[legendsport]

August 21, 1918 - Atlanta, GA:

Edna Barrell was humming softly to herself as she hung her torso out of the back window, pinning newly cleaned diapers to the clothesline when a knock on the front door startled her. Thinking of her children napping in the back bedroom and fervently wishing them to remain that way, she dashed as quickly (and quietly) as she could to the front door.

She opened the door and through the screen door saw a man in a slightly rumpled suit. He smiled at her and she went to open her mouth the speak to him when she suddenly remembered she had a clothespin in her mouth.

She pulled it out and sheepishly said, "Sorry, I was hanging laundry."

The man grinned at her and tipped his hat. "My name's Jones, ma'am. Ernie Jones."

He had the somewhat flat accent that made it plain to Edna, a Georgia girl through and through, that he was what her mother would have called a "Yankee" - but really just meant he wasn't from the South.

Edna, her embarassment now having faded, introduced herself and asked, "What can I do for you, Mr. Jones?"

"Well, Mrs. Barrell, I was wondering if your husband is at home?"

Before Edna could reply, he quickly asked, "That is, if your husband is Joe Barrell?"

Now Edna narrowed her eyes and said, "Joe's at work. But just why are you looking for him, if I might ask?"

The man explained why he had come and Edna forgot all about the laundry.

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Joe Barrell arrived home at his usual half-past-six, sweaty and tired as always. But he was also surprised to see Edna sitting in the living room with a stranger. And a male stranger at that. Joe sized him up - the guy had the broad shoulders and narrow waist that Joe automatically equated with an athlete.

Though he was unaware of it, Joe's hands curled into fists and he asked, with an edge in his voice, "Edna? Who's our guest?"

Edna stood up and smiled. She pointed and explained that the visitor was Mr. Ernie Jones from Akron, Ohio.

Joe frowned. He knew where Akron was (or thought he did at least) but had no earthly idea why some random man from there would be sitting with his wife in the middle of their living room.

The man had stood as well. He stepped forward and thrust out his hand, saying, "Mr. Barrell. May I call you Joe?"

Joe shrugged and said, "Sure."

Jones nodded in return and then said, "I know you're wondering what I'm doing here."

When Joe didn't reply, he continued, "I'm putting together a football club in Akron. A professional club, that is."

"And you're here to sign me up, is that it?" Joe asked.

Edna, surprised at this reaction, said, "He sure is, Joe. Isn't that interesting?"

Joe shook his head, looked his wife in the eye and said, "It would mean moving to Ohio, Ed."

"I know that, Joe. But it would also get you out of your rut." She thought, but didn't add, that this would also finally - hopefully - put to rest Joe's persistent thoughts of going back to boxing.

"What do you mean rut?" Joe snapped back. He frankly didn't want to get into it with Edna in front of a stranger. But she started it, he thought.

Edna took a deep breath. She didn't want a fight either. As calmly as she could she replied, "You're not happy working on the streetcars. Maybe this is our chance to find a better life."

"Ohio's pretty far away, Edna. You're not going to miss your family?"

Edna replied that she had considered this. "We can visit in the winter to get away from the snow."

"You've never even seen snow," Joe said and subsequently grinned as he remembered some epic snowball fights with Rollie and Jack back in Brooklyn.

"Perhaps you'd like time to think it over," Jones put in. He reached into his jacket and produced an envelope.

"Here is the club's offer. We don't have a league or anything formal... yet. There has been some talk about it, but there are a lot of pro and semi-pro clubs spread around Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and out to Illinois and Wisconsin."

Edna smiled and said, "Tell him the rest of it, Mr. Jones!"

Jones gave a quick nod and said, "Ah yes... I nearly forgot. The club is sponsored by the Mid-Ohio Rubber Company and there's a full-time year-round job in it for you with Mid-Ohio too."

Joe shook his head in wonder. "Well, I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the ol' gridiron."

Seeing Jones begin to reply, Joe raised a hand and quickly added, "But you're right. Ed & I need to talk this over. We have two little ones and moving the whole kit and kaboodle to Ohio isn't something we can make a snap decision on."

Jones replied, "That's more than fair, Joe."

Joe shook his hand again and said, "I will say this much, Mr. Jones. Thanks for thinking of me and I think you might have found your man."