Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-07-20

one another as friends. No man can
enroll in the MEMBERSHIP If this order
| who is not, first of ALL 4 good fellow.
Who ever saw a ball crank who wasn't
fully endowed with the milk of human
kindness? Some of them have hearts
SD big that they require extra sized
waistcoats to cover them and all Of
| them belong to the lass to whom you
| would instinctively so if you were look
| ing for some loyal friend 10 accompany
you on camping expedition. The
| typical baseball crank - always good
| company" All the :nen.hcrs of this
great brotherhood Are young. 1t is a
peculiar aracteristic of the genuine
| fan" that he never grows old. The
years come and go. whitening his hair
and deepening the burrows on his brow:
but they leave him still a hoy. with all
| the bubbling enthusiasm and capacity
for enjoyment that IS characteristic Of
youth. The children instinctively
| l recognize in him a kindred spirit, ana
10 intelligent dog passes him by with
| out a friendly wag OF the tail. Even
| the birds reserve their sweetest songs
| for him. Great indeed is the Baseball
| Crank. Without him this feeting life
of ours would lose half its charm.
The true baseball crank is always
| charitable. His neisnbor may screw
his features into all the contortions OF
| the primeral ape, may bounce up and
| down III his seat with the monotonous
| regularity of an old fashioned churn,
| may make the welkin ring with his
wild and incoherent denunciations of
| the robbcr umpire unblushingly pur-
suing his nefarious calling still the
crank forgives him. lie goes further.
He even forgives the lunrire-in time.
Verify his charity is like Il mantle that
covcreth the earth. He has been there
himself and knows just how to make
proper allowance for all ebulIitions that
come from high pressure conditions.
There are times when the true crank
simply has to yell. To refrain from
thus venting his pent up feelings would
simply be to invite a stroke of APP
poplexy. All cranks are expected to
blow off steam in the tenth inning.
Among the ''rooters" who used to be
conspicuous in the grandstand in our
New England League days, We're two
gentle men with military titles who
had been more or less conspicuous in
the political life of the state. one of
them was even then holding a posi-
ton OF emolument and trust under the
Cleveland administration. Two more
loyal fans never gave the Augusta
team the benefit of their undivi e.. sun
port. Still they never could quite con-
vince themselves that the umpires
were not in a conspiracy to give the
home team the short end of their de-
ciSionS. The Colonel was content 10
express his opinion of this intolerable
state of affairs in terms that were
even more whitening than the hot
breath of Kansas simeon; but
this did not satisfy the Captain. There
were times when it seemed to him as If
The eXiSencies of the situation-more
momentous than the fate of nations
called for immediate and strenuous ac-
'ioh. me apple of the Captains eve
was Dick Butler, Augustus scrapnv
ana hard-throwing catcher. although.
strange TO say, this player was never
iaNorlte with opposing teams. He
had way of talking-sotto yoce--to
me patsman that was lacking in the
refinement of tact and the essence of
uipio'haey Indeed it was somewhat
rasping. and occasionally caused an ex-
piosion whicfyth spectators were ouite
at a loss to account for.
Mr. Butler was wont to approach
'he batsman somewhat in this man.
ner. Gee Whiz. What are Won IN
mere for anyway? Heard you'd got
your release. You must drop that dom,
haplt old boy. You've lost vour eve.
Dcen on the hog for the past month
lhere whatd I tell you? You didn,t