The Washington herald., 1909-02-28
Isthmian League FlOurisheS
Under Yankee Occupation.
STRENUOUS FOR THE UMPIRE
Col. GOethals Is President OF Organi-
ration, z. H. Rousseau Vice Presi-
dent-Ninety Per Cent OF Audiences
Root for Home Team-season Starts
in DecemBer-PIay Sunday Games.
srecal % The Washington H.r.ld.

Thee Is no lack Of genuine baseball en-
thusiasm on that part Of the Isthmus OF
Panama under American occupation. The
rooter is as vigorous as he is in the
States, and his likes and disIikes are
manifested at every game. More TO the
point as 10 American reality al a ball
game, the umpire is not only assasled in
oral fashion. but he has had TO show
science with his fists upon several occa-
sions 20 protect himself from the assaults
Of the players. All intensely American.
Only few weeks ago the arbiter or
the diamond In a game at Ancon was
twice mixed I'D in scrap with the play
ers, but he finished the game. while Of
Tending players sat on the bench. one Of
whom was elected from tie ground The
umpire was somewhat dishgured. how
ever. and showed great coolness under
a severe trial
Since this last unpleassntness the
league has adopted stringent and posi-
tive rules. which practically put pre-
+ MUM upon clean bail. and the unruly
players must not IN out OF line II they
/ wish TO remain in the game. Deportation
Z from the Zone may follow a second Of
! fense.
Inside Baseball shown.
As a rule. the BAN tossers are char
acteristically diamond performers. They
put a lot of ginger into their work. Then.
( too, the players often indulge in inteIH-
( gent inside baseball, and in this line they
+ are aided by the experience or profess
sionaIs who are now holding situations
under the canal commission and playing
bah on the side While they are prof.
cient IN the particular places they al,
! they are generally selected because Of
T their ability 10 play ball
As a rule. the Panamans do not ike
baseball II Is entirely too energetic for
/ the easy-going natives. Once in while
few Panamans viii get ont 10 sea
I AncOn play. but they do not understand
the game and apparently have not time
20 devote 20 the learning % IL
Ninety per cent Of the audiences at the
different games are composed Of rooterS
for the home team. and II would seem
+ that the rivalry Is not alone among the
players. but the fanatics IN each town
I Try 10 outd0 the other fellows. The root
ing. too. Is Of modern vocabulary, and
various noisy instruments are in vogue
to more forcibly acclaim loyalty 70 the
home team. and when the friends OF the
visiting team become demonstrative in an
oral way the din Of retaliation reaches
IN volume the noise Of dynamite ex-
plosions along TIE line Of the canal
Empire Team Leads.
Although the season IS young. the lead
held by the Empire team Is greatly envied
by Ancon. the tail-enders. who last year
made a Kansas wbirlwind finish. landing
the Pennaut amid the plaudits Of a host
OF admirers. which included among the
number many Of the women folk.
Net only the young women we're
furiously loyal. but the mothers Of chill
dren old enough 20 marry we're consistent
attendants az the games and eagerly
spurred the players 10 q fuller display
Of their prowess as ball tossers.
This year AnCOn IS last in the race. and
while not hOpelessly out OF the race. has
little chance 10 win the flag. and as a
consequence the dormant pride OF tbs
roeter needs only 8 reason for revivifca-
tion
Games are played every Sunday and
doubIe-headers on holidays ana the at
tendance IS usually very good In IaS
the Isthmian Baseball League had eight
teams. but this season only four clubs
are cOntending for the championship Of
the Canal Zone. A lack OF material per
haps can be ascribed for only a quartet
Of clubs in the league
The season started in December in or
der 20 include the Christmas HOLIDAYS,
and extends throughout the dry season.
January. February, March. and April
This year thirty games will be played IN
Ancon, In Empire. and IN GOrgona. the
Motive Power and Machinery team not
having a ground Of its Own. but they
have a pretty strong team. and are sec
Ond in the quartet.
The Isthmian Baseball League is
strongly Offered. Col Goethals. chair
man Of the Isthmian canal commission,
Is president. He was not chosen because
Of his official position. but because he
IS thirty-third degree fan. H. II. Rous-
seau. another member Of the commission.
is the vice president. and he Is a posi-
lively dyed-in-the-WOol fanatic But per
hsps the most genuine. consistent, every
day rooter for clean baseball and prince
Of spoTty-inclined fellows, William II
Wood. IS the secretary-treaSurer. This
Jriumvir are as prominent in baseball in
the Canal Zone as was the famous trium-
vir which promoted the national game in
the States, and Il there is anything over
looked BY the Zone trio. TO one has been
bold enough to spring It on the baseball
Populace.
In the personnel Of the teams are the
names Of men known on the professional
diamonds in the States, while Tot a few
viii be remembered as having played
upon college mines The teams are made
up as follows:
Personnel of Teams.
Empire-R. J. Christopher Gnd D. J. Shannon,
pitchers; Wade b. Moore snt George ". Lyons
catcheTs; c. A. Dixon. sho-tstop; r, NJ Bel. frss
base: Harry JuugeT, second base: Scott Ffughsrty
third base: z H. Vernon. 7. Marshall Zan Murphy
c 7. Wsllius and W E GTuad. aelders and extra
men Wade Moore Is also manager. and played
u the Texas League IN ises in san Antonio. and
1894 1905. 1866. and 1907. At Houston which club be
Hasnssed. The majority Of tbs other players have
PLAYED on college teams.
Motive Power and Mschinery-J A Conrad short
stops H 5. Steele. first base; c. p. Cole second
base; z. B. Manslsh. thi-d base; c. O. Herring
catcher; r. E Kennedy. center feld: George R.
Herring right aeld. William J. NcGinuis left fed
2. Q. Chappls ard ". J. Marshall. pitchers: VIII
ian Weber and &. n Burle. extra men. W. Fox Is
manager. Chapple has PLAYED professional bali IN
the States. Mauush is the young man Connie Mack
had third II the latter part Of last season. be
= putting ID me zane az JniT0. and Is TeTT last
n Fstting the ball over 10 f-sz Is At to 20
into the Ezme in the States at any time he vas
noncnnnittal when asked whether he would play on
the Athletics this year.
GSrgcua-A- l. McCa1ley. David Pickett Henry
Nsssen, Wallace J Wright. Walter T. Clements
B. A Morton. ". c C2nvbsIl James Mseee.
Thomas Bailey. Henry KusemzuI 3. L. Ezrsry B.
B. Toone, Elmer DcEney, sDd A. P. Ridge. A. G.
E~erst i saAnseec- This team is psssicaIIy made
I'D u mechsuicz. but shows class in all E1meS
A1con-Frsd R0hr ard S0ZTeii patches; G. A.
TinSling and ". II. Taylor. catcheTs; R. II. Smith
first base: J. n Baxter second base: p z Pear
man. third base; /. q Gardner. shorssto2; G. ".
Keller. dght feld: Z. Z. Hunter centeT fed: D.
T. EdSarcs. let helds v. d. Jefiries. substitute
inhsidzr and ". H. Scuth. A. c. Fechtis and
Oliver F1r-e-. extras " \. Russeil Is msnazsr
Rsx;eT vas With tAs sOUsksn Lezgus last year
The other men AZ olsEs lads Russell has
pisved On Sozshsrz college ssans, While oshsx1 q
ths tssu eu1s sson sO1thsTs slatsa