Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-29
THEY nSQUEzEE" FOR
THE HOME TEAM
Some of the WeII-KnoWn Root
ers" at the National
Park Games.

ut has become second nature for me to
squeeze for the home team remarked
the Chinese minister. as he sat In a private
box at National Park enjoying the game
In progress and a specially manufactured
brand of cigarette. BY the side of the
minister sat his little son, who had been
provided with a bag of peanuts, which
diverted ifis attention only temporarily from
the exciting scenes which were transpirlng
on the diamond Incidentally the minister
took occasion to say to a prominent bust
ness man OF Washington. who sat In the
same box that he made 1t q point never to
leave a game of base ball until the last man
had been retired. Your national pas
time" said the titled celestial, is so uncer-
tain that am afraid 1 might miss some
thing IL l did not remain to the, finish.
When was student at Amherst College
base ball appealed to me as the greatest
sport ever witnessed. and time passes
find that my interest is intensified rather
than decreased, owing to the scientific meth
DDS now In vogue. l played on my class
team at Amherst and this may account for
my appreciation of the greatest of sports.
There Is no telling what contest may
bring forth and the game OF today may be
different In every respect from one that
may be played on the morrow. New plays
are constantly cropping UP which keep the
interest OF a spectator at fever heat, and
the efforts of the players are rewarded in
the most impartial manner. That Is one
of the attractions of the game Of base ball.
No matter to which side he belongs brill
liant play is appreciated with the most Law
ish and unstinted outburst of enthusiasm.
From the beginning of the present
son at Washington, including the exhibit
ton period, have made a point of getting
out to National Park whenever 1t was pos
sible. and the qualification and pleasure
which I have derived from the exhibitions
given by the home team are almost beyond
my powers OF description. 1t is little won
der to me that there are such big turn
outs Of people as We have witnessed dur
ing the present month, when We take into
consideration the class displayed by the
Washington boys. There seems to be uni
formity of action and perfect harmony by
the entire team, and it is just such work
as they have been doing that constitutes
winning ball. From my experience and
observation, as well playing ball, I
consider myself qualified to sit in judy
ment upon ball players. At the gait the
Washngtons are going, they are the peers
OF any team seen here thus far. Aggres-
sye, snappy, ever ready to take advantage
Of the slightest opportunity. they are put
ting UP an exhibition of skill which rem
ders them worthy foemen of any team In
the American League. My best wishes for
their success Will follow them this season
whether at home or abroad"
From these observations 1t will be seen
that the Chinese minister Is q keen OBJ
server. as well as a competent Judge of the
national game. He always gets front
seat. and although he does not keep score.
not a point escapes him and a good play
receives prompt recognition with vigorous
hand-cIapping. He is familiar figure and
his costume always attracts attention, but
he is never subjected to any annoyance, by
curious spectators. He seems to enter thor
oughly into the spirit of the OCCASION and
Is as democratic in his inclinations and
conversation as the most enthusiastic and
''dyed-in-the-wool" American base ball
rooter.
There were other commentators besides
the Chinese minister IN the grandstand,
and some of them expressed their views as
follows:
Kicking at the Umpire
Senator Dubois of Iowa: when will
players learn that an umpire cannot and
will not reverse himself when he has rem
dered decision. Griffith's exhibitions were
as senseless they were Ineffective
Phil King. Princetons famous foot ball
coach: 1T strikes me when a baseman
gets ball near his position ..e should make
the play himself and not jeopardize matters
by tossing the ball to another player In
order to give the latter the put out With
the ball In his hand the player is the mas
ter of the situation and he should not take
a chance Of losing runner by mixing the
play"
Judge Clabaugh Of the District bench:
THAT dive of Lave Cross and grabbing
the base with his hand makes II a diff
cult matter for him to be touched. He does
not present his body to the baseman, there
by materially lessening the opportunity for
being reached with the ball. 1t is an OBJ
ject lesson Of heady ball playing"
Assistant Secretary Reynolds of the
Treasury Department.: BY this time 1t
east that they are up against a difficult
proposition when they play the Washing
tons. Their improvement over preceding
seasons borders on the marvellous, and they
10 Co.. oil <h1~ fo ~, IL
Secretary Walton of the Washington
Jockey Club: Now that the horses have
left this vicinity I am enabled to enjoy
myself looking at the Washingtons play
ball. They make some of the crack teams
look like selling platers."
A. B. Ruff of the Central National Bank:
After busy day down town l know OF
no greater recreation than to visit Ma
tional Park and witness the kind of ball
our boys are putting up. 1t seems TO make
no difference whether the other team gets
a flying start or not. Washington fights
every inch. and their success shows the re-
suit of pernicious activity so far as the
other side Is concerned"
Sydney Smith, chief of the diplomatic bu-
reau of the State Department.: Anderson
is one of the coolest men 1 ever saw at the
bat. Nothing seems to disturb him, and the
manner in which he Is covering left field
makes him a terror to everything coming
out in his direction"
Uncle Nick Young: 1T must be crafty
ing to the present administration of the
Washington club to see that their efforts
to give the capital a frst-class team are
being so literally appreciated. 1t does not
seem to make any difference about calling
the games at o'clock. SO far as patronage
goes"
Cannot See Weak Spot.
Dr. George B. WEIGH: After careful
study of the team representing us this sea-
son, I fail to find a weak spot All our
pitchers seem In great shape. and Kitson
Is wonder at the bat He would make a
fielder II taken out of the box, or am
very much mistaken. His batting procliy-
tiles would make him a desirable acquisition
to any team"
Gen. w. w. Dudley "A good game of
base ball Is the best tonic can think of.
Such games as we have had this year dem
onstrate that Washington has team to
boast about. There are no record players,
but everybody seems imbued with the idea
of working together to make winning"
Representative Loudenslager of New Jer-
sey: There must be urgent business at
the Capitol to keep me away from the bail
park and especially when am assured in
advance of plucky. never-say-die contest