The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-09-17
Taft Was Center of Interest
To 80, 900 fans Who Urged
Him to Cheer for Victory
Over the Giants.
HE REFUSES PEANUTS
BUT TAKES LEMONADE
Executive Jokes About Chica.
90 Exaggeration on the Size
Of Crowd-He Develops In
to a R0oter.

Chicago. Sept. l7.-President Tan,
with $1,000 fellow fans" watched ths
Cubs go down to defeat at the hands
Of the Giants to the tune OF = to yes
terday.
1t was Taft day at the West Side hail
park. and the big president who help
ed pull in vain for a Chicago victory,
was the center OF II ALL
He got peanut shells In his hair and
became almost stoop-shouldercd from
sitting in the jammed grand stand. but
he was happy-happy as the happiest
youngster who was perched In the
bleachers away out there in the field.
and who will tell his children's chill
dren of the day when he attended a
ball game with the president.
But 1t wasn't glorious victory. Il
is bad enough to lose at any time In
heart-breaking pennant race. but to
lose when the president Is looking on
is the bitterest woe OF all.
But victory or defeat. the president
had the jolliest kind Of an afternoon.
He had the choicest seat In the big,
OverflOwing stands-not In q royal boz
but three rows back Of the boxes. right
at first base. where he could see every.
thing. and pretty nearly everybody
could see him.
President Seen First.
There was little doubt that the crowd
was the first Of all to see the president.
He arrived q few minutes after $40
o'clock. and after $1,000 throats had
proclaimed their welcome from the nag
draped stands he held . reception to
the ball teams down on the diamond.
Another struggle and he got back in
to his seat. and the game was on.
1t took ten minutes more before the
president could see the game. A bat
terry of photographers planted them
selves along the range of vision and
let their machines click until the presi-
dent shouted:
"Sit down. want to see the game:
Then the fans knew he was q real
man. and they cheered him a welcome
to their neighborhood. Every few
minutes, however. someone would
make his way to q place near the pres
again. Pop Anson was among the
first of these and there was some good
natured chatting. President Heydler
of the national league soon took . seat
near the president, as q sort OF technic-
nj adviser. August Hermann. chair
man of the national commission, with
Major John Calvin Of Cincinnati. fol-
lowed suit and had chat with tha
president.
On one side Of the president sat Sec
retary of War Dickinson, who II some
Fan" himself On the other was Gov
ernor Deneen. but the latter. much -
he seemed to enjoy the game. never
got into any real arguments ~ TO the
fighting. Secretary Dickinson did.
HamiItonians Near Tast.
Next to Secretary Dickinson was
Captain Archibald Wallingfried Butt.
u. S. A.. the presidents aid. and ON
Governor Deneen's left was President
George w. Dixon of the Hamilton club
President Taft's host at the game.
Nearby were grouped about 1000 Ham,
iltonians. including Congressman VIII
liam w. Wilson. Fred Lundin, George
E. Foss and James R Mann.
CONGRESSMAN Wilson got the drst
rise out of the president when the las-
ter suggested a query AZ to the stse Of
the crowd.
"Oh, 10000" said Congressman VIII
SON, with the alertness of IN election
forecaster. President Taft turned -
President Heydler.
II want an expert opinion. not asChi-
cago guess" he said. and Heydler
guessed 1900.
A little later the official figures were
reported at 3O.136
81 wasn't 30 far out Of the way"
commented Congressman wilson
NO, not for . CAicagoan." admitted
the president only 10000. or about
. per cent That's pretty close for .
Chicagoan."
He talked about college players with
Secretary Dickinson and the ages Of
the players with President Heydler.
Now and then he let his feelings bub-
BILE into words when . good pay q
bad one brought the fans 70 thedr fsee
At fIrst they thought he Wa . HtfIs
cold Some one cried up to him 20
cheer mp.
81 ann from CINCINNATI he shouted
hack. and I've got 4 cold"
eeeomes Real Cub sFan."
But when the score of . TO 3 came
In from the Pittsburg Cincinnati game
the president turned into . genuine
out-and-out Cub ian. But II was too
Ss~