Evening journal., 1905-06-22
RABID CRANES
At BALL GAMES
Rampant Rooters Forget
Themselves and Often Dc
Queer Things -
SPECTATOR SLIDES WITH PLAYER


York team was ca second base and Jiu-
my Williams al the bat The NsV ,'oriss
needed that run badly, for the score was
1 TO !. Williams niade hit-te left heid
and Keelor cut loosc for the home platc.
l<eelor is fast as streak on The buses,
but no man Is East enough TO beat a
thrown ball. and the opposing ief. fielder
was "a fine thrower.
Hurry, While, you've got 20 hurry.
yelled hig. fat. smooth-faced rootcr
who occupied an aisle back Of first base.
Willie hurried.
"Slidei slidei" shrieked the rooters. the
big man yelling the loudest and getting
up In his seat, with arms waving Keeier
timed his slide 10 a nicely. slid in safe
by an eyelash, and the fat rooter slid
with him. The latter had one foot reach-
ing half way across the aisle when Keel
Fer dived for the rubber and IN the excite
ment Of tho moment he slid clear across
the aisle 10 keep company with the run
ner and help him home. The same thing
often happens IN billiard games, when
some spectator dnthnkingly moves his
body with the cue bail putting on what
IL known as ''body English"
Nowhere as at baseball games 90 people
do SO many odd aud amusing things. sonio
because of pet suberstltions. SOME hq7
cause carried away by excitement or iqy,
Tho Polo Grounds has two or three
patrons who insist ON viewing every game
while leaning against the railing Of the
platform at the Eighth avenue entrance
They have but distant view OF The con-
test, bnt they wouldn't so anywhere else
for worlds. In this class Is one old gentle-
man, who al every game for several
years past has paid his seventy-hve cents
gfandstand fee, but who never sits in
the grandstand Before the game he goes
into the grandstand and visits with his
'lfeloH cranks, but Just before tho third
bell rings he takes his departure He
makes his way along the walk IA front Of
/ the right neld bleachers. and, having
Preached the open ground perches himself
tup high on the embankment near the
club offices, and from that point Of yan-
tnge enjoys the game as hugely as the
imost confirmed occupant Of "A front seat.
Two OF the most ardent cranks at the
Folio Grounds are Larry Fassett and Dick
schell. They eat sleep and talk baseball
land are always together-exeept at games
They don't sit together because each has
his favorte seat and would rather part
with a hand than SIT anywhere else,
.bthoush there are much better seats. This
-hseat superstition, if such It may be called.
n y one 'of the most malignant symptoms
lof baseballitis In the minds Of many
cranks to change seats IN the progress OF
a game means certain defeat.
The fact IS. one sees the games from
different angles, according 10 the location
Lot his scat, and, getting used 20 these
Ianglos, dislikes 10 change. Plays look con-
siderably different when one Is sitting
back Of third base than when sitting
hack Of first base and many an argument
.pover base hits errors and decisions IS the
result of different points OF view. Prob
ably the best place 10 iudge fielding plays
Is back of first base, as most OF the plays
are made 20 first base, with the throwcr
facing you.
There is a blind man I'm New York who
Is "a regular dovotee OF the game at the
Polo Grouuds-wholly blind AS his COM
panlon informs him of what is happening
il his face Is as interesting "A study In exc
u precision as that of any other crank. An
others eyes and his own ears keep him
pretty well posted ON an that is going. on
He can almost tell base hit from the
ring of bat on ball, and whom member
OF the home team IS ON third and there
comes "a hit his face lights up with plea
sure. or II the batter goes out, the audi
bic expression of disappointment Of the
crowd Is reflected on his face.
Cincinnati has a rootor who sports a
silk hat TO every game, and IN warm
weather has a daily habit of sitting bare.
headed at the games lie puts the sill
tile on the aisle by his seat and Is care
ful to rest It on It's crown II by chance
anybody should disturb the hat and not
again stand it on its CROWN his distrcs,
is great. not because Of the hat. but he.
cause OF the direful effect on the home
team
when Buck Ewing was a manager hs
believed IN walking up and down in front
of the bench TO stave on defeat. and hs
has hoen known 20 walk clear around the
field when things looked particular,
equally. There rs AN authentic case OF Z
: rootcr I'm Western city who had Il
catch a train, and had Just taken out
his watch 20 soc the Time II was an
, omen faced watch. There came lad,
/ just then which brought him 10 his feet
. watch I'm hand. Good boy" ne yelled
that's the stun" and he smashed hi,
left hand with his right That was no
an he smashed. The crystal and worki
of tho watch were demolished f.a
More than one woman at han. ran,
has broken am expensive parasol nv hang
ing Il on the seat or railing In front o.
her, and II IS "a frequent occurrence fol
Women 20 jump about until their bacs
hair comes down. Coiffures and care an,
forgotten. A two-hagger with three on
bases has made many 4 man rush ana,
from the bar and FORGET aii about hi
drinks and the hot end OF a clgar some
times restores the senses when one 4
lost IN the happenings OF a stirrn,
period lt-ioes not arsNS chronic absent
mindednoss 10 Try 10 drink ont 81 th,
hag OF peanuts or TO 'feacl- fno the ieni
. ger ale glass for Il peanut at an oxcitn,
! BAN game.
7 In a certain hlg league city not fai
Z from here is "a rootcr with a shortsleg
G Ho wears an iron foot on that lex. Will,
e doing a joyous war dance alta bau g9m
e ono day ho swuus his iron foot aeains
]. the neck of man in front OF him an,
there came near being a funeral as se
quel There was an Instance at a rnm.