While several hundred spectators sat in the grandstand at Clark Park last night waiting for the game between the Old-Timers and the Young-Timers to begin, Lester H. Claybourn who had been announced to play second base for the older men, died suddenly of dilation of the heart in the dugout used by his team. Dr. Frank Wiliams, called from the grandstand, found that he could do nothing.
About the dugout stood other Old-Timers gazing helplessly toward the grandstand where they knew Mrs. Claybourn and her children were sitting. Surmising that something was wrong, Mrs. Claybourn made her way from the stand to the field.
"Is Les hurt?" she asked Hi Kimball who was managing the Old-Timers. As Kimball started to reply, Mrs. Claybourn saw the form of her husband on the player's bench. Gently they told her what had happened and turned away while Mrs. Claybourn knelt beside the body.
Across the field from the dugout where the young players were waiting for the call of time, there came an impatient hail, "Get out, you old ducks! Get out and play ball." No answer coming, one of the players dashed across and for the first time learned of the tragedy.
Announced to Crowd
It was put up to Ed Rouleau to make the announcement to the crowd. Rouleau and Claybourn had been friends and ball players together for years. In simple words he told the crowd that the death of Claybourn made necessary the calling off of he game.
There were sympathetic "Ohs" from the crowd, but above them rose the cries of the two little Claybourn children, who, forgotten for the moment, heard from Rouleau the announcement that they were fatherless. That wail of "Oh, Daddy, Daddy" cause those who had come to cheer at the ball game to turn away with tears in their eyes. It was a silent crowd that filed out of the stand.
Not one of the Old-Timers went on the field yesterday with more enthusiasm over the game which had been arranged for the benefit of Alex McKechnie and Bill Simmons, than did Les Claybourn. He was one of the best of the Butte men who had made a name for themselves here in the national game. On his way home in an automobile to get his uniform, he remarked to Rouleau and John Curran:
"Feel as though I was going to swat the old ball this afternoon. Want to get a couple of long hits just to show these young kids up."Starts to Play
There was no complaint from Claybourn when he started in practice on the field. He was cavorting around second, and just after throwing a ball on which he had made a neat pick-up, he was seen from the sugout to turn toward center field and half double up. Kimball called to him, "What's the matter, Les?", which which Claybourn replied, "My wind's gone. That's all." Ed Rouleau went out to relieve him with the suggestion that he rest at the dugout. As Claybourn came in, he half stopped at first base and his knees sagged, but he protested that nothing was the matter with him except that his wind was gone when Fred Furman helped him in.
Claybourn stretched out beside the sugout and appeared to be feeling better after a brief rest. A foul tip landed close beside him, and Kimball remarked, "Better get into the dugout, Les, or those boys will kill you." "I'm too tough to be killed, Hi," Claybourn answered, but a moment later he stepped up and sat down on the bench. The Old-Timers coming in from practice saw him lurch forward and rushed toward him. In less than ten minutes Dr. Williams had arrived and pronounced the veteran dead. The body was taken in charge by Undertaker White after Coroner Carey arrived.
An Old Player
Les Claybourn started playing ball when he was old enough to handle a bat. More than 20 years ago, when the first Butte city league was in existence, he was the star of the Butte Reduction Works team, one of the best ball playing organizations that ever represented Butte. He also played with the old B&H team and with Boucher's. In 1905 he played keystone sack for the Bute team in the State league when Butte won the pennant.
It was recalled last night that on one occassion Butte was playing at Great Falls. At the beginning of the ninth inning the score was 3 to 0 in favor of Great Falls. Butte got three men on and Claybourn was up. Hi Kimball, who was managing the Butte team, knowing that a bunt rattled the Fall's third baseman, told Claybourn to send a bunt toward third. Claybourn "bunted" a home run.
The Way to Bunt
"That's the way to bunt," he told Kimball as he completed the circuit. Under the circumstances the manager could say nothing.
After the Reduction Works team was disbanded, Claybourn went to work as stage carpenter at the old Grand Theater. Later he was property man a tthe Broadway and Empress Theaters. He constructed the ring at the Empress that is now being used by the Manhattan Athletic Club.
Claybourn was 41 years of age and is survived by his wife and five children. The Claybourn home is at 2721 Goodwin St., Floral Park. No arrangements for the funeral have been made.