The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1902-09-11
HE EXPLAINED THE GAME.
And 1t Was Noz Altogether the Young
Lady's Fault That She Didn't
Understand.

There are very few young women
left in the land who do not understand
the rules of our national game, but
there's at least one whose education
has been neglected in this direction.
She's a brotherleSs girl, of course, else
she'd have known all about base hits
and three baggers long ago. Shes felt
her ignorance keenly for years, and so
the other day, when two masculine
cousins, who are enthusiastic on the
subject of baseball offered TO take her
TO game and teach her its intricacies,
she accepted the invitation gratefully
and went, relat ties the Baltimore News.
She didn't learn much before the
game commenced, because her escorts
were too deep in a discussion OF the
merits of the man who was TO pitch
to pay any attention to her, but when
the first inning commenced both men
in chorus explained 10 her something
like this: It's perfectly plain, Elsie;
you see the pitcher stands in his box
and sends the leather over the plate to
the batter who knocks IL out for
bag If he can. He gets around the dia-
mond and--Yil vi! vi VII"
The Vii Vii VII VII wasn't part OF
the explanation. 1t was the shout that
went up from the Threats Of the speak
ers at an achievement Of a Baltimore
player that took place at that mo-
meut. and both young men, with one
accord, rose to their feet.
u Oh
had been told to do, got very dis
tinct vision around the edges Of their
Tapping coats Of two daisies and n
tuft Of grass growing in the ield
what happened?" she asked, when
order was restored. "Was any one
much hurt?'
"What happencd2 Why, the great
est play Of the season." replied one
cousin, excitedly. "Iie smashed out Q
two-bagger. ! declare, ! didn't think
It was in him, did you Fred? Vow!
Vow; there it goes again, good for a
run this time"
And again the two youths were car
ried to their feet by their emotions
and again Elsie, peeping around cor
ners and under edges, succeeded in
discerning n small boy sitting on the
ground near the bleachers.
"It's very interesting, isn't it?" she
asked, when all was quiet once more.
$50 foolish Of me never TO have
learned The game before. Your ex-
plantations have helped me wonder
fully"
Her escorts looked at her guspi-
ciously, for men hate sarcasm. "All
you have 10 do IL 10 keep an eye on
the ball and the pitcher and catcher
and home plate and the men on bases,"
they assured her. "Sec, that one was
scooped In by fielder. Now watch
MS retire the other fellows in one-tw0-
three order"
"What is one-two-three orderp
Why, | knew that when | was four
wears old. It's-what in the name OF
thunder does he mean by such n
throw They ought TO retire that fell
low on pension. He's in state OF
decreptitude. by George, caught at
the postl Look at himl Look at
himl"
And Elsie, viewing the scene be-
tween waving folds Of serge and
tweed, saw one gentleman sitting on
another gentleman's head, violently
cutting him.
"You never told me this was prize
fight" said She eproachfully, then.
81 wouldn't have come II had known,
When does the ball game commcnccY
my dear little con" replied the old
er Of her relatives, AS he famed him
self with his hat, you have just wit
messed part Of one OF the most cx-
citing baseball games ever played on
these grounds. II you haven't enjoyed
1t, it Is merely because your taste
runs more 70 ping pong than TO manly
sports and not because Fred and
haven't conscicntiOusly endeavored TO
explain the rules to you and make
YOU q mistress 81 the subject Keep
quiet, like good child, a little while
longer and going home In the car I'll
explain to you what pitcher is and
likewise who won and what city the
opposing team Is from, III! Youl
There he goes again!" And that's
positively tll the explanation that
Elsie received that day from the gen
tlemen-her cousins.