Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-30


as have observed. every other kind Of a
fan" Is tickle.
This Is the primary reason for bali play
ers exclusiveness. He knows an outsider
will boast of intimacy with him so long al
he, the player, is doing good work. When
his prowess declines the same fan" will
shake his head wisely and tell how he vain
ly tried to keep Jones straight"
The Grandstand Solomon.
One day in a game at Chicago. I was
sitting on the grandstand when a certain
New York player struck out three times.
Near by was a heavy-jowled person with
black, tropical mustache and a diamond
stud the size Of sewer cap. He assumed
to tell those in his vicinity what allied"
New York. and finally impaired conf
dentially that he had opened wine" the
night before when entertaining the un-
fortunate player who had just famed"
fer the third time
'Sure!" he said why. 1 had to put him
In cab and send him home: boiled as an
owl, he was and it's a wonder to me how
he holds his job. / bet you that every
time that ball comes at him he sees a
dozen. By George we certainly did pun
best ever but drink has got him and he
won't last long"
Well, that same player Is now hitting
about 800 and is one Of the best run get
ters in either league. You could not per-
suade him to take a drink with any one
except his pal or a very near relative.
He heard about the knock" it was
grandstand and printed the next day in
many newspapers. His first impulse was
to hunt up the "wine-Opener" and thrash
him. but the boys only laughed Get
WISE" they counseled. Don't you know
that fans are all alike? They'll knock
you every time they get chance"
Another reason for exclusiveness is that
nine fans out Of ten will try to get one
hot bow vNyax- ic
mo good" They will pat Jim on the
back and tell him that he is wonder.
but that Joe is holding back the whole
team. fair-minded professional does
not want to hear this sort of talk. He
knows that things are liable to break
wrong for him some time, and that then
he. will be the object of criticism. Occa-
sionally a good batsman will go for
weeks without hit. Then again an en-
tire team will have a batting slump. With
a man on third and none out they cannot
get him home. No one can explain this
they simply appear to be unable to meet
the ball" At such times as these the
fan has no consideration for an indi-
vidual or team and will roast to a
FRAGILE.
An Illustration OF this. and one right
over the plate. was the treatment &C
corded Joe McGinnity by the fans in
his own city. The iron man" made an
unprecedented record. He pitched and
won three double headers-that is, eigh-
hours of 2 o'clock and g. on three differ
ent occasions. He then proceeded to win
twelve games in succession. Returning
to the polo grounds while his name was
on every lip, when his picture was print
ed even in the foreign papers. he had the
misfortune to be hit freely in one inning.
All thought or memory of his recent great
achievements was swept away in a mo-
ment Take him out Take him out, He's
rotten!' came from the preachers and
grandstand. Later, in little quiet sum-
mer garden. one of the small group Of
friends cried Indignantly, We'll. What
do you think of that, Joe?"
A Hero and a Lobster.
OH replied McGinnity with a resigned
smile, that's base ball for you. Today
you are hero and tomorrow you are a
lobster. You mustn't pay any attention to
them" Can you blame player for shun-
ming the public?
In spite of this light Inconsistency and
brutal criticism, a professional ball player
might be more approachable to the public
If the latter did not insist on talking shop.
Whether it be that an Intelligent American
citizen believes that a ball player is able
TO discuss nothing else than the game
which is, in a measure, true-or whether he
takes such an interest in it that an OBJ
portunity to debate the subject with a