The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-06-22
C0NVICTS PLAY
BALL AT The PIN
RIG MoND yA-snec,aI-

~ y II M ~ n ID, NA--SDecial.-
Major James II. Wood. of the State
penitentiary. is a devotee of the ma
tlonal Same-baseball. OF course. He
encourages the game, and is doing
more TO perfect team work, to get "A
club of hitters. the best pitchers and
the snappiest fielders 10 De found. He
uoes not care for expense, so he gets
results.
And Major Wood has signed up
some one thousand or more men from
which to get two teams. He has his
own "Yannigans," and then he has
the original "Mokes." And he has
some teams, at that. They are all
colored pussons, sab, and the way
they play the game is something in
teresting. And with the exception Of
Sunday there is a game every day.
when the weather permits. Some
games, too.
The men engaged in playing do not
belong TO any league, but there is a
strong rivalry between the men i'm the
various departments. The Cutters
are trying to lead; the "Heelers" are
anxious to win; the "Lasters' think
they know the game; the "SoIers'
want it known that they are in the
contest; the "Stitchers" try TO sew up
the games and the Publishers" want
to shine.
Required to Play Ball
And there we are" as Mr.. Dooley
would say, with Assistant Superinten-
dent Penn doing the umpiring-and
he is one man who can do as he
pIeaSes and the players do not dare
TO talk back They would delight in
Kicking and being fined if the mama
ger would only release them Eut
nothing doing in that line. The men
are made to play the game-and they
kick If they are not allowed To- get
IN the game every day. What is more.
the men do not sulk or shirk. but
they plead to be allowed to play i'm
every contest. The games are called
at Ais each day, and there is no fee
ior admission, no grandstand, no cold
ice water is sold, there is no soft
drink vendor, no peanuts. no Dop-
corn. nor "cigrets" and cigars-just
baseball.
There is no mobbing Of the umpire.
there Is no "cussing" of the players
wneh they make huke play. but the
men laugh at the attempts to get the
DalI all over the lot. The police are
not called on to remove a player from
the grounds. and il is a fact that they
devote good deal of their time to
forcing the players to sign up and
become members OF one team or an
other.
Scheme Is Working Well.
some weeks have elapsed since the
directors. in talking the matter over
WIN Major Woods, decided to intro
duce baseball and other amusements
IN the penitentiary for the benefit OF
the men-a sort of reward for good
pehaNlor, attention to duty. to pro-
mote the interests of the men to get
good results and TO show the men
r TmSt I Lney might expect by doing
right learning to control themselves.
TO behave at all times. Major Wood
agreed with the directors. and the
scheme was put into operation.
To begin with, the directors more
than a year ago decided to have an
a m
TO give to each inmate after the expi-
ration OF six months a butten with
the words, Six Months Good Con-
uucI That worked Splendidlv. and
. me men set to work TO win the but
tons. There were some coo or more
lhe nrSt SIX months, and then t.,
year rolled around and the men who
had clear record for a year were
given blue cap. 1t is the blue cap
brigade that has the distinction or
playing baseball. playing marbles
and pitching quoits. This is a daily
occurrence
The minute the days work is done
the men are lined up and the blue
zap men are allowed TO go TO the
yard on the west of the prison and
10 nave a regular game Of baseball.
OtherS can play marbles or they can
pitch Quoits. The guards of the
prison. some twenty-five or thirty.
armed with repeating rifles and shot
guns, stand at various points and are
ready to shoot TO kill if there is the
hrst break on the part Of the men or
the least disorder.
Results Are Beneficial.
We'll. the scheme is working much
better than we had anticipated" adj
mltted Mr.. Samuel Cohen, one of tho
directors, today, when he was bonn
barded with questions. He tried to
ulScuss the weather. fishing and poli-
tlcs, anything but the splendid games
at the state prison. and he finally de-
cared mat he was more than pleased
al what had been Accomplished lie
Sald mat discipline was very much
better now than il was year a.o
When the button system was inauul-
rated, and. since the advent OF tho.
bIue cap. inirocti"n of the rules had
been reduced TO the minimum. The
men get through with their work in
good time; they obey the rules with
out the least trouble. and they are as
eager as school boys to get out into
me ar ana TO engage in the games
which have been provided.
MI. cohen further declared that
there were some 500 of the men on
Lhe honor roll; that they were max
ing model prisoners and that the few
hours IN the open each day had
wrought wonders in the discipline OF
me institution. The men are happy:
they go about their work in earnest
ana they enjoy the sports much more
IMAM the most ardent fan at tn, pro-
tesSional games.
Just what distinguishing badge viii
De given the men after the connie
tlon OF the eighteen months of good
D@haNlor is not yet determined but
ne scheme is being worked out at
this time.
VkIARE asEA-