The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-08-01
SCHAEFER AND A[TR0Ck,
TESTERS, ARE RETAINED
FOR SERIOUS PURPOSE
Clark Griffith Has Them to
Cheer Nationals, Espe-
cially OFF the Field
CORNER ON REAL COMEDY
Charlie Faust, Famous Giant
Mascot, Was Bug, Not
a Comedian
CORNER ON REAL COMEDY
BY RALPH L. Y0NKER.

BY RALPH L. YONKER.
sehaCfer and Altrock are the Sen
ators testers. Like the fools OF the
old.time kings, their purpose Is seri'
GUS. ..t
Clark Griffith says that he has re
tailGo these two princes OF baseball
IfunI,akers to win the American
League pennant They will furnish
that extra little push that will send
the Nationals across the line ahead
lof the Red Sox, the only team that
Griffith fears TO any great extent. so
thinks the Washington manager
Herman and Nick (even the most
expert at selecting stage names could
not have struck upon q more comlcal
combination OF cognomens than these)
are engaged partly 10 furnish amuse-
ment for the Nationals on the held
and partly TO add TO the drawing pow
er of the Washington bunch while at
home and away, thus helping TO REIN
| bnroe the capital clubs management
for it's outlay in providing ball team
But these two duties of Herman
and Nick are only very small part
Iof what they are paid for. They
are PAID to keep their teammates In
good humor off the field, mostly. Tae
playing time of a ball player Is the
easiest part of his life. There is more
of interest, >more of excitement, more
! to make life worth living then than
during the pilgrimages TO distant
cities with all its Inconvenience and
boresoIleness of travel and hotels.
II is tc lift the minds OF his men
off the game and keep them in good
humor ana optimism that Grifiith has
engaged these two prizes. And they
fulfill their duties. They are natural
clowns What they can't think of TO
brush the frowns from the alabaster
brows OF their fellow unfortunates
was never imagined by Barnum q
Bailey's best.
The Senators think that they have
a corner on the spirit uplifters OF
the national game. This Is no lnsinu.
alton whatever that they recline them
selves along the mahogany with their
feet on a shiny brass rail- overly
much. Not that kind of spirit up
litter is meant. But the Senators be-
lieve that they have the only living
forceps that can extract nulnor out
OF the jaw of Nemesis.
MdEdStT Nilmlu uOt0h even WIN
slider Charlie Faust, the famous
Giant mascot, in comparison with his
two testers Charlie Faust is simply
a bug who furnishes amusement I'M
consciously by his bugism. He doesn't
know when he's going to be funny
and when he's going TO be tragic.
Faust will do anything anybody tells
him TO without question and leave 1t
to a bunch OF ball players to furnish
him with ideas. The players laugh
at him and not with him.
But Schaefer and Altrock have
their own inimitable brand that can
be loosed or pent up as Is necessary.
Like a little German comedian with
! red cheeks, viskers, a battered hat,
and an old-fashioned carpet sack. all
SchaCfer and Altrock need to do TO
bring a laugh is to show themselves.
While Herman's pulchritude can
never get a job posing under the
latest style Of hat while the artist
( prepares a sketch for the next sea-
sons catalogue, Altrocks visage
would bring green tears To the eyes
OF a gargoyle.
Yesterday they performed some of
5 their stunts on Navin field the two
forming a battery and later conduct
! ing prize fight in which AArock
knocks himself out while Schaefer
counts him out and throws up the
sponge,