The day before Lincoln's assassination 150 years ago, thought this little story would be of timely interest on a beautiful day with the 2015 baseball season underway. The following was written by Cornelius Savage, 78, and working as a jewelry salesman on Fifth Avenue. The story was run around Lincoln's Birthday in the Sunday Home News in 1922.
New York, Feb. 11 - When the Civil War broke out I wanted to join the army. My father wouldn't let me. So I ran away to Washington with two other Brooklyn boys. I got into the ordinance department. Some of the boys formed a ball team. I became captain of it. The best place to play was on the grounds back of the White House. We made that our field. Offtimes President Lincoln would watch us. Once he walked out on the field and stood behind the catcher. When a new commissioner of public buildings was appointed, we were chased from the field. A few days later I met the president. He was an easy man to approach. He listened to my story and told me to tell the boys to go right on playing. 'Don't you go away until I tell you,' he said. We never did. One of the players was James Gorman who later became governor of Maryland." (Savage was probably referencing Arthur Gorman who played shortstop for the National Base Ball Club of Washington, D.C. by 1862 and became U.S. Senator from Maryland from 1881-99 and 1903-06).
This post was edited on 4/13 3:07 PM by Source
New York, Feb. 11 - When the Civil War broke out I wanted to join the army. My father wouldn't let me. So I ran away to Washington with two other Brooklyn boys. I got into the ordinance department. Some of the boys formed a ball team. I became captain of it. The best place to play was on the grounds back of the White House. We made that our field. Offtimes President Lincoln would watch us. Once he walked out on the field and stood behind the catcher. When a new commissioner of public buildings was appointed, we were chased from the field. A few days later I met the president. He was an easy man to approach. He listened to my story and told me to tell the boys to go right on playing. 'Don't you go away until I tell you,' he said. We never did. One of the players was James Gorman who later became governor of Maryland." (Savage was probably referencing Arthur Gorman who played shortstop for the National Base Ball Club of Washington, D.C. by 1862 and became U.S. Senator from Maryland from 1881-99 and 1903-06).
This post was edited on 4/13 3:07 PM by Source
