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

His wife was critically Ill at the time; he
had to pay for a trained nurse and sur
gical specialist. Nevertheless. he disregard
ed everything on the impulse of moment
when the umpire called foul on his clean
hit that struck six feet inside OF third base.
A Code Of Exclusivene@.
repeat that. In my first year following
the team, the professional ball players ex-
clusiveness puzzled me. But now 1 per-
ceive that the fan" In witnessing a big
league game. falls to remember the feel
ings that surged through his own youthful
brain when he had practical interest In
base ball. This forgetfulness has resulted
in erecting barrier. steep as the Russian
debt. between spectator and player.
The latter regards himself as an Ishmael-
lite. He Is not only suspicious of the stran-
ger that approaches him in the hotel lobby
or Pullman train. but he even mistrusts the
club managers and stockholders - every
body. in brief, but his wife. He Is so i'm
pregnated with suspicion as to be skeptical
of your good wishes; believes that every
mans hand Is against him. including his
own teammates. and life for him Is con-
slant personal fight. He will draw ad-
vance money. although he does not need
It, just to see IL club Is ION the lever
big corporation. an influential corpora
ton that has been, and proposes to be. In
business for years.
sponsible. I don't knw whether Socrates
or Chuck Connors ever handed this out
before, but it Is true-notabiy with ball
players In travelling they are like a lot OF
children: they herd together and follow the
leader 1t is always great question with
bali teams when coming from Boston to
New York whether they will take the boat
or the train. II the management has
bought tickets on the Fall River line. i'm
mediately the team goes into secret session
"Ahar' says one, they're saving money.
There's something behind this. Were going
to get done
Once let them be seized with this Idea and
that manager must change his transporta-
ton to rail Thereupon the men have
tedious wait-of six hours, and spend the
| night In hot. stuffy berths. But they look
wise; they weren't done"
In spite of this distrust of the manager,
they submit themselves docilely to any ar
rangement that is finally completed because
they feel their incapability of taking care
of themselves. Safely quartered on boat
or, train, however, they again become boid
with peevish complaints against the porter.
the conductor, the service and the dining
room stewards.
Imbued as they are with this fear that
some enc is trying to get the better of them,
they acquire an impersonal sense of loyalty
loyalty not to each other, as men, but to
the profession. True. each player has
pal on whom he is so dependent that he
would not buy shoestring a necktie
without consulting him, but toward others
of the team he has so much reserve that ne
would rather sit reading advertisements on
the hotel blotters than fan with them.
Many time / have found a great pitcher
or catcher. after winning tremendous APP
plause at game, lurking at dark street
corner when the days work was done
alone, morose and sloomily contemplative.
Newsboys were shouting his name far and
wide managing editors were ordering
specials" on Smith: Idol of the Fans
for a page story on Sunday. Meanwhile.
Smith was hiding like some escaped con-
Wet apparently a man of sorrow. He could
not find his pal and had no desire to talk
with any one else.
CuriOusly enough rare exception to this
rule is Luther Taylor of the New York Ma
lions who is deaf and dumb. Wherever
TAYLOR goes-north. south, east or west-he
will always be visited by scores of the 81
lent fraternity. among whom he is regarded
as a prodigy. Taylor has a genial. humor-
Gus spirit that covets companionship. While
a man like Lajoie or Hans Wagner may
lock himself in his room, rebufflng every
social invitation, Taylor would gayly join
the madding throng of mutes and have a
good time But Taylor's friends are differ
ent from the general run of base ball en-
thusiasts. The deaf mutes have not only
genuine admirat ion, but sympathy for. and
adherence to, their champion, while, far