The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-09-29
From the Chicago Tribune.

From the Chicago Tribune.
rs Shakespeare dead? asks Mark Twain
in his latest book. 1t is generally
l. supposed that he is, but the myriad
minded bard must have projected himself
in fancy into our age, for all the vocab-
ulary of baseball is found in his plays, as
we shall show.
: Beginning with that useless question
asked by Agrippa in "Coriolanus":
where go you with bats and clubs?' we
find that the two chief contenders in the
national pennant race are mentioned 10
name: 20, thou assembling cub" says
the Duke in Twelfth Night" where
wilt thou be when time hath sow'd griz-
zle on thy case?'' Nearer the top, we
hope"
"A pirate of very warlixe appointment
gave me chase" writes Hamlet, who was
run to death between bases; and Shyiock
evidently refers to the base-stealng hab-
its OF the Pittsburgers, when he says
Land thieves. mean pirates"
This from Richard III'' might be
protest by the peerless leader on Pitts
burg's winning the pennant money: 81
can no longer hold me patient. Hear me.
sharing that which you have pii'd from
me-"
Benediclz fancied himself as a twirler
for he boasts. HE that hits ME, let him
be clapped on the shoulder and it must
have been a pitcher or coaeher in Loves
Labor Lost who cried:
Thou canst not hit 1t, hit it, hit it;
Chou canst not hit it. my good man.
To which Boyet, who probably struck
out, says:
AN I cannot, another can
Prospero calls Ferdinand weak hit
ter" one, "who makes show but darest,
not strike" And Henry V. cries hopeful
Nv. and SO I shall catch the fly" But
we think he lost 1t in the sun. Have |
not IN a pitched battle heard loud
'larums?' asks Petruchio. We have, such
as the swat of willow on pisskin when
pitcher blows up.
1T is the veteran Falstaff who remarks;
Here's no scoring but upon the pnte
Sir John had seen lots of men left on
third, you see. A custom of the bleachers
is alluded to when old Uncle Pandarus,
anxious to stand up and stretch himself
between innings. says to Cressida'
.IIark. thev are coming from the field,
shall we stand up here and see them as
they pass? Good niece, do, sweet Niece
Cressida."
Cressida. cat your pleasure
Pandarus: Here, here, here's an ex-
cellent place; here we may see most
bravely. I'll tell you them all by their
names as they pass by but mark Troius
above the rest Pendarus had score
card. but wanted to let on to the lady
that he knew the heroes personally.
It sounds like scrap over stolen
base when Petruchio shouts:
"Out, you rogue! You pluck my foot
awry. Take that!" Petruchio was
peevisb that afternoon. anyway, having
lust started in to tame the shrew and he
thought the runner meant to spike him.
The .umpire'' is often mentioned in
Shakespeare. LET me be umpire in this
doubtful strife?'' asks King Henry w.,
who was Drawer than the play makes out,
or inst plain loco. There are three UNI
hires in this matter, as / understand,
saws Sir Hugh Evans in Merry Wives
of windsor" The absurd Welsh parson
mad seen Evers laying down the law to
couple of Jumps" and thought him one
! of the staff.
at was myself that brought you home
| said by Worcester in "Henry "" might
| be a remark to Wagner by Miller after he
had singled him home, Honus having
! tripIed as usual From Pericles: "Only
| ms friends, I yet am unprovided of a pair
| of bases"-just watch me steal EN-, as
| Tyrus Cobb would say