The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-20
TAFT AND SHERMAN FAT
 PEANUTS IN GRAND STAND
Vice President Sherman Is a Great Rooter But Taft Is First President to Visit Ball Grounds In
 Many Years.
AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDING.

AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDING.
 Played. Won. Lost Pet. OSIIOll ......s........ 1.010 New York ........... 667 boston ............... .600 Philadelphia ........ 2 8 400 Cleveland ........... 2 400 St Louis ............ 2 3 400 Washington ......... 3 333 Chicago 200 Washington, April 19.-President Taft went out to the baseball game today, saw Washington whallopped to 4 by Boston. was initiated into the mysteries of the spit ball." shared 5-cent bag of pea nuts with Vice President Sherman, who sat in the box next to him, wished hard for Washington to win, and said sadly that he hoped he wasn't a "hoodoo., Although the game was one-sided almost from the first there were some thrilling plays mixed with the bad ones on the part of the Washington players, and the President remained until the last man was out. The final play was the best of the game. A Washington player sent crashing hit to center that seemed to wear home run tag. Speaker, the Boston centerfelder, ran 40 feet toward the fence made leap into the air and the ball stuck fast in his gloved hand No one in Washington could recall the day Just when a President of the United States attended ball game in this city, With all of his love for outdoor life and sports, MT. Roosevelt did not go within the ball grounds during his seven years at the White House. President Taft arr rived at the game today at the beginning of the second 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 a great wave from the grandstand to the farthermost corner of the wide-reaching bleaehers, as the crowd quickly recognized the Presi- dent and saw him greet the Vice Presi- dent The latter, dyed-in-the- wool fan" had gone directly to the grounds from the Senate chamber MT. Sherman kept detailed score of the game, sup plying the President with such statistical information as he asked for every now and then, and caused some one in the party to remark that if he ever lost the job of Vice President he might get a place on Ban Johnsons scoring staff.
 Gray Gets Stage Fright.
 The Presidents arrival and the brief in- terruption of play had the effect of giv- ing Dolly" Gray, a Washington pitch ing recruit from the minor leagues bad case of stage fright Before the last Bos- tonian was out in the inning two runs had been scored. While the President was still hopeful in the fourth, the Washing ton players got so rattled they couldn't pick up the ball after stopping it and Boston got away with four more tallies It was then that the President said he hoped he was no ''hoodoo"
 President Tom c. Moves of the Wash ington baseball team, who sat with the President during the last four innings. when the locals played much better ball, assured MT. Taft that "hoodoo" or not he would always be welcome. The Pres- ident was disappointed that Washington failed to win. but said he enjoyed the game and hoped to get out to the park frequently. AS the President is to re- side near Boston during the summer he was glad that Boston was the team to win so long as Washington had to lose.
 Rooters Yell Again.
 The President was the center fo all interest up to the sixth inning when Washington got the bases full with mo- body out. Then the ruling rooters yelled their heads off for Delehanty to init 'er out and for Charley Street to "biff 1t in the eye" Two runs resulted from the combination of bats and cheers MT. Taft was as interested as all the rest. He knows baseball thoroughly. The Pres
 
 Capt Archibald w. Butt his military aid, and two secret service men. Earlier in the afternoon MT. Taft had ridden horseback with Captain Butt for moro than an hour on the speedway. Tho day was warm and ideal for the na- tional game. It further had the effect of putting temper in the Presidents way when Vice President Sherman said
 With weather such as this, MT. Pres- ident, we ought to play golf twice week instead of once"
 There is something in what you say. Jim replied the President.
 The President occupied No. in tha front rom, along the first base line. There is no scre,N protection there, but the President pet1 no he edtoth foul balls. one of whic1 crashed into the box next to him.
 Four close base decisions against Wash itkton in the fourth inning, when Bos- ton made four runs, set the crowd in something of frenzy. Captain Butt was roofing hard with the rest of the Washington crowd.
 NO, sir," he said to the President, they never kill the umpire till the seventh inning"
 Result of Game.
 Cray was wild and ineffective Boston defeating washington easily in the one- sided contest. Score: K. H. E. Washington UU Vlz uUl-4 Boston ............ 02O APO 0OO--s il 1 Batteries: Bray and Street and Blank enship; Cicotte. Steele and Corrigan. Time 1:55. Umpires, Evans and Egan.
 HiphIanders Are Winners.
 Philadelphia. April 1s.-New York to- day defeated Philadelphia. The visitors were shut out until two were out in the seventh when they scored three runs, enough to win the game on La Porte'5 triple, Knights single. passes to Demmits and MoIlven and Cree's single Eberheio was taken sick during the game and was forced to retire. There were rumors that he had the smallpox, but there Is no truth in the reports. Score: R. H. E Philadelphia ............ oil 900 O00-2 New York ............ 900 GOO 310-4 10 aBtteries: vickers. Dygert and Thoma0 Doyle, Warhop and Kleinow and Blair Time 16S. Umpire, Hurst.
 At Detroit: Detroit Cleveland. postponed on account of showers.
 At st. Louiss St. Louis- Chicago ganna postponed Wet grounds.