Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-07-23
ootem Factor 10 Development Of
The National Game.
Why SUME MEN QUIZ DIAMOND
Their Wives or sweethearts Object to
tfs'eame--somc, However, are Con
verified and Then There is Joyful Re
turn of prodisaI.

So you think that women doesn't
take Il lively interest in the national
game? Well, she doesn't Jam the
bleachers to the breaking point. that's
u fact, and she doesn't throw aside
her work 10 see n game. and she
doesn't talk the slang Of the fan for
half the year, To The entire exclusion
of plain, everyday English But he
cause she does none of these things,
pray don't make the mistake of hold.
ing thai she has no heart In the good
old sport OF baseball
For the hand that rocks the cradle
is the hand that exercises over tho
game an influence far more potent
than that which the thousands of fans
imagine they have ON the professional
balltosSerS of the land.
Scoif at the female baseball nine
that rise up from time to time if you
will, but do not forget that the players
have swccthcarts and wives, lest
thereby you show great ignorance of
your favorite game. In them lies he
influence that woman has over the
diamond--an influence that ere now
has decided not only single games. hut
series of games and championship
contests as well.
Not infrcIucntly swccthcarts or n
wife's objections TO the game cause IL
star to forsallc the diamond for work
for which he is not fitted In the least
degree. AMI at which he makes only
living nj the hest.
Bill LanEc is case in point Up To
five years ago he was ono of the hest
ground covcrers in the profession, and
c "a N hnl IA t,,1,
From the day of his wedding his wife
kept at him to leave the game, urging
him to take the step on tho grounds of
personal safety. Bill reasoned with
her, and told her time and again that
he know or no other job for which he
was fitted and at which he could make
$4,000 in six months. But Mrs Langc
was obdurate, and 81, when his last
season closed, Bill ruefnlly announced
to his manager that the diamond would
never know him again. And il has
not, though he has annually been
tempted by numerous ilatterng offers.
II have given my word 10 my wife"
he says. simply "and SO long MS she
feels MS she does about the game
shall not take up the bat"
Sometimes, after she has kept her
husband Off the players bench for n
while, wife will rclent, release her
spouse from his promise and glecfully
applaud him rs he once more scamp
ers on to the diamond and is given Il
rousing welcome by the fans.
Such Il lucky man is Howard. who
plays with the Pittshurgs this season,
nrcyfuss having traded three players
for him with the Omaha club of tho
Western League
Howard, McGinnity and Taylor, OF
the champion Giants and Bob Wicker
of the Chicago Nationals. were former
iy team mates on the MattOnn GID
team. Howard. ut the time. was only
~ years of age, but even then he had
great prOWeSS MS batsman, which
McGinnity fully realized later on, after
they had separated, when in one game
Howard got two home runs and n
tlirce-baggcr off the Iron Man, who
leads the pitching record.
Shorty after this fca, Howard took
as his wife the daughter of promi
nent citizen OF Il central Western
town. They had scarcely settled down
after their honeymoon when Mrs. How
ard began pleading with her husband
to, give up the game, naming as Il rca-
son that she had n strong dislike for
il, and did not want her husband as
socating with professional ball play
ers. She was so insistont that finally
Howard reluctantly severed c0nncc-
tionS with the game, and secured en-
ploymont selling agricultural nipple
ments.
But he did not give up all hope or
returning to the diamond During the
months that he was engaged in telling
farmers of the merits of his particular
make of wheat drills and mowers he
spent his spare time endeavoring to
get his vito interested in baseball.
AT first 1t was hard and slow work.
and had to be accomplished diplomat
ically, but little by little he progressed
to the point where Mrs. Howard would
accompany him to the games. Then
Howard explained every play made,
told her about the players, introduced
them TO her, and made her acgnainted
with the. women folk of tho players
who were in the grand stand.
At the end of four tedious years his
work of education bore fruit. Mrs.
Howard came to him one day, confess.
ed that she had changed her mind
about baseball, declared that she would
rather. have him on the diamond than
al. agent for farm implements, and
further caused him great joy Wy, NJ.
peneling that he couldn't get there
quick enough to suit her. So it came
about that in tho season of 1904 How
ard ledithe Western League In batting.
his batting eye not having been dim
med inithefslightest by four years OF