Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-28

ball season of 1906. which has been or
great interest to Washingtonians who
watched the progress of our own Ma
tionals'' and who rooted" in sympathy
at least. for the plucky white Sox'' in
the great championship series with the
Cubs" a letter has been written by Dep
uty Health Officer Harry C. Mclean In
which the battles of the diamond in the
early history of the national game are re-
called. Mr. Mclean was a member of the
first Nationals team to represent the
capital In a baseball way, and his letter
has much to do with the victorious march
of that pioneer nine in the early sixties
and with its influence upon the baseball
education of the country. The missve
was indited to Mr.. Richard Glover, of
New York City. who was also a baseball
enthusiast in the national game both be-
fore and after civil war time. and though
written in a personal vein, there are many
incidents chronicled which will doubtless
be of much interest to followers of tho
great game in this day and generation
WASHINGTON. Oct. l. 1905.
Dear Old Friend Dick:
II have received in an envelope. ad-
dressed by one who has been known for
a century to the baseball worlu as Uncle
Nick On. E. Young, ex-president National
League, a letter written him by you on
the 18th ultimo, in which you ask, DO you
remember the song that was composed
years ago for the Nationals western jour-
ney?' He probably recalls it, but cannot
reproduce 1t, as 1t was written for the
National team in which Uncle Nick was
not actively interested he being an Olym-
pic, loyal and true, two characteristics
that have ever formed a part of his unique
personality
1.-The lines dedicated to my first manly
love- the Nationals Ghe Olympics being
in ind tba
many clubs annihilated on that men,
orable pioneer journey to the distant
west and south. They were lines that
the heroes warbled day and night over a
journey of 5000 miles where our national
game was comparatively unknown in its
most attractive and advantageous fea-
lures, that demanded then. now. good
judgment, nerve, courage, endurance and
above all, skill. Still the king of outdoor
pastimes. developing physical powers and
transporting enervated and undeveloped
youths into strong and healthy men; pre-
senting manly. exciting, and moral exer-
else, where vicious characters and evil
associations hold no sway
1t was trip that proved OF incalcula-
BILE value to the youth Of the great agri-
cultural districts Of the west and south
A dearth of healthy means Of recreation
had led as a natural sequence to the
adoption of sport neither physically nor
morally elevating. After the labors Of the
day 1t was customary for the young farm
ers and mechanics to seek relaxation and
imagined pleasure at the village tavern.
where cards and other games Of chance
were played; then waiting and wasting
for the excitement Of the race track, and
between times seeking relief from the
tedium OF their daily occupations, which
the designations of a city life offer; but
soon after our trip (Which for reasons here
in given goes down as the greatest and
clubs sprang up in nearly every city, VII
lage and hamlet of the west, clubs that
brought forth a Spaulding McVey. Arson.
Gould and hosts Of others whose names
in the baseball world will never be for
gotten. Youths with vicious tendencies
were transformed into beings with mainly
characters. without which no ball player
can reach the plane Of excellence. Herein
lies much Of the good we did, and the
benefits derived therefrom, I speak of
course of the game In the integrity. Evils
can be made to grow out Of 1t as out Of re-
ligion itself. Make a gambling sport OF 1t
and it would become an evil to the COM
munity, but practiced as it should be, and
conducted as 1t was, and Is. believe. today,
1t is pre-eminently head and shoulders
above all recreatons Of the hour, and l
predict that at no distant day even Old
England's' cricket will give way to this
king Of sports. We entered every con-
test with kindly feeling, gentlemanly con-
duct and skilful in every position on the
field. no fault-finding for accidental errors.
no numbering of umpires, no attributing
motives to victorious opponents, no boast
full exultation when Triumphant; only
happy, appropriately happy giving vent
thereto singing this our anthem to the
tune of Benny Ravens, OH:
THE SONG OF THE NATIONAL NINE"
Westward Ho."
Air: Benny Ravens, Oh 4"
Come all We jolly Nationals and iii your glasses
Success to all who toss the ball-be this our part
Our banner floats the breeze upon. our comrades
Farewell awhile to Washington we're going west
ward ho.
Chorus We're going westward no, we're going
Farewell awhile to Washington we're going west
ward no.
Amid the . valleys of the west are brothers true
Who stretch q hand to welcome US across the
Wen play them all a friendly game. and tho but
We hope to leave friends behind and take
some balls away.
Chorus: We're going westward no, we're going
Success to all who toss the ball. we're going west
ward no.
1--WE know our catcher is all Wright our nine
And II the umpire don't get tight we need not
Our 'Fo1 viii gobble up their fowls and suck
And If our Eb' should miss ball. why Ed will
Chorus.
''Our Pitcher holds enough for all. he's hard to
crack they'll find;
He never pitched the losing ball when Johnnie
played behind.
And when bases all get full we will not care
for that
We know the boys will all come home when
Windmill takes the bat.
Chorus
with George the Third the field to play, and
Pete to lend a hand,
Fresh balls and laurels every day will greet
little band:
Well take heavy hearts along. no faces grave
and blue,
For while the Coloners at the helm he's bound to
put US thro'.
Chorus.
'And when our battles all fought. and all our
games won.
Wen turn faces east again and make our last
home run;
And tho no more flag will raise where western
waters flow
Wen ne'er forget the jolly days when we went
westward no.
Chorus: When went westward no, when we
went westward no.
Wen ne'er forget the jolly days when we went
westward no."
you may have forgotten yourself who
comprised this bunch of athletes, and by
telling you who they were 1 mean no re-
Election on your youthful mind"
WRIGHT.