[legendsport]

Egypt, GA: November 20, 1911:

Alice turned out to have been correct (as she usually was) - the Kings did contact Rufus again. But this time, it wasn't via telegram and it wasn't April when the Kings reached out to Rufus. This time they took a more direct approach.

The Kings new manager, Bill Williams arrived at the farm in person and on behalf of Malcolm Presley to offer Rufus a job. Williams, a Canadian-born outfielder, had enjoyed a decade-plus career in the Century League with Providence and Washington before joining the Peerless League's Boston club where he finished his career. He was also a former scout, having scouted for Boston prior to becoming the Philadelphia Sailors' manager back in '08. He had turned in a pair of seventh-place finishes for the Sailors and been fired. After two years as a coach for the Pittsburgh Miners, Mr. Presley had hired him to skipper the Kings.

"Well, Rufus, it's been a while," he said as he shook hands. He and Rufus had scouted some of the same bushes before Williams went to Philly. "Nice spread you have here."

Rufus had a wry smile on his face, "Thanks, Bill. It's good to see you. Congratulations on the job - you'll love working for Mr. Presley."

Williams nodded. "Yes, he seems like a true gentleman in the classical sense of the word." Williams wasn't one to beat around the bush, so he got right to it: "Mr. Presley sent me here to get you back on the Kings payroll, Rufus."

Rufus chuckled and said, "I figured as much. But you might have made this trip for nothing - I'm not sure I want to go back." He hesitated just a second before adding, "I told the Eagles the same thing last month."

Williams frowned at the mention of Washington's job offer, but then he recovered and smiled before saying, "Well, the late November weather here sure is much nicer than it is in Ontario, so I figure I'm ahead on that score at least."

Rufus smiled, thinking about what Williams would say if it were, oh, July.

Williams continued, "Before you refuse outright, let me spell out the position."

"OK."

"Well, it's like this - Mr. Presley knows you want to spend more time with the family. So he's offering you a role as the team's Dixie League scout. He wasn't able to get Atlanta as his affiliate - Washington beat him to it. But he did get Knoxville, and that will be the base of operations for you, when you need to be at the office, which won't be often. Otherwise, he'd like you to watch the Dixie clubs, looking for possible trade options and also keeping an eye on our Knoxville players."

Rufus raised his eyebrows, "Just the Dixie League?"

One corner of Williams' mouth curled, and he said, "Well, I suspect he'll want you to keep an occasional eye on the high schools and colleges in the area."

Now Rufus smiled - this sounded pretty good to him.

Williams returned the smile and said, "I thought that might appeal. No offense, but you never struck me as the type to be happy on a farm. I have a contract here, so you can review the important stuff... like salary." He winked.

"I'll have to talk this over with Alice, of course," Rufus said.

"Of course, no problem. I'm passing through - you can call or telegram the offices in Brooklyn with your decision. I will contact them myself as soon as a I can - when I tell Mr. Presley that Washington is trying to snipe you too, after taking Atlanta, he might just up his offer." He grinned wolfishly.

Williams went on to explain that he had just come from Knoxville where he had met with the Knights' coaching staff and was now heading to Houston to do the same with the Bulls, the Kings' new top affiliate. He gazed around at the now barren fields and asked, "I heard you hired Possum Daniels to run the farm. Is that true?" The way he asked made it plain that he found the idea somewhat preposterous.

Rufus grinned - "Oh, yes, he's around here somewhere. Probably filling my boys' heads with his unique brand of homespun wisdom!"

Williams was laughing and exclaimed, "Ah, yes - he's got what, eight possible disciples now? You'd better watch out Rufus!"

Rufus was laughing too. "Well, it's down to seven - my oldest is down in Atlanta trying to make it as a boxer."

"Hmm, that must be the Reid in him. I swear I saw Joe knock out three guys - one of them was the umpire, the other two were my team mates - in a brawl in Atlanta back in... I think it was '85. I was with Providence and we were playing exhibitions on our way north. When we played the Peaches one of our guys took one in the ribs. He went to fight the pitcher and Joe came out from behind the plate and... he just laid waste to everyone who came near him. The umpire caught one trying to break it up - he was laying there in front of the mound, out cold."

"Oh, I saw him in action once in Savannah. Afterwards we were all banged up and looked like we'd come through a war and there was Joe, not a scratch on him - and he had been right in the middle of it, believe me. And he's standing there laughing at us."

Williams was shaking his head with a wide grin on his face. "Well, if your kid is anything like Joe, he'll go places as a fighter."