Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1894-08-03
CAPTAIN D. L. FOUTZ OF BROOKLYN.

CAPTAIN D. L. FOUTz OF BROOKLYN
out regard to price, size or quality, spend
money as if their fathers owned all the
sugar stock in the country, and kick like
bucking bronchos if there are not at least
six entrees on the bill Of fare. Unlike Ia
boring men, they go to bed about midnight
and get up when they awake next day.
Their ''work' consists of not more than
three hours activity out of the "a, and
when they can't get paid for such service
they usually follow it as a pastime. Such
is baseball players life, and yet we are
told that labor organizations are in loving
sympathy with the men who compose
National league teams. If that be true, it
is one of the incomprehensible phases of
the mind of man with which we some
times come in contact.
While on this subject want to say that
no other class of men dare practice so
much intemperance without interfering
with their vocation as baseball players.
The word incompetence is used here in it's
broad sense and is not restricted to the
use Of liquors. Among the mass of pro-
fessional baseball players temperate habits
in sleep, diet and general conduct is very
rare. 1t is this evil of carelessness which
to great extent, turns the victorious Ca
reer of a home team into defeat as soon as
it goes out upon the road. Unnatural
hours, indulgence of appetite and care
lessness in drink do the business. The
players stop at first class hotels, where the
fare is much above their home supplies.
AS consequence they cram their stomachs
with the luxuries Of the hotel table and
then try to play ball. I heard manager
recently complain after the defeat of his
team that his players persisted in filling
up'' on buildings, pies and ice cream, and
then while thus stuffed tried to play base
ball.
We are all familiar also with the sight
of a team coming in from the field, In
ming after inning, each man helping
himself literally from the contents Of the
water key. Did anybody ever hear Of a
prizefghter eating five pound dinner of
six or seven courses two or three hours be-
fore he went into the ring? If so, was the
foolish man ever known to win? Did they
ever hear of pugilist drinking a half pint
of water between each round? Why, even
race horses are not permitted to eat or
drink for long period before each race.
A baseball players skill lies largely in
a bright, steady accurate eye, and there
fore we hear the coachers frequently cry
out, 'sGood eye, old man-good eye!'' Yet
an overfed stomach or one that is swelled
with water is sure to i'll affect the eye and
consequently the players skill. The man
ayers of ball teams will never get the game
down to its perfection till they take steps
to restrain players from overindul gence
Of their appetites by means of some ef1ica.
cious rules which can be carried out with
general application.
Two years ago the Cincinnati club lost
the morning Fourth Of July game by the
terrific bat punishment Of their pitcher
Frank Foreman, and the defeat was SO dis
graceful that it cost the club hundred:
Of dollars by reducing the size OF the after
noon crowd. Foreman excused his pool
work on that occasion by declaring that
he had eaten two many batter cakes 70
breakfast and felt sloggy' while he wa
in the box. o. Common of the Cleveland
received the nickname Of s Peach Pie be
Y cause he ate three pieces OF peach pie !: 70
dessert before going out to play game on
day and as 3 consequences had three O
four passed balls for each piece Of the PIE.
The players who know the benen6 @
diet and practice it are very small per
centage Of the whole. Guy Hecker wa
y one 81 the minority class. He seldom at'
moro than d plate Of soup for luncheon g :,
dinner before game in which he pltcned
] i'm White, George Wrigh t and e 81 !, Rourks
were play ers who control led tne1r I ap Z
4 tites III difference ~ a desire TO play COCO
3 ball On The other hand 3 g1s1e, Naulaane,
stiye Isoyie and hers yyi1oll Z