The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-21
YOUNG ATHLETES
FILL FAIRGROUNDS
Virginia Avenue Lot Packed
With Happy Children at
Annual Meet.

ing care-free youngsters, both boys
and girls. ranging from seven to eleven
years. lined up for the roll cali at the
Virginia avenu playground on Eleventh
street sOuthea&t this morning.
They came for the nrst athletic meet
OF the season. The events may not be
run on according to the strctest A. a
I e. rules, but Miss Mabel Towner viii
have Just a lille more TO say about the
way things are done than James 4. Sui
! Ivan ever dared attempt.
II was such scene that wouldn't
have been possible ten, or even hve,
years ago, before a large number of
distinguished citizens. including Presi-
dent William Taft, came out and said;
I'm for Fairgrounds and the children
acknowledged the Endorsement OF the
Chief Executive this morning when each
wore a large red placard bearing the
Presidents picture and his famous SEN
tence that is the slogan for about 10000
youngsters In Washington.
Anyone who believes Washington
youngsters would rather play in the al
leys and on the streets than in a well
regulated playground, where he has to'
observe the Golden Rule-there aren't
any others enforced-should have been
OUT when the first call for the baseball
teams was sounded this morning
All On Fairgrounds.
There wasn't a small boy. or a small
girl, either, 10 be seen in the southeast
section Of the cIty-tney were all on
hand. and those who weren't playing
. in the baseball game or in one of the
croouet matches were roofing Tor their
Schools or for their club.
T tell you that Cranch bunch jest
amt got the nerve. / amt saying
they're yellow, but you jest wait until
about the second innin'-you jest watch
Shorty go up in the air. Grammar is
one Of the lessons not taught in The
playground curriculum. but "Pete's" re-
marks were understood very clearly by
a lew Cranch adherents gathered
around.
Pete" is leftdelder on the Tyler nine.
There was a brief argument, for tie
war of words developed into an all
around free for ali with a tall, 1.-the
eight-year-old maiden OF the Cranch
persuasion doing much damage in the
thick OF the fray,
Miss MabeIs comingt" yelled a seIr-
appointed sentinel, and the air cleared
as quickly as il had clouded.
Miss TOwner the Ruler.
Miss Mabel as was mentioned before,
is Miss Mabel TOwner and is in undis-
puted command Of ali the playground
factions. She does not govern very
harshly, but she rules firmly, and the
only sign Of mutiny this morning was
when she declined TO allow three or
four of the youngsters TO kiss her TO
avoid a delay in starting the baseball
game while some 120 waited in line for
a similar salute.
Six schools were represented in the
entries for the meet-the Buchanan.
Bryon. Cranchs Tyler, Wallach, and the
LennOx.
The tribe OF the Cranch lined ID
against a very select aggregation from
the Tyler-so select that but eight play
ers were IN the field, the Tylerites de-
claring that they would rather 90 into
the game shorthanded than enlist any
ringers
After the play BALI signal it was all
very much like real baseball game.
There were girls in the game as well
as boys and they did not hesitate 10
slide bases, nor did any chivalrous no
tions 90 about not putting them out
when the chance came
No Easy Pitches.
Throw one a little easier to hertz
shouted an admirer OF one little miss as
she came 10 the bat. whereupon the Of
Tended batter halted the game until
she made the pitcher give his solemn
word Of honor that ne would throw il
across TO her just as hard as TO any
one else
He did that. and little more. and the
bali nit the young miss squareIy In her
saucy nose-but the game went on for
the bali is twice as big as a real base
bah and is made very soft for just such
accidents. On her second trip 70 the
bat the young miss got sweet re-
venge. She knocked out a home run
with two boys on bases.
The score Is just yet a matter Of much
contention. zach side made some TWEEN
~ runs but Just which side chalked up
victory no one knows exactly but the
Official scorer, Miss Mabel, and she
says she won't tell until this afternoon
when it comes time 20 present the win
ming school with an American flag.
Athletic Meet On.
The school that gets the Tag will
have 10 do more, though, than win
the baseball game this morning. This
afternoon the athletic meet proper is
being held and IL viii have most the
events Of real grown-up meet No
one viii be allowed to compete who is
more than thirteen years old. There
viii be dashes ranging from twenty
I'VE 70 fifty yards. Ten members of
each team viii run IN a relay race
while broad jumps, potato races and
Ginning bar contests viii ground out
the program
Over az the ROsedaIe Fairgrounds at
Seventeenth and Gales streets north
east, viii be held another meet similar
10 that one al the southeast play
ground. but IL VII not begin until about
4.30 O'Clock Pupils from the Blow.
Webb Pierce. Madison, Wheatiey. and
Hav schools viii compete. The event
viii be under the direction OF Edward
s. Gilflan Mrs. Agnes Stewart. Miss
Elizabeth Murray. Sam j. Jennings and