The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-07-25
WHY WOMEN ARE FANS
Fair Enthusiast Tells of Her First Baseball Game Experience
and Why She Became Regular Rooter-No Longer
Sport Exclusively for Men
By MARY BERTRAN.

full trials + had to learn enough to at
least enjoy the game myself and not
be an annoyance to my friends. did
not read the sporting editors diction-
airy, but just went to game after
game and observed and learned.
Girls. 1t was a hard fight, as the
incest man gets really horrid at base
ball with a woman who knows moth
ing about the sport. l know this be-
cause l have had the experience and
feel some of the bitter retorts yet, for
to my query as what was meant by a
home run, received, Il wish you
would take one. then and there de-
cided to be fan" and one who
knows something. I made this decis-
ion as balm for my injured pride and
l received with much surprise untold
pleasure.
To those who think baseball is for
the men of the family only as did. or
who think most uncharitably of the
women who go to the game only go
to see and be seen, want to say, you
are laboring under the. biggest mis-
take ever.
Be it a fad or a fancy, the woman
fan" is here and here in great num-
bers and here to stay. I believe that
II the cynics want to term 1t a fad it's
one from which SO much genuine,
pleasure is derived that it is sure to.
last. You exclaim-"How thoroughly
mannish and rude, and how unfemin-
inc she must be-"
Not bit. / know one of the dearest
and sweetest girls who is every inch
the lady who is the greatest fan you
could imagine. She is the only sis
ter in family of rooters, and one of
the boys says he would rather talk
baseball with kitty" than with many
men, as she knows the game perfectly
is familiar with the batting averages
the standing of the teams, etc.
It's needless to say she is an ardent
admirer of Hans Wagner, and that
while enjoying cosy chat in her den
| saw no less than six different pic
lures and poses of "Honus."
Talk about your matinee idols! Well
the actor man has been supplanted
and In my lady's bower one sees num-
bers Of pictures of baseball men. 1t
would be unfair to tell the favorites,
but each girl has her choice-and it's
right here, knowing girls as l do,
want to say it's not always the best
players either. They all worship at
Wagner's shrine, and the pretty Frau
lein who knows of but one world and
two people in it-she and Hans-had
better take care of her big sweetheart.
At pretty affair at the Country
Club last Saturday l heard a charm
ing girl remark she had been present
ed to Frank Sparks, the handsome boy
from Dixie land who does such good
work for the Phillies, and that he had
the most fascinating manners, with
the charm of a delightful Southern
drawl. One of the other girls said she
was just wild to meet Patsy Flaherty
when he was here, as he was such a
"toppy" little gentleman.
These heart-to-heart secrets are
only samples of the interest taken in
the game from all points of argument
by the feminine fan, and prove that
the sport does not detract from the
feminine attributes of these fans. They
have their football heroes, their idols:
why not their baseball favorites.
The football season brings with it
bevies of pretty girls in stunning cos
tunes with the club colors and it's the
fad now to make ones self as trig
as possible for the baseball game. It's
a pretty fad-if SO we must call it-.as.
We look over the crowd at a game.
The women in their attractive gowns
and bright faces add q zest to the
game, and methinks, each one of the
players enjoys having them there.
This interest in the so-called mans
sport on the part of the women which
has grown SO considerably is most
commendable, as it cannot be denied
by the greatest pessimist living it has
a refining influence on the national
sport, as woman's presence has at
all times and places. II you wan to-
all times and places. II you want to
all her pretty gowns, her love for ath-
letic sports with the national pastime
In the lead; If you want to her her in
telligent flaming bee" go to a game
some afternoon and see If 1 am not
right. And If you go in cynical mood
to find flaws you will come home an
ardent admirer Of the woman fan.
Long life to her and merry greeting.