The San Francisco call., 1908-11-04
American Stars Leave
for the Orient
Boys Given a R0using Farewell
as Steamer Leaves the
Dock
By w. j. SIaffery

The historic Argonauts did not have
a shade on Mike Fisher and his Reach
All American baseball stars as they
sailed through the Golden gate on the
steamer China yesterday afternoon, the
first expedition of tossers who ever
started out to subdue the orient. Every
thing was lovely. from the fair maids
who gathered at the dock to weep in
infielders and outfelders to the lay of
Fishers toupe, which was poised espe-
cially for the occasion
II was a great sendoff for the boys
something that their widest dreams
never even once suggested. They were
their glaring red, white and blue uni
forms the tossers stood out in con-
spicuous group on the deck OF the big
Pacific Mail liner, and nine-tenths OF
the cheers from the dock were for
them.
Fisher. of course. was the center OF
the mixup. He just stood on that dock
and ''handshooked" everybody in sight.
general marshaHng his forces for the
fray. and he was more imposing than
any political candidate delivering his
final address on election eve. II Mike
ever knows another such day he will
be a lucky man.
Hundreds of persons crowded the
dock to wave godspeed to the gang
There was many a strangle hold turn
enacted between husky tosser and
fair damsel on the gangplank, and as
master of ceremonies Pete Grant re-
marked: Neither Whistler nor Null
doom would have had a chance to
break in there, even in their palnny
day"
BIZ Devereaux naturally was the last
man to show up. and Fisher had al
ready made arrangements to sign up
the champion of all Japanese fans, T..
Yona gereeki. when Wild Bill tore down
the dock just Is minutes before sailing
time Then the party was complete,
and the captain gave the engineer the
office to turn the good ship loose.
AS the China pulled out of the dock
the United States tug Golden Gate, in
Hamilton caught up. On board her
were hundred admirers of the tossers,
including the little brown fan. They
could not bear to part at the Mail dock
street wharf as far as they could.
No party of tourists ever experienced
more perfect day than yesterday. The
disturbed the placid waters of the bay
Everybody was even and everybody
was happy. In fact, 1t was as jolly
gang as ever left our fair city for q
Cruise in any foreign sea. 1t was a
triumph for Fisher and the national
game.
After the game at the Valencia street
lot the tOSSeTS were DunO1eQ INTO I'VE
big White steam cars and swiftly
chugged to the Mail dock The gaily
bedecked steamers made great hit
as they whirred down Market street to
Third and then to the Mail dock. The
gay colored uniforms of the players
could be distinguished many blocks
away.
The boys will sail direct for China.
where they are billed to play several
games at. shanghai Hongkong and
Canton. They will also take in japan
and the Philippines. as has already
been announced in their schedule. On
their return home the tossers will stop
off at Honolulu to engage the native
PLAYERS of the Hawaiian Islands.
The party includes the following:
Mike Fisher and wife, Left Fielder
George Hildebrand of the Seals and
his wife and baby. Albert, mascot of
the team; Pitchers Bill Burns of Wash
ington and Pat Flaherty of Boston.
Catcher Jack Bliss of st. Louis. First
Baseman Babe" Danzig of Portland.
Second Baseman Jim Delehanty of
Washington. Third Baseman Bill Dew
ereaux of Santa Cruz and Temescal,
Shortstop Roy .McArdle of the Seals
and Center Fielder Nick Williams and
Utility Man Joe Curtis of the same
team, Outfielders Heine Heitmuller of
Oakland, Gladstone Graney of Portland
and Press Agent H. L. Baggerly