The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-17
SHAKESPEARE WAS
A BASEBALL FAN
Writings Show He Was Devot-
ed To Game
THE CUBS ARE MENTIONED
In twelfth Night" Pirates in "Ham-
let" Who Apparently Was Put
Out Between Rases-FaI-
staf7s Coaching.
THE CUBS ARE MENTIONED
From the Chicago Tribune.

From the Chicago Tribune.
| Is Shakespeare dead? asks Mark Twain
in his latest book II is generally sup
posed that he is. but the myriad minded
bard must have projected himself in fan
cy into our age. for all the vocabulary of
/ baseball is found in his plays. as we
/ shall show
I Beginning with sthat 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
+ by name 20. thou assembling cubl''
says the Duke in Twelfth Night
where will thou be when time hath
sow'd a grizzle on thy case?" Nearer the
top, we hope.
"A pirate of very warlike appointment
gave me chase" writes Hamlet, who was
run to death between bases; and Shy
lock evidently refers to the base stealing
habits of the Pittsburgers when he says
Land thieves, I mean pirates
This from Richard Ill" might be a
protest by the peerless leader on Pitts
burg's winning the pennant money: 'f
can no longer hold me patient Hear me.
you wrangling pirates that fall out in
sharing that which you have pill'd from
me-"
Benedick fancied himself as a twirler.
for he boasts, HE that hits me- let him
be clapped on the shoulder" and 1t must
have been pitcher or coacher In Loves
Labor Lost" who cried:
Thou canst not hit It, hit it, hit It;
thou canst not hit, my good man."
To which Boyet, who probably struck
out, says:
And I cannot, another can
Prospero calls Ferdinand a weak hit
ter" on who makes show but darest
not strike" And Henry V. cries hopeful
ly. "And so I shall catch the fly" But
we think he lost it in the sun. 'TIave I
not in pitched battle heard loud lar
ums?" asks Petruchio. We have such
as the swat of willow on pigslin when a
pitcher blows up.
It is the veteran Falstaff who remarks.
Here's no scoring, but upon the plate"
Sir John had seen lots of men left on
third you see. A custom of the bleach
ers is alluded to when old Uncle Pan
darius, anxious to stand up and stretch
himself between innings, says to Cres-
sida
'Hark. they are coming from the field.
shall we stand up here and see them as
they pass? Good niece, DO, sweet Niece
Cressida."
Cressida: "At 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 Trolus
above the rest" Pandarus had a score
card, but wanted to let on to the lady
that he knew the heroes personally.
1t sounds like scrap over stolen
base when Petruchio shouts:
"Out! you rogue! You pluck my foot
awry. Take thatr Petruchio was peev-
ish that afternoon, anyway, having Just
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 ".
who was drawer than the play makes out,
or just plain loco. There are three UNI
pires in this matter, as I understand"