The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-23

An Englishman's view OF our national
pastime is given In an article from a pa
per published in Singapore. India. II
describes a game between the sailors Of
two American battle ships. and TO the
correspondent it appeared as follows:
Nobody seemed to know anything
about 1t" he writes, when the game
first started, but by the time the last
man had been put out there was Won
derful lot OF expert knowledge being of
fered cheap. Personally. / learned that
the four corners of the diamond-shaped
field were called bases that there was a
person called the pitcher and another
the striker and another the catcher,
but all know yet OF the theory OF the
game is that one side has got to out
the other by % manning them. GO merci-
fully catching them. or 81 knocking them
down and lying on them. If ] am wrong,
viii some one please correct meR
In the beginning the pitcher took his
stand in the center OF the diamond-the
safest place-while the umpire, our friend
p. A G. Grimes. took refuge behind him
The striker-who might more properly be
called the struck-stood in the corner
facing him, armed with a big stick. Be
hind the striker was the catcher. who put
his head in a bird cage and hung a bed
quilt over his chest. The fielders were
placed, one on each base, and everybody
wore on his left hand a huge glove. which
seemed at first TO be meant for the cas-
tigation Of anybody who survived the at
tentiOns of the pitcher. but which.
learned later, was very useful for catch
ing.
"Then the game began. The pitcher
coddled the BAN for a moment. muttered
a prayer over il, whirled round, twisted
his arms Ike a contortionist, cooked his
leg up. and. when he thought he had
thoroughly deceived the other man, threw
the ball az him with all his might For
tuRately the striker saw it coming and
lodged very skilfully. The catcher. as
his name implies, caught it and threw it
back TO the pitcher. meanwhile watching
70 see that the victim didn't run away.
Yelled "Ban One"
The pitcher tried a second shot and
the field yelled. Ball oner ct is a ball.
/ believe, if the pitcher throws it at the
other mans legs or his face; he must try
10 hit him on the body)
Pitch a nice one, BluebelIr' screamed
the field. and the pitcher did nearly hit
him. In fact.
But the next bali was too much for
the strikers patience. He threw his club
az il and In the resulting confusion es-
capped He didn't get far, however. for
the first base stopped him.
The next striker was a man OF spirit
He showed great contempt for the balls.
and instead OF evading he swiped angrily
with his club. Perhaps the spectators
would have been happier if he had evad-
ed them. Anyway, the first ball tipped
of his club and played havoc with the
bare legs of a group of Malay youngsters
who were sitting on front OF the pavil-
ion. They retreated in good order into
the basement of the clubhouse and
watched the remainder of the game from
behind the grill. Lucky for them. they
did. The second bah came the same way
and endangered the life of two esteemed
residents They rose hurriedly and shift
ed their chairs. They were too cute.
however. to sit down again: they wisely
held their chairs in their hands and pre-
pared 10 bolt again. The third bali-land-
cd on the roof Of the pavilion and staid
there.
Describes Pitchers Antics.
THAT, thought I, was more than the
pitcher bargained for. But. no! He had
quite stock of ammunition, and select
ing another ball. he coddled il as usual,
swung his arms, pranced. cooked his left
leg, and hurled It This time the striker
got 1t fair and square. and while the
f1elderg we're looking for it on the Espla-
made he made good his escape. The pris-
onev on the first base also bolted, but he
ran too far. for just as he had almost
got back among his shipmates al the
striking station big fellow on the other
side knocked him down. sat on him, and
hit him twice il the head with the ball.
He left no possible shadow of doubt
about il; the man was out
"A third striker went in. but he. il