Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1902-04-19
ANNAPOLIS. Md SATURDAY. APRIL 10. 1902.
n WAS A QUESTION OF COLOR.
MATTHEWS, HARvARDs OELEBRA-
TED C0L0RED SH0RTsTOP
Excites Much Comment In And Around
The Ancient City - Southerners
Do Not Take Him Kindly
All Samme To
Harvard.

The Harvard base ball team, which
concluded IFS practice on the dismond al
The Naval Academy Friday. and who
brought with them as a member and star
player negro Of no uncertain hue ard
not only played with him on the ball
6sld, but ate at the same table AID asso-
ciated with him on intimate terms. had
The efee; oi exciting comment. not only
IN Annapolis, but all over the STATE.
The colored people here wondered.
gaped and admired the dusky weaier Of
the crimson suit. while the blood ol the
Southern element Of the town boiled with
wrath and the associali m was declared
fepnlsiyc. The cadsts took il quietly and
concealed their feelings. The isci that
the colored shori-s.cp-Matthews-did
net play in any game against the navy
team is, however. significant when il is
considered that the present head OF the
American Navy sat down TO dine at his
own invitation with colored man.
The question OF whether or not Mat.
thews, who is the regular short.slop OF
the Harvard team, should play at the
Naval Academy was settled, however,
without friction and without debate. The
good sense OF the cadets and OF the Har-
ward boys prevented The slightest un-
pleasantness. DIR. Nichols, who was with
the Harvard team, explained the situa-
tion by saying Matthews was a born
baseball player and "briek' and his
color was OF no importance and did
not appeal appeal 10 them.
DIR. Nichols said he intended playing
Matthews against the cadets when he
first came here, but finding there were
lour Southerners on the team, he decided
against it. The four Southern men on
the naval cadet team are Weaver, cap
tain and catcher, OF Georgia; Station, left
field, OF North Carolina; Read, right
field, OF West Virginia; Pegram. first base,
oi Tennessee. The Southerners, how
ever, kept mum. They "said nothing
and sawed wood" Prot. Dashiell, al
the Naval Academy, has been quoted
as saying
"Our boys would have played Just the
same II Matthews had been in the game.
They have made absolutely no protest
or kick Of any kind against his presence
in any game. The fact that be did not
play against the cadet team is due en-
tirely to the voluntary decision OF the
Harvard managers. and they want il
understood in that way. They simply
saw that II would be more agreeable to
the cadets not to have Matthews in the
game, ard, recognizing this sentiment,
they determined not to play him below
the Mason and Dixon line"
Coach Clarke said the cadets did not
wan, to play with Matthews tn the game.
Under discipline that made il imposs-
bic for them to openly express their
opinions the feeling was still made plain,
and considerable gratitude was felt by
the cadets at the delicacy and tact Of the
Harvard team, which relieved them OF a
most embarrassing situation. 1t is even
said relief was expressed at social gath
erIng of naval officers in the Academy at
the passing oi the Harvard team with
out friction. Matthews himself is an ac-
tive, stockily built, kinky haired, dark.
skinned young negro with brains and
unusual ability as ball player. He is a
native Of the State OF Alabama and
former pupil Of Booker Washington.
The entire Harvard team has been
quartered this week at the Hotel Mary
land, where he ate at the same table,
lounged about the hotel and enjoyed all
the privileges of any other member OF
the team. His team mates call him
Matt" and he in turn calls them by
their first names, "Henry," Edward"
or "Billy," as the case may be. Abso.
lutely no distinction is made. On the
ball field IL was not unusual to see him
with his arms across the shoulders OF
one OF the other Harvard boys.
At the hotel and on the streets, Mat
thews was an object Of great admiration
to the colored population. The walters
rivaled each other in waiting on him at
meals. and large crowds Of them gather.
ed each day al the Naval Academy
10 see him practice. At the game on
Tuesday last 500 persons were present.
n report stated that Matthews, who was
in uniform, was going to play. II is said
movement was then started to have
half the crowd to leave the grounds in
case he went into the game.