Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-23
.SERAGL|O BASE BALL
NEARLY COST A LIFE
When Veteran Jimmy Ryan
Pursued. a Home Run
Into Sacred Tent.

During my long career "a mem
Der of the Chicago ball club says the
veteran Jimmy Ryan. II had some adj
! ventures-quite few, of course. | was
on The trip around the world in 1SSS and
1889, and was in the great game that was
played on the Egyptian sands under the
shadow vi the pyramids. We were sur
rounded by Arabs and Turks followers
of the prophet by the thoGsand-and &C
quired a little of their dialect during the
time stayed i'll Cairo and Alexandria.
And here is, | think. the straneest
thing that ever happened to me in my
base ball career--that the only trouble
ever had with Arabs, and the only ex-
citing adventure in which the sons Of
Islam endangered me-tOok p ace, no. in
Egypt, but i'll Chicago. Never did we
have a cross word argument in
Egypt. and yet. in my own home city I
almost had my head removed by a Mos
lem gentleman. who was merely trying to
live up to the laws OF his prophet and
the teachings of his Koran.
In 1873, The worlds fair brought all
sorts of shoWmen 10 Chicago, all eager to
exhibit their wares, and all counting on
making their everlasting fortunes
Among them q Turk, who had an
Arab village, with the horses, camels,
I
big horde Of the Bedouins, just they
stepped out OF the pages OF 'Ben-Hur.
The Arabs made deal with the Chicago
ball club, which. that season. occupied
the old Brotherhood grounds, where Com
iskey has now erected his magnificent
arena Ii was soon found that there wasn't
room enough tn have both the Arab camp
and the ball games in the same territory.
and, there was another huge incosed
lot lying north OF the ball grounds this
was leased, the outfield fence taken down
and one enormous arena made. with the
grandstand at the south end and the
Arabs at the north end. That was be-
yond doubt, the largest field which
the game was ever played. and if you
made a home run i'll that park YOU earned
il by hard hOofins.
"One afternoon. when Pittsburg was
playing us. a long fly passed over ms
head, hit the turf and went rolling back
into the Arab encampment. As | a
chance to cut il To three bases. / chased
the ball, and tore into the circle OF tents
just i'll time to see the bah vanish into
the habitatlon Of One Ali Mira. a dig
| nified old coOt whom l had met every
morning as | stroled around the field
Never stopping. | dove headlOng into
AIS tent. large yellow hound attach
ing himself tu the bay window OF my
pants as | dove There was IL chorus Of
screams and strange cries and five harem
beauties went scutting across the tent
| floor. made plunge for the ball, but
never Sot it, There was Il flash before
my face. and a huge scimitar, with d
lovely edge, glittered above me.
old Ali Mira, sword in hand. his
fine old face transformed into picture
of frenZied fury. was before me, and my
life wasn't worth a nickel. ! had butted
into the Seragio of d true believer l.
an infide Giaour had seen the women of
the harem, all unveiled-and my life was
forfeited by MoSlem law.
II thought quickly. 1t was coca
sion where | had to. With the dog still
chnging fast. and without the ball. I
made one tremendous backward leap,
and the curve of Ais sword SwaShed
within a foot of my neck as [ reached
the camels hair barrier. | dove through
like a cannon ball, shook off the dog. and
ran | never ran before, while Ali
stood cursing i'll the doorway. AS to the
batter-weil he was home about the time
realized | wasn't dead.
Il squared ii with old Ali later in the
day-he was IL reasonable fellow when he
had time 10 cool off-but I'll never forget
how near | came to death at Arab hands, |
and IN Chicago, not upon the desert
roads"