The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-17
Twelve Hours in the CitI lI.
 filled With Interest ATTENDS THE BALL GAM.
An Automobile Trip Is Taken 1aG After Review of School Children Luncheon Is Enjoyed at
 Commercial Club.

Chicago, September 16-President raft during a stay of 12 eventful hours in Chl- cago today, plunged with a will into tn long program of entertaining that await him on his long western and southerf Itinerary. With perfect weather an, crowds that fairly fought to catch glimpse of the chief executive this, tht first city to be visited. set high mark of enthusiastic welcome which the Presi- dent seemed deeply to appreciate.
 From the moment he stepped off the rear platform of his private car at a temporary station on the outskirts of the city until he retired late tonight on boar the train which will take him to Mill waukee tomorrow morning, the Presi- dents journeying of 30 miles or more over the citys streets and parkways led him through lanes of massed humanity that were kept open with the greatest difh- culty on the part of the police.
 Beginning with an automobile trip, tn review of 15GG00 school children, four deep on each side of the park boulevards
 
 cident. He attended and spoke briefly al a luncheon of the Commercial club viewed an exhibit of ambitious plans for the improvement and Identification Of Chicago-plans which the President said he hoped would be realized by Chicago pluck and energy-attended the regular National league baseball game between he ,1,o sfr,,b bp famous New York Giants. dined quietly with the Hamilton club at the Congress hotel, made notable address to a mass meeting in Orchestra hall this evening, and as finale attended for few min utes the ball of the American Bankers association at the, Auditorium.
 Tafs gs impressed.
 MT. Taft was deeply Impressed by the greeting of the school children, each one of whom waved a little American flag and sang and cheered as he passed. He spoke of the impression the smiling faces and fresh young voices of the children had made on him, and declared 1t was not often given to a man-be he President or not-to receive such a welcome.
 At the National league grounds this aft ernoon the President saw his biggest baseball crowd. There were more than S0,OO0 people packed into the stands and bleachers and overfiowing into the play ing field. The President sat in one of the open sections of the double-decked stands and thoroughly enjoyed a brilliant game in which the two greatest pitchers in the league, Mathewson and Brown, faced each other.
 New York won, but the crowd had some compensation in cheering the President, who remained to the end and waited to wave a farewell at the bleacher throngs that poured across the field in a perfect cavalcade when the last Cub had struck out.
 President Taft, when he first reached the park, went down on the field and shook hands with the members of both teams.
 Reception in Box.
 Proceeding then to the reserved section, where he held an impromptu reception, during which he met Pop Anson, the famous old Chicago player; Garry Herr mann, president of the ational baseball commission, and Jot.n A. Heydler. presi- dent of the National league. MT. Heyd- Ter was invited to seat just behind the President, and throughout the game MT. Taft frequently referred to him for ex- pert opinion on some of the plays and de- cisions of the umpire. Charles w Mur- phy, president of the Chicago club, in which the Presidents brother is a part owner, also was with the President for a part of the game.
 Texas" Reilly, the editor of San An H. -IIx |. way from San Antonio to Chicago to present formal invitation to Mir. Taft to visit that city, also met the President at the ball game. He was in typical cowboy costume and had reached Chicago on a horse from the Charles P. Taft ranch in Texas only this morning The President assured Mir. Reilly that he was looking forward to his visit to San Antonio on October IT with great deal of pleasure.
 Mayor Calvin of Cincinnati called in the stand to pay his respects and re- ceived a hearty, Hello. John" from the President. Secretary Of War Dickinson sat at the Presidents right Governor Dneen at his left, and Gen. Frederick Grant just in front In the surrounding seats were members of the Presidents party and of the Hamilton club, which succeeded the Commercial club during the afternoon as hosts to the distin- guished visitor.
 Many Cheers Given.
 MT. Taft received hearty cheers from the baseball enthusiasts, especially when he stood up with the rest of the fans at the beginning of the lucky seventh although the inning brought only blank for the home club, the crowd ap- preciated the Presidents good inten- ton.
 Once during the game MT Taft was asked by one of his party MT. Presi- dent, who are you for, Chicago or New York?"
 .'I'm for Cincinnati" declared the Pres ident with an anxious look at the score board which showed 3 to 8 tie be- tween Cincinnati and Pittsburg in the seventh inning.
 But just then the score board boy marked up four for Pittsburg in the eighth and two in the ninth and the President declared amid laughter, that he was doubtful.
 Herman Long Is Dead.