Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-22
SOME NOTED FANS
OF MANY CITIES
Enthusiasts Who Have Won
Regulations by Their De-
votion to the Game.
BY HUGH s. FULLERTON.


Fans are those temporarily insane per-
Sons who make base bah possible; the wild
eyed. hoarse. strong -lunged, pop-bottle
throwing. peanut-eating horse that comes
to ball games and roots. Every city has
It's famous fans-men who neglect bust
ness, pleasure wife and family for base
balit VINO never miss game, and who
always are anxious for more who keep
up the statistics, who know the official
averages of every player in the big leagues
and the personal history of each
They know base ball No player and no
writer can fool them They do not accept
the statements of any authority, but rely
on their own dope. and woe betide the
poor writer who makes q blunder for they
are next to him in q minute. They
are the fellows who hang to the car
riages when the players ride away from
the grounds, who walk cut and stand on
the home plate after the field is deserted
who stand around the hotels and listen to
the players talk.
Elmer Smith the famous old pitcher and
outhelder. always contended that every
body connected with base bail was crazy,
and urged the National and American
Leagues to build a big insane asylum and
lock up the players, writers, magnates and
umpres at the end of each season and
turn them loose in the spring. But he
would have had to include all the fans to
make II complete, Tor they are craZler IMAM
all the others; they pay for the privilege
OF helping the game along, and are glad of
It.
Kept Pass as a Souvenir.
I have a friend-George-wh is the true
type OF the crank. During the post-season
series between the White Stockings and
the Cubs in Chicago last fall seats were at
a premium. and one afternoon. having an
extra pass, signed by COmiskey, I presented
It to George thinking he was entitled to IT,
as he had paid admission TO every game
played that year on the south side grounds.
Half an hour later George called me up
on the phone and asked:
Would II make any difference TO you IL
don't use that pass?'
why no Why?
We'll" he explained. Il am going to the
game hut l would rather pay my way and
keep that pass as a souvenir.
Gen. DixwelI of Boston.
Perhaps the most famous fan the country
ever has known was Gen. "Hi-Hi' Dixwell
Of Boston. He was RICH. He had every
thing. ana he loved base ball, and for years
he travelled al over the country with the old
Boston club. entertaining the players, asso-
caJlng with them, making them presents
and attending every game.
He was not noisy rooter. He sat IN the
front seats Of the grand STANDS with his
owes strained upon the field, watching every
pIav. his body tense and jerking with every
move the players made. Every time a good
piay was made he broke loose with a sharp,
ataccato "Hl-HP' that rang through the
Gen. Dixwen fell out with the Boston
management and IN recent years has asso-
catcd with the American Leaguers. al
though he never failed for years to call at
the hotels and talk with the visiting Ma
tiuuul League clubs.
Can't Stand the Excitement.
have the champion crank Of all at the pres
eut day. No one knows his name. but he
never has missed a game since Comiskey
invaded Chicago. His actions peculiar.
lie goes into the 3O-cent seats and remains
there until the game becomes exciting and
then he hurries out and walks UP and down
the back OF the stand. out OF sight OF the
playing field. until the contest IL ended.
Every time a roar OF applause goes up he
walks TO the end OF the stand and inquiries
what has happened. then retires behind the
stand again.
attendants noticed them, aud one day one
approached him md inquired why IL WAS he
didn't 60 around and watch the game.
Il don't dare" he answered sadly. Il
have valvular heart trouble and any excite
ment is likely to Kill me When | begin 20
get excited | come back of the stand"
Two Famous Fans
Louis Mann. the actor is one of the wild
est OF all base bali cranks.
lie likes base ball but he likes to see New
York win even better. He never misses a
game. and on several occasions has Cancelled
matiRees to get TO a ball game or put on
his understudy Manns speciality is hating
umpires. He looks upon the entire tribe as
his natural enemies When excited oyer q
game he lapsss into dialect.
another dyed-in-the-w Ooi crank is Mar-
shall 2. Wilder. the midget hnmorist lie
never misses base bail, and when la New
York he has stool in IA box next to the
press stand, which he sits, OF rather
hail hangs. over the front OF the stand
yelling at and encouraging the players.
American Association Games.
Columbus g: Kansas f,ftv g