Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-01
Less Wrangling Preferred.

After more than thirty years experiences
personally and otherwise I think that can
safely say that voice the sentiment Of all
true lovers OF sport when / say give US
more batting and less wrangling with uin.
pires. Fair-minded people do not care to
see exhibitions of anger and rowdysm on
the ball field. but they want the greatest
sport in the world conducted on a clean
and fair basis. impartially judged and ener-
geticaIly but not ytciously conducted. Aa.
former cricket player, which has been all
ways known as gentleman's game. | am
forced 70 admit that base ball is its superior
In every respect where agility. skill and
keenneSS OF vision are necessary. We must
not let 1t go backward, but strive 10 keep il
formost in public esteem and pleasure for
all who love sport for its own sake.
"Reverting to Harry Wright again. II
will be recalled that he too was q cricket
er before he took up base ball. and the pos
sibilities OF the sport had such a fascna-
ton for him that 1t was only the rarest
occasions that he could be diverted from
ball game 10 even attend a cricket match
let alone participate in one. / can appre-
ciate his feelings. for the more l see Of our
national game the more I am convinced
that II is the sport of the whole people and
not confined to a select or privileged few.
A Noted Victory.
lone OF the most enthusiastic adherents
OF base ball was the late Senator German
and miss his CHEEKY face and gratlhed ex-
preston when come out to the local park
nowadays. My first acquaintance with him
was in 1867. when l was younger than I
am now and / trapised down to the White
Lot to see Artie German. as we called him
in those days, play right field. He
hrst-class felder. an accurate thrower with
a good eye for distance and a sure bait
ter. On one occasion there was one of the
biggest gatherings on the White Lot have
ever seen at ball game President john
son and members of his cabinet were in the
pavilion which had been erected for their
accommodation and the Marine Band under
Prof. Scala had been ordered cut to fur
nish music for the occasion. Opposed to
the Nationals were the Excelsiors of New
York and the=score was a tie in the ninth
inning. In those days a coin was tipped
between the captains of the opposing teams
to determine which should take the fed
first, the idea being prevalent that Il was
an advantage to get the first crack at the
new ball. There had been an abundance OF
long hits, among which homo runs, three
tributed and the two teams were pretty
evenly matched That day the Nationals
had taken the last inning and as l ..aves
said before the score a tie when Cor
man came TO the bat. There were two
men out when he walked up to the home
plate with the eyes OF thousands of spec
tators rlveted upon him. He struck tho
first ball pitched oyer in the right field. :
where he was accustomed to play, and he
must have known every inch of the ground.
for 1t seemed as IL he had picked out the
Spot where the Dall snou!d NIT IL saiie1i
over the right feIder's head. hit on pieca
of hard ground and bounded In among the
spectators. Before il could be recovered
German had Completed a circuit OF the
bases and won the game, the score being n
TO 20. Germans successor at the bat was
an easy out and the ovation that greeted
the future senator from Maryland have
never seen surpassed That hit and the
game it won was fruitful topic OF cons,
between Senator German and myss
self whenever we came together and in.
duiged in "reminiscences OF the early days Of
the greatest q ell national games" A.