Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1886-09-28
THE BASE BALL FEVER.
1t Attacks a Middle-As sed Chicagoan
Who Has 1T In Its Most VIrulent Form.

Who Has 1t In Its Most V1rulent Form.
from the Chicago News
I enjoyed myself hugely at Thursdays ball
game. Not go much with the game, but
with cy nical, middle-aged friend of mine,
whom TODD along with me. I found him
warm the cabin. Those round, sheet iron,
air-tight stoves had just come into feshion
then. got me one and set her up. A short
time before turned in put in heavy junk
chewing the toothpick of sweet and bitter
fancy State street, and asked him what he
had to do.
Nothing" he replied, ''but to keep COOL"
f'Come out t. the ball game!" said flip
ping two reserved seat coupons before his
eyes. Wewere hardlyFeated before the game
began but my friend amused himself with
uroasting his neighbors for their condemned
foolishness and frivolousness all during the
first inning. When the Chicagos came to
bat, however, thought perceived him pull
himself together, and I detected an interested
glow in his eyes. When Pfeffer fumbled ov-
er an easy ball and allowed Detroit man to
make his first, was positive that my friend
was really annoyed at the players clumsiness,
and when the same man committed the same
error he actually stamped his feet with i'm
patience. By the end of the Chicagos' first
inning he had borrowed my pencil and start
ed to keep the score, the gentleman on his
left explaining the necessary hieroglyphics.
v,
ly to the home nine in an affair on third base,
nv friend rose in his seat and, in concert
with 2, 900 others, bestowed upon that Off
cial such epithets as ''chump" and 'no good :"
1 made one or two remarks to him, but he
was so intent upon the game that he did not
answer. Every little while, when a success
full play was made by a Chicago man. he
would rise in his seat and yell 'Ya-a-ah-h!"
at young fellow in the tier of seats be-
low who had espoused the cause of the
Det1oits. In the fifth inning the umpire
again made a decision which the crowd hotly
objected to, and my friend, hatless and coat
less rushed down to the bottom of the
grand stand and lent his voice to the general
clamor of objection, ,swhile he shook his fist
in impotent rage at the offending umpire. He
came back again and caught me smiling; 50
he said:
"Well, you can laugh. but don't care.
like to see fair play"
'tHow much have you got up the
Detroits, you big fraud?' at which query
immediate crowd set up derisive guffaw,
and the young champion OF the Detroits in
| the tier below sprang up and offered to bet
$50 against some article of my friends wear
ing apparel-his socks, believe-that the
umpire's decision was right My friend pre-
| ferred to argue it out, and the other insipu-
ated that perhaps my friend was not in pos
session of those useful garments, whereupon
my friend flung his cushion at the others
| head and missed it, but struck the wares of a
| peddler and knocked them over the railing.
| If a policeman had not appeared just then
| there would have been a general row. We
| waited until the game was out, and although
my companion was more subdued than be-
fore, he occasionally broke out with wild
cry of "Home run, Kelly! Home rum" OF
passionate requests to Burns or Pfeffer for a
| s'three-bagger." On the way home he was
/ r lla,, " -aI.
| E'I don't see how any sane being can take
| the slightest Interest in the spectacle of
eighteen louts playing with ball. - when he
| laughed and said;
"Im going to see to morrow's game, just
the same"