New-York tribune., 1903-02-08
BASEBALL IN PORTO RICO.
American Nafinnai Game Readily
Transplanted to Ne7r Possession.

1-fs Saturday afternoon in rnidwinter. Here in
the States" the last game Of football-thal es-
seutiaIly cold weather pastine-was played weeks
eEo in the teeth OF a biting wind that sent the
righ- snow sri-rvng across the field into the faces
q TIE shivering spectators As for the baseball
season il is a thing OF the far past or more cor
rectly of the near future. for even now the club
managers are b1lsiy putting the finishing touches
OF the spring schedule Of games. And thus pretty
well throughout the country the big fields are
deserted and outdoor athletics temporarily frozen
cut.
Sut not 50 everywhere Under a warm sky
against which the Stars and Stripes hutter from
1sn flagstaff spreads a green athletic field About
the aeld r7assed in grandstands o on the side
lines crowd of american citizens are voctfcrousy
shouting familiar yelis with curiously unfanlllar
ing. first glance this scene in Porto <1ico Is
striking mixture Of well known and Of strangely
foreign clements. There Is the baseball diamond
with IS well known outline. its green turf centre
and Level field. Eeunling II IN are the uers OF
humanity. perched aloft on the familiar banks O.
covered and uncovered seats whose airy olscona-
forts al have al some time gladly -oorhe' oIt lhe
Customary sober hue OF masculine atIlre Is repaceu
BY ginning white the white Of cool linen suits
broken occasionally by the blue c. some sololer
uniform OF dash OF brilliant color wnere some
Essn-,is sits interested spectator OF ts strange
rev game TFronging the side lines are men and
hstgroEn boys Altogether, true American oe1iloc-
1acy marks the scene: dark skinned native brushes
shoulders with fairer toned soldier or government
clerk. who IN turn, rubs Up against the hlghesl
government Official For nothing American n me
island giver tie ability TO attend would miss 'ne
game.
The jsrkon of the game is a mixture OF bngllsn
baseball terms and Spanish words. with the ac-
compartment OF gestculstions which croWo o.
excited Southern blooded partisans alone kno" no"
10 Use.
Fue oEt- CFTe outD yeI. 10 protest Tie
crowds or the further side Of the aeid
Non fue out" shout the partisans OF the op-
posing faction. with true racial unWil-ingness 10
abide cooy by the decision Of an arbitrator
Coaching from the side lines" appears TO be IN
order. and the rooters" insistently urge an unde-
cided Individual on second base 70 'dueda ale
Fstay there). He stays. but a minute later aiHlo
The shouts of the multitude. be has made car
Ierra completa' f"home runD and is being carried
aicft the shoulders OF his jubant supporters.
Carried along by the incident The ''rooters' ply
the players SIN more voc.ferously with derogatory
or encouraging remarks. according 10 thelr severn
synlpath2es- Uncomplmentary epithets are hutie0
- e ptchsir": and .moofer' CmuHer j. OF
langosta" l''lobster-9 Is flung scornfuily al an
unfortunate second basernan who misses both bali
and mar The man al hat" cat the bat Is en-
couTaseo. Urged ard exhorted; Dos strikes TWO
fUlkes p calls the umpire-a moment OF suspehse. a
ano then fair resounding crack. and 10! ne mas
saAo f-st Cgained hrst'').
A1acng the mass Of -'peons''-the lower class OF
f9eoia1o-s-that crowd the field the insular ponce
H--H II as khaki roughly elbows his way FeAae's
@ o1loes' porto Rican sweetmeats) are every
WaeTe = evidence. TO the general confusion the
ss--4l vo.ces the little boys add their songs OF
A-on4tos tos.ados II estaa cTEdos. nj queInados
Roasted peanuts. neither raw nor burned , anu
Win these rairgIe the cries OF nEantecaoo ice
cream and Of the ''coco-de-agEa' man. VINO for
fhree cents selects green cocoauut from his little
fwc wEceIed cart cieverly chips Of the top. and
presents cooling drink mixed by nature ana
E--ch lzvcrcd by Americans.
Tbs sceae-half American. half foreign-is no
ic1ssr al unfamiliar one Porto Rscan. for the
Irfroductleu OF baseball has been enthusiastically
seosavsd by the natives o. this rev pcssession-