The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-04-20
Then the Magic Call Of ''Fore"
Was Forgotten and He
Rooted Hard for the Hsme
Team to Win.
"HIT 'ER OUT" CRIED
THE CONVERTED FAN
Umpires TrembIed for They
Thought the Cry "kiM the
Umps" Might Issue Out Of
Executive Box.

Washington. April 20.-Although
base ball 10 accredited with being the
national game" for the first time IN
its history, president Of the United
States witnessed big league game.
President Taft and Vice President
Sherman saw Washington walloped 8
to 4 by the Boston American League
team. were initiated into the mysteries
Of the spit ball. shared a five-cest
bag Of peanuts, rooted hard for Wash
ington to win. and the president said
sadly that he hoped he wasn't Q hoo
doo."
Although the game was one-sided a.
most from the first, there were some
thrilling plays mixed with bod ones
on the part of the Washin9ton players
and the president remained until the
last man was out. The final play w1s
the best Of the game A Washington
player sent . crashing hit to csnter
that seemed to wear a home-run tag.
Speaker, the Boston center fielder, ran
40 feet toward the fenos. made . leap
into the air and the ball stuck fast Ia
his glove.
the day just when q president Of the
United States attended . ball game in
this city. With all of his love for
outdoor life and sports, Mr.. Roosevelt
did not go within the ball grounds dur
ing hts seven years at tho White
House.
President Taft arrived at the game
yesterday at the beginning Of the Sec
ond inning. Boston was At bat, two
men were out and no runs had been
scored. The game was interrupted by
the cheering which spread in . great
wave from the grand stand to the far
thermost corners Of the wide-rsachins
bleachers, as the crowd quickly recog-
nized the president and saw him greet
the vice president.
The latter, dyed-in-the-wool fan. -
the senate chamber. Mr.. Sherman
kept 4 detailed score Of the game. sup
plying the president with such Stats
tical Information a. he asked for ev-
cry now and then, and caused some
one in the party to remark that IL he
ever lost the job Of vice president. he
might get q place on Ban Johnson's
| scoring staff.
The presidents arrival and the brief
interruption of tho play had the effect
Of giving Dolly Gray" Washington
pitching recruit from the minor
leagues, bad case OF stage fright Be
fore the last Bostonian was out in the
| inning, two runs had bsen scored
While the president still looked OF
hopefully in the fourth. the Washing
ton players got % ratified they could
not pick up the ball after stopping I:
and Boston got away with four NOR,
tallies. It was then that the presi
dent said he hoped he wasn't hoo
doo."
President Tom c. Noyes. Of tn,
Washington baseball team, who 81
with the president during the las
four innings. when the locals playet
much better ball. assured Mr. Tai
that. 'hoodoo" or not. he would al
ways be welcome. The president wa
disappointed that Washington faile.
to win. but said he enjoyed the gam
and hoped to get cut to the park FIRE
lQuently.
AS the president is to reside nea
Boston during the summer. he wa
glad that Boston was the team TO win
30 long n Washington had to lose.
The president was the center Of a
interest up to the sixth inning. whsl
Washington got the hasss fun, viii
nobody out. Then the ruling passion
put tho chief magistrate temperate,
In eclipse and the faithful rootAs yell
ed their heads on Tor DeiehAnty Z
"hit 'er out and Tor Charley Stree
to Diff 1t in the eye"
Two runs resulted from the eombi
nation of bats and cheers Mr.. Tai
was - interested - al the rest. II
knows baseball thoroughly. and = d
on all the finer points q the game
The President w1S accompanied t
the park by Captain Archibald "
Butt. his military aid. ana two se0s
service men. Earlier IN the forsnoo
Mr.. Taft had ridden horseback Wit
Captain Butt for more than IN hon
% the Speedway.