The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-04

ed she president. When I told him that
some received SIS, 600 for six months serv-
ice and yet were not satisfied, that catch
ing smile, which is so infectious, lighted
up his faoe as he aptly replied, Well,
Washington is pretty fun of people who
are glad to set employment at 81, goo
year. And yet Amos RuEis refuses $500
a month on o technioality. No wonder
baseball players as q class have the repu-
tation of being the most unreasonable PEG
pie on earth
The nctional character of baseball was
aptly illustrated by the attendance at the
opening championship game ia Washing
ton. Three members Of the presidents
cabinet-Ciney, Harmon and Smith-vere
in the crowd of spectators and a reporter
counted 40 members of the two houses IF
congress among the rooters, in spite of
the fact THAT the senate and house Of rep
resen tativcs were both in session
I have often been asked to explain the
origin Of the terms crank and fam as
applied to baseball enthusiasts. There was
a wholesale practical illustration of the
applications given at the second New
York Philadelphia game on the Polo
ground. New XOrk's Giants started the
season poorly, and in that game they went
completely to pieces as a nine. 1t was
clear case Of decentralization, and the ma
iority of the 4, 200 spectators became the
widest kind OF eranks and fans. The lat
ter WCrd is q contraction for fanatic. a
crank, or q fanatic. is one who throws
philosophy and reason to the winds. And
that is what those thousands of spectators
did. Players who the day before were set
up by the Same crowd as little removed
from damigods and who received applause
as If they were heroes returning from sue
cessful war were now Kissed, hOoted, jeer-
cd, insultod and assailed with the most re-
Wiling epithets.
That IS your baseball crank in his true
colora. He worships his heroes one day
and danounoes them as 'dubs, - stiffs''
and has beens'' the next. Arson in his
day has met more of this species than any
man who ever played ball, and he viii
tell you that the woods are fun of thom.
In 1894 tho season in New York closed
amid such an outburst and outpouring of
enthusiasm as I never saw in nearly
score of seasons connection with the sport.
New York players were carried from the
deld by 1nen who earlier in the year had
Kissed them and called them degrading
names from the grand stand.
1t is tho only sport which develops
oranks and fanatics by the thousand,
among whom not q dollar is Wagered on
tho result and who are fully aware that
bad playing is not the result Of dishonesty.
Yet have been in the crowds at a race
track after a notorious and barefaced
"trick' had gone through, and one could
which thousands Of dollars had gone up in
smoke by reason Of the preaEranged race.
These were sporting men taking their
chances on q hard game to beat. and they
didn't murmur. The baseball crank loses
nothing but his philosophy and his peace
Of mind.
The usual number of surprises meet the
observers Of this years National league
race ster6. Won der Ahe's despised foreor-
daiued tail endsrg and the rated veaklings
at Washington went TO the front with
dash which took the breath away from the
handioappars. On the other hand, the
much touted Boatons and the proud cham
pions Eaet with more than one disgusting
surprise The uncertainties Of the game
were never better shown than they were
in the two games between the teams of
Seele and Hanlon on April 90 and April
81. On the first date Boston won by q
soore Of 81 to 8. Next day the Baltimores
Won-14 to g. Do We need wonder, then,
that 13s. coo people saw the opening games
in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Wash
ington, Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Louisville
and Sc. Louiss
An impression prevails that the new
rules against kicking and excessive coach
ing are unusually effective because one
bears less about fines and removals from
the game this spring than usual. Lot me
tell q secret. 1t is mes the new rules which
are doing ali that, but the efficiency of the
eorps Of umrlres. The National league
nevsr had such capable stat. -Four Of
the six ere veterans, and @ fifth is q gradu-
ate of the minor leagues. President
Noung'a mistake Of other years was the
trying Of too many nav men In That posi-
tion a new umpire, however competent
he may be. Is sure to be annoyed By the