Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-15
HIS RELATION TO THE HOG.
for the Purpose of Cheering the Play
ers--Club's Onicers and Members.

]
/ pair Of lungs-these are Indispensable
and stentorian voice. A successful
/ rooter is inclined to be rather shy. He
does not inlict himself upon the public
unnecessarily, only giving vent to his
! peculiar call, or calls, az the case may
/ be. when occasion demands. He can al
ways be found perched either on a bench
] In the grand stand, or on the bleacherieS
at West-EGd Park when a really first
/ class game Of baseball Is I'm progress,
! ana then he is to be seen at his best.
HAS HIS IRREGULARITIES
Like other animals the rooter has his
| peculiarites. He has his own peculiar
! calls or howls. often originated by him
| self, but quite frequently borrowed. from
! others lie never gives vent to his noisy
! demonstrations unless aroused. ana then
when he Is started by some eNtraordina-
! rily fine play on the part OF the nome
/ team. or by some rank decision OF the
umpire. he can be heard for many leagues
| around The air becomes impregnated
! with a hideous but at the same time
| musical. sOul-strring sound. which at
once produces the desired effect, and
! causes the unlucky individual who with
| nonchalance. the gift of only few,
! stands behind the bat and calls out bail
d
/ boots on the other hand il sometimes
{ causes the heart Of the fortunate player
/ who has distinguished himself to bound
with excitement or flutter like that Of
! a giddy school girl who has just con-
cludel the reading Of a successful essay.
HE Is NEVER FEROCIOUS.
A true rooter one who roots sclentih-
| cally, is never forocous. lie is harmless,
and even though he lashes his tail and
roars like an angry lion. seeking what
he may devour" he only does so in fun.
and although claws may be concealed
beneath the soft fur with which he rubs
! up the umpire. he is never known to use
them Some such actions have at times
been attributed to him. but careful re-
search has shown that these cruel deeds
were not perpe,rated by roOters Of the
true type.
No umpire, be he ever 50 foolhardy.
would dream OF calling a game OF ball
IN Richmond without first having ascer-
tanned that the rOoters were in their ac-
customcd places They are as ndispen-
sable to game Of ban as holiday Is to
q hog.
HOW THEY ROOT.
By the way, this comparison recalls
the fact that many Of the uninitiated
have invariably associated the word
"rooter" with the porcine family. It's
true that some rOoters may be rightfully
associated with hogs. and It's true that
some Of them ought TO be. but, then, they
are exceptions. \ hog roots with his
nose or his snout into the earth, ana
delying therein finds food for his stomach.
\ rooter roots with his mouth in the
atmosphere. and roofing therein finds food
for reflection. Therein lies the difference
between the two animals. The difference
may not be very marked, In fact II may
only be- mere distinction, but distinction
or difference. as it may b., 1t is suih-
GENTLY plain for baseball purposes.
ORIGIN OF THE WORD.
Where the word "rooter" originated, or
from what IL was derived cannot be as
certained. 1t is one Of those iIioms which
came from no man knoWeth where, but Is
destined to remain until the base-Dall
gau 70 becomes no longer an attraction anu
the umpire's voice Is hushed. The suppo-
sition is that the word originated In the
fertile brain Of some enthusiastic base
bali reporter. and the probability is that it
will. like many another slang phrase, he
incorporated in the English language ami
find its way into the dictionaries. In the
latter event the Dispatch valves any copy
ripht claims II may have TO the definition
that IL has given to the word. and freely
gives its permit 10 Mr.. Worcester or Mr..
Webster. or their heirs or assigns, 10 use
all or as much Of this explanation as they
may desire.
WHO ARE THE RIOTERS?
The question "Who are the rooters?'
has been freely asked. and although the
task Of answering even in part TINS
query. is a difficult one, few OF the more
prominent ones are here given:
Few know that there is an organization
Of rooters in this city, banded together
with ties and bloody oaths, Tor the sole
purpose of making noise. 1t Is not a
musical organization, as the titles OF the
officers would imply, but simply galaxy
Of cianks. maniacs. and plaSue-strickeh
individuals. who desire by fair means
or foaI 10 get all Of the fun possible out
OF life on this mundane sphere.
JOHN SMALL IS DIRECTOR.
Mr. John c. Small. who by virtue of
long service both here and in the North.
has reduced the art Of roofing to a sci
ence. has been awarded the appell1tion
OF drcctor-generalissimo Of rooters. That
he is worldly Of the title has been de-
monstrated by the several roots which
n has. with the aid OF his cohorts, origi-
mated All who have attended the games
at West-End Park will recall the cries
a shame. shame. Il shame! Gobble'
eooble. eoolle." and well, well. well.
10 tell -- has gone TO --! Smoke
up. smoke upt These roots" Mr. Small
either imported or arranged himself. That
he IS genius at composing musical Calls
no one can doubt who has once heard the
voices OF his followers az they smote the
atmosphere.
BASSOS AND TENORS.
Following Mr.. Small on the official list
are "B.lly' Pizzni, first-bass; Tom Bou-
dar. second bass; Charlie Gunst, tenor,
and CHI Mayneld. Juan AlphOnso PizZini'
and George ". Lawson. whose bell-like
voices add much sweetness and melody
to the rnythmical notes that float forth
from the southeast corner Of the grand
stand. These rooters can always be
found together. and they always root to-
eethcr \ glance from Director Small is
all that is necessary 10 start them. ana
ii would take "A regiment of umpires
to stop them until their clarion voices
had reached the last note Of their sweet
refrain.
NEVER MISSED \ GAME.
George Lawson is probably the most
pronounced type OF crank in the city
lie brides himself on the fact that he has
not missed "a same Of ball this season.
George would FAR rather lose his dinner
than q ball game. and often when bust
ness Is such as to recess tate some ones
attending to Il George viii engage sub,
stitute IN order that be may HE himself
10 the park.
Charlie Ellerson-hlg-heartcd and joyial
Charlie-seldom gets excited. except UNI
der extraordinary circumstances, but
when he sees from his accustomed seat IN
the centre OF the grand-stand the Rich
mond pitcher give three consecutive balls
TO a batsnan he OF the fiery locks can
be heard to say, make him hit II"
Sheriff Simon Solomon. Of Hammer
Rocco" Is an attendant upon all the
games. and is always willing to accept
any proposition that may be made.
lou Russell is another county crank.
and whether or not be has to 40 10 the
nsrk on official business. he can always
no found there. He knows how 10 root
beautifully and when he gets an oppor-
unity 10 exercise his lung-powers, he
fairly makes the welkin ring.
Mr. r. A. Catlin and Major Charles
Skinker are two OF the most inveterato
baseball enthusiasts IN the city. They
never root, but seem to enjoy immensely
the iargon which emanates from their
fellow cranks.