The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-07-08

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The Game.
Baseball is a game typically Ameri-
can. played by more than 10000 clubs
comprised of approximately 100000
men and boys over twelve years OF
age, with practically the entire popu-
lation of the United States as specta-
tors.
The game is the most highly de-
veloped, scientific and logical form OF
athletic pastime, evolved by man, and
the ultimate evolution Of the n uni
versal game. For some form Of pas
time or contest involving the use Of
balls and sticks is INDUCED In by
every tribe of the human race now
found on the face Of the earth, and
historical research reveals both IN
writings and in pictures that ball
games have been played from the ear
Hest known times by every race OF
man.
The game is the only one played
which is founded upon exact and
scientific lines The playing field Is
laid out with such geometrical exact
ness, and with such close study Of the
natural speed of foot and power of
arm Of the human animal as to give
the defensive team an exactly equal
chance with the attackers, and to
compel both attacker and defender to
approach the extreme limit of human
speed and agility in every close play.
If first base was 90 feet from the HON
plate, instead of 80, baseball would be
ruined because, in the present high
development of the game, two feet ad-
ditional distance would make 1t al
most impossible for a team to score.
If the distance between the bases was
SO feet the scores would run into dou-
BILE figures in almost every game. The
distances have been so calculated and
the players SO distributed, that each
Of the nine men on defense has ex-
actly the amount of ground to cover
that the fastest runner possibly can
cover with a flying start.
Baseball once was defined as mine
durn fools clubbing a ball around and
nine other durn fools chasing It." The
definition, while trite, is erroneous,
for, in the present day, a fool would
have as great a chance to succeed in
any of the professions as he would in
baseball.
Charlie Bennett, the once great
catcher, who lost both legs in a rail-
way accident at the height Of his ca
reer, illustrated this fact in making a
bull. He was watching a game at De-
troit when a young base runner, try
ing to steal second. slid straight at
the baseman. who was reaching to
take a high throw. The -baseman
blocked him with one leg, caught the
ball and touched the runner out.
81 could have beaten that myself"
muttered Bennett In disgust.
Without legs, Charlie?" inquired
a friend.
"Yes-without legs" snorted Ben
nett angrily, "for l would have had
brains enough not to slide where he
could block my feet"
Besides interesting almost all classes
of Americans, including every i'm
ported race after the first generation,
baseball has an added interest which,
to a great extent, explains its wide
spread vogue, and this is the element
of local popularity. The game in
America has reached an almost feudal
stage. Each city possessing a ball
team takes the same pride and inter-
est in 1t and accords it the same loyal
support that the cities of medieval
Europe did to their chosen bands Of
warrior knights. To what extent this
pride and loyalty exists Is scarcely un-
derstood. a close race between teams
representing rival towns sometimes
creating a condition not far removed
from civil warfare.
Probably there is not person in
one hundred over fourteen years Of
age In the United States who does not
understand at least the basic prin-
ciples Of the game and scarcely one
native born American in a thousand
who has not at some time played the
game. A canvass of. the house Of rep
resentatives at Washington made by
the late Joe Campbell during one SEES
sionso Of congress revealed the fact that
every man In the house understood
baseball and all except two had played
the game. One OF the two was Grip
pied and the other was partially blind.
Campbell obtained from each member
q story Of his baseball experiences. At
that time there were seven members
Of congress who had played profess
sional baseball, one of them being
Senator Arthur Pugh German.
The extent TO which the people are
familiar with the game and interested
IN Il may be judged by q story. "A
few years ago. the clubs representing
Chicago In the American and National
Leagues won the championships In