Bedient Roomed With Ruel New Detroit Farm Director

America had swung into action against the Germans at Chateau Thierry - the beginning of the end for the Huns in World War I and a pressing call for volunteers brought Hugh Bedient home to register for the draft in 1918. Miller Huggins of the Yankees had wired him an offer, but he felt a far greater cause was at stake. The previous fall Connie Mack had also come through with a lucrative offer.

When he eventually deferred, Hugh reported to the Yanks and was in New York for five weeks where he was a roommate of Muddy Ruel, new farm director of the Detroit Tigers, who was in Jamestown Thursday.

But his ailing arm failed to come around and he returned home without seeing more than bullpen action with the New Yorkers.

Hugh returned to Toledo for the 1921-22-23 campaigns. In 1924 he was to report to Portland of the Pacific Coast League but came down with scarlet fever.

Quits Organized Ball

Bert Niehoff, the old Giant second sacker, had slipped out of the Major League picture and was managing Atlanta in 1925. He brought Hugh to the South to hurl for the Crackers and Hugh got away to one of his finest seasons.

But that was Hugh's last appearance in organized baseball. He returned to Falconer during the summer in answer to an exceptionally good offer from local interests that were striving to build a top semi-pro team.

"It looked like more security - guarantee of a job and all - better than anything Triple A could offer," Hugh explains. The years were creeping up on the old Red Soxer so it seemed like a wise move.

He hurled for Falconer and later Billy Webb's Spiders for several years in some of the fine games that were staged at Celoron Park. Some of his better later-day achievements were three victories over the Homestead Grays, who disbanded just last year.

Jackson His Toughest

Like all oldtimers, the present is replete with golden memories.

The reception given him at Falconer following the 1912 World Series, for instance... Memories of his duels with Shoeless Joe Jackson, the White Sox great, who became enmeshed in the ill-famed "Black Sox" scandal.

"He was toughest of all for me to pitch to," Hugh recalls. "And you might add, I never will believe he was mixed up in that series fix."

The thrill of breaking in with the Red Sox and winning two games in three days as a relief chucker will live forever.

Bedient hasn't seen a big league contest in more than 20 years but he still thinks it is a grand game... "Some of the fight has gone out of it... The boys aren't as rough and ready as they were in my day... Take the time Buck Herzog and Ty Cobb decided to settle their differences..."

Cobb, Herzog Fight

Herzog of the Giants and Cobb of the Tigers were bitter enemies despite the fact they operated in two different leagues. One spring the Giants played the Tigers in an exhibition. Cobb challenged Herzog and they agreed to fight it out in Cobb's hotel room. But both showed up dolled out in brand spankin' new suits.

"I'd punch your brains out if I didn't want to get my new suit mussed," Herzog challenged.

"What about my suit? Cost a danged slight more than yours did," Cobb roared.

So they peeled down naked and battled it out - no dirty stuff just a healthy free swinging fray which broke up about even.

One correction should be made. Hugh did not lose the third game of the 1912 World Series as mentioned earlier in this narrative. He relieved Buck O'Brien, who had started and given up the losing run in the ninth before Hugh came in from the bullpen.

Today Hugh works for the Carborundum Company and he and Mrs. Bedient (they were married June 29, 1912 during the heat of the pennant race) live on their farm home a couple of miles from the diamond where he launched his career.