Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-16

HOW CUBANS DO IT.
Umpire Billy Evans Tells How Cuban
Fans Root for Their Teams.

Havana, Cuba Dec. 15.-Pitcher Nc
CULLEN, the former Philadelphia tWlrl-
err now a member of the CINCINNATI
Reds, enjoys the unique distinction or
having created a feature in CUBA, that
will probably live as long as the game
thrives on the island says Billy Evans
in an exchange.
McQuillen was member of one Of
the first teams that invaded the island
five or six years ago. None of the
players could talk any Spanish, and as
a result they We're unable to converse
with any of the native fans, who We're
only too willing to engage in a tanfest'
Ii seems McQuillen was selected to
pitch the opening game. AS is the
custom with all fans, the Cuban root
ers III their native tongue told the
American players what would happen
to them when they lined up against the
Cubans. Naturally the Americans We're
DESTROYS of replying, but they knew
any efforts in the conversation line
would only be wasted.
The Cuban fans knew McQuillen was
to pitch, and much of their line of talk
was directed at him. Grasping an
imaginary bat with both hands. they
would swing violently, at the same
time repeating the name of the Cuban
team that was to play that afternoon.
They sought to convey to McQuillen
the meaning that his curves would be
batted all over the lot
The former Philadelphia tWrler
racked his brain for some sort of a
come back, and finally q brilliant idea
h., "A
second finger together, he formed q
perfect oval. AS they would hurl some
phrase at him, he would form the oval
or cipher, repeat the name of the
Cuban team that was to play that aft
ernoon, and would then point to him :
self. His meaning was that he would
shut the Cubans out.
| The stunt appealed to the natives,
and they We're quick to fathom Me
Quillen's meaning. 1t has since been
adopted as 4 universal custom by the
/ Cuban rooters. ANY time an American
! club journeys out to the ball park
nov. days, every Cuban fap. Ierlaiss.= {.
cipher with the thumb and second fin
| ger, repeats the name of the Cuban
team that is. to play, and thcn pqih is
at the Americans. The Americans
/ playing on the island get it thrust be-
fore them hundreds Of times every day.
Cubans tell me that the stunt is used
just as often BY the natives when only
the Cuban teams are PLAYING.
| To be shut out, by the way, is con-
sldered great disgrace by the Cuhans
The native fans would much prefer to
see their favorite team beaten by such
lop-s sided score as IS to than BE-
| shut out in a brilliant extra inning
game by the score of to O. Since
they so hate to be whitewashed, it's
only natural that nothing pleases them
more than to shut out the opposing
team.
I on the whole. the Cubans play ex-
cellent baseball their conception OF
inside ball is FAR better than the aver
age, its only when q shut-out is star
ing them in the face that they pla,
what would be called bad baseball in
the States, If early in the game they
score run. its certain that they will
+, play the best kind of baseball during
! the rest of the galre ana do nothing
that bordered1 en- the bone head. With
nothing bit goose eggs to their credit
they very oftenh doEsome foolish base
, running IN order to avert a shut-out.