltown. The Des Moines Club challenged for the flag and the home
team accepted the defy. The Des Moines organization was then one of the
strongest in the State. The game was played at Marshalltown, and to the
horror and astonishment of the good people of that town, who had come to
look upon their club as invincible, Des Moines won, and when they went
back to the State capital they took the emblem of the championship with
them.

This emblem I determined the town should have back, and immediately upon
my return from the Indiana College I organized a nine and challenged for
the trophy. Tha