Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-13

Play ball.
Batter up"
All fandonl IS anxiously waiting to
hear those magic words pronounced by
his nibs, the umpire, and waiting to
see the first ball pitched at the opening
of the base ball season of 1910. 1t is.
therefore, particularly appropriate that
the great base ball novel written by
Christy Mathewson, premier pitcher of
the New York Giants and OF the Ma
tional League, should be offered to the
public at this time. The book gives
slight foretaste Of the joys that are
coming in the weeks and months of the
good old summer time, when the dyed
in-the-wool bleacherites may sit in the
sun for hours and hear the batsmen
clout the horsehide, see the fielders dig
'en up out of the dirt and experience
all of the sensations which go hand
finland with the greatest of American
games.
The Evening Star has secured the ex-
elusive rights to the initial pubilcatlon
in Washington of '.Matty's" novel. and
IL will appear in serial form in this
newspaper, beginning tomorrow (Mon-
day., and continuing with daily INSTALL
ments thereafter until the last chapter
has appeared.
.sWon in the Ninth is the stirring
title of stirring book, which IS sure
not only to be received with rare pleas
ure by all lovers Of base ball, but TO
add materially to the fame which Chris
~ Mathewson has already secured to
himself in the world of sports.
Outline of the Story.
"Matty's' idea was to write book on
base bail which would include in it's char
acters the base ball stars at present In
the American and National leagues. The
PLAYERS he selected are those who might
well be chosen from tae lists of active
players to constitute two all-Amertcan
teams. Every year at the end of the
season newspapers over the country pick
out two all-American teams, but UP to
the present time no one has undertaken
to say what would probably happen in a
series of games played between two
teams of such character.
In the book ''Matty' gives his idea of
how such games would turn out, taking
into consideration his knowledge of all of
the players. their weaknesses and
strength and the kind of curves which
would be likely to be served to each of
them. Matty has placed the first team
in an eastern college called Lowell and
the other in western school called JEFF
ferson. The characters are boys in every
thing but their ability to play base ball.
changed in the book. but only slightly. SO
that the reader makes here and there
throughout the hook a discovery that he
is reading the early exploits of one or the
other of his base ball favorites. Should
the name escape him he cannot fail to
recognize the player by his playing char
acteristics or position in the game. The
heroes, of which there are really two, are
Harold Case HAL Chase and Hans Hag-
ner John Wagner). The reader will
hardly fail to recognize Johnny Evers in
Everson. Arthur Devlin in Delvin or
George Gibson in Gibbs. Hugh Jennings
is there Hughie Jenkins, Fred Clarke
az Capt. Larke and Ty Cobb as Tyrus
Robb. Speaker of Boston as Iris Talk
ington may necessitate a little study, as
may Miner Brown, parading as Black,
and Charles r Adams as Babe Radams
and perhaps Hyatt the pinch hitter of the
Pirates. in the utility man Huyler, may
not be found at first guess, but It Is a
safe wager that the dyed-in-the-wooif fans
will finally identify all of the stars of the
diamond.
The Second Team.
On the second team Frank Chance as
Capt. and Manager Church should not be
In hiding long. The same is true of Larry
la Joy dajoie). Harry Laird UordD,
Roger Brest CBresnahanl. Thomas Beach
Ieach), George Mellen (Mullin) and
Howard Cam tCamnitzl. Martin Twitch-
ell (Mitchell of CincinnatD in right field
pdL1Ac Ihc wise uOptsl0TS, HOl
for long, and Eddie Hollins collins OF
PHILADELPHIA shortstop may be dis
covered last. but all the puzzle part OF
the book will have been solved when the
readers have discovered that Samuel
Warcford is only Sam Crawford with the
letters in lis name twisted.
A mighty good story of college life runs
through the book. The hero gets into
trouble and his friends get him out In
the usual style. The whole range OF I'm
teresting features about a ball team and
the game itself Is covered In successive
chapters. One chapter Is devoted to Sc.
lecting and training the team. Anothe,
chapter presents in the current base bal
vernacular the style of reporting a game
for the college paper which only passes
muster after the professor Of English has
had full explanation and discovers that
any one understanding base ball can SEE
the meaning and that il Is perfectly plain
Another chapter takes up the "Makins
Of Fan" outlines some of the funny
questions to be heard In the grandstanC
al most any game and shows how quick
" a novice can become an enthusiast.
Some Secrets Let Out.
Another chapter reveals the secrets o.
what has come to be known as 'insid,
base ball. and signal work. There /.
a game with The alumni in which such
characters as Johnny AfcGrew CdcGraw)
Jimmie C1lllins Collins. Ollie Taboo Cre
beau, James McCleer CMacAleer). Conn,