The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1911-11-26

crowd cheering him, for he had just struck out
the side
No one paid any attention to the aged man, whose
legs were somewhat unsteady and with which a cane
elaborated He stood alone. At last another, whose
hair was white came up looked at the first closely
for a minute, and then
Hello Jeems! 1 wasn't sure it was you"
Hello John! That Vanguard is a great pitcher"
James Mutrie, the winner Of two pennants for the
Giants theft manager, had ridden out to the Polo
Ground the elevated unnotced and had filtered into
the grounds unsung. Yet there time when he
could not have gone anywhere in New York without
nudging another and Whispering
''Mutrie. Smiling Jeems"
So it is with John McGraw now He enters a cafe,
and hush settles while every present stands with
strained to catch word of his conversation in
the hope that a pearl of baseball wisdom may be
picked up. He cannot go anywhere without being
known. So it with Mutrie in the late eighties
Yet he went to the Polo Ground that day and the
keeper of the press gate questioned his right to enter
his home until Arthur Bell, of Mutries time and
employed the Polo Ground, gave the custodian
of the entrance the tip that it all right to let in
the famous old manager.
Mr.. Mutrie of the time when the ball players
wore mustaches and Burnsides and talked about the
pitcher throwing underhand ball Look at the old
pictures of of his day. and all the players have
facial decorations of sort. This is the age of
clean shaver ball players Not a single whisker in
the big leagues right now. The famous mustache of
John Titus of Philadt %ha was the last and it,
too, has gone. But in g day there were men
in the game whom you lid never knowfrom JUS
tice Hughes.
Yet in spite of this difference in the style Of
ing the whiskers, Mr.. Mutrie-for the sake of old
times let's call him Smiling Jeems'-says that the
baseball of to-day is better than that played in his
lime and then he produces data to show that it isn't
THE pitching may be little better to-day" he
uctantIy conceded he watched Marquand knock
down couple more men by the strike out route but
the fielding and batting think not good.
Speaking of catchers there Buck Ewing, the
best who stood spikes behind the bat,
and he could hit. too"
And Mr. Mutries face was wTeathed in smiles at
the pleasant memory, the same sort of smiles that
decorate the face of resident Of Boston when he is
reading poem which touches the spot
That Buck Ewing. and how he could throw
unused Smiling Jeems"
When ball player says that Christy Mathewson"
that Buck Ewing" it is the highest possible trib
ute to ability.
And where the batters of the old days?' asked
Mr.. Murie, with purely nterrogative tinge to his
tone. Where are the Broutherses and the Rowes
and the Whites, who used to be the carpenters de-
fights, tearing down the fences? There are not any
suggers playing ball to-day like those,men. Cobb and
Lajoie, and Wagner great hitters, but they are
not the wallpapers that the old timers were"
That sounds like the good old days theme"
And I'd be fine ball player if I were not loyal to
my time! 1 admit that baseball is a better basis
and the crowds lucrative, but don't
think the playing has improved any. Why in my
time thousand persons made up an enormous
crowd. remember when first came to New York
and wanted to put ball club in here
-" You can't do it. said every one: the gamblers
will spoil it, and you can't make it CO.
Outguessing the Pessimists
Il made up my mind to outguess those prophets of
evil, and 1 wore out shoe leather walking up and
down this town trying to get hackers. They all
laughed at me and wanted to appoint an insanity
commission. Laughed at me"' echoed Smiling Jeems
walking rapidly up and down the grand stand in spite
Of the charley in his legs and indignant at the
memory. They laughed at me then. And look at
baseball in this town to-day-and started it."
Whom Gid you finally get to back your"
John B. Day, and / put the Nets in this town In
1880. We played one hundred and lightweight games
that year. got option the old Polo Ground at
Fifth avenue and 10th street and then Wash
ington and hired most of the Hop Bitter team in
Guiding Kennedy, Hugh Daily, Steve Brady Nelson,
Lewis, Say and Muldoon. arranged three games with
the Nationals of Washington at the Polo Ground and
lOT the uFSI one I1eTe were TWO thousand persons
out to play. That a monster crowd then
and we were all surprised at it. 1 had my men out
there, but the Washington team failed to show up,
and the spectators began to get after me-
Throw him over the fencer yelled one man, and
tAe rest needed further inspiration. They started
down on the field after me- and l. having heard that
discretion the better part Of vaor, began getting
across the field fast as my legs would carry me,
and they had more speed in them in those days than
they have now. The bunch was right at my heels and
just made the box Office in time to shut the door and
lock it 1 thought that they going to tear it
down, and yet hated to give up any of the money
as 1t was my first game
There were no telephones in those days, so that
could not call up and find out what had happened to
The Washington club. Some fellow had got big
beam and had started to use it a battering ram
against the ticket coop when opened the window and
announced that would pay the money back. had
Just given the first man bis two bits when 4 shout
went up
Here they Gomez
1t may have been welcome sound when Columbus
hA a.sn--