The Washington herald., 1912-08-05
Chicago, Ill, Aug. 4.

aus.
Grir has vouchsafed an answer as to
why the Nationals are not as good a
home team as they are on the road.
This It what he says:
MY players do not take the chances
at home they do on the road. for fear
that they will not get away with them.
end be roundly criticised and jeered by
tn. fans in grand stand and bleachers.
Away from home II is different. They
are performing before hostile audi
ence and expect more or less roasting.
and they pay no attention to what Is be-
ing said in the stands.
This Is the reason more than any
thing else said Griff
The Old Fox is a great believer in TAX
ing chances He says: You never can
tell what will happen unless you try.
ard many times a base runner Will get
away with a desperate chance and win
a ball game. II the play works the base
runner is considered a wonder, II II fails
he is Immediately dubbed as bone
head and Washington players prefer
to take these daring chances away from
hcme. for this one reason
After ALL players are human, Just like
you and me.
Ray Morgan. the Baltimore hoy. told
an amusing story in the lobby of the
Cadillac Hotel before a group of play
ers yesterday. Here's the yarn:
When I was in Baltimore recently
a friend of mine. who works in a bank,
asked me to loan him SIS.
u couldn't for the life of me sec
what he needed the money for, as he
Is fairly well fixed and has a good job.
but / handed over the SIS. and about a
week later / received a letter from my
friend in which he sale that he had
deposited the SIS in his bank to my
credit. and that l now possessed
bank account. / was TO send him out
of my salary each month just as much
money as I could spare, and he would
bank It for me-
We'll, what did you send him last
month"; one of the boys inquired
Ray laughed and at first refused TO
tell. After much persuasion the youth
full second baseman replied: Il was
little hot under the collar at reading
his letter. SO sat right down and an
swered II. inclosing cents In stamps,
telling my friend that that was all
could spare this month. Since then.
however. I have been thinking II over.
and realize that he only borrowed the
money from me 10 start this bank ac-
count. l suspect that members of my
family had something to do with the
plot. OF course, II is fine to save mon
ey, and I think that when / draw my
next months salary, I will send on
good-sized wad.'
An argument can start quicker
among a crowd Of ball players than
with any other body of men, not bar
ring Democratic politicians.
why don't you show a little pep on
the feld?" (the word pep" being slang
for pepper. synonymous with ginger
and life) one of the players demanded
of Eddie (Buzz) Foster. the Nationals
midget third sacker.
Say" tartly replied Foster. you
guys don't know what pepper is-all that
noise some of you fellows make isn't
pep You only think 1t is
This statement precipitated a near
sized riot and arguments followed thick
and fast, dozen debates were pulled of
until the hour for bedtime rolled around.
When 1t was all over a number of in
terested onlookers declared that Foster
had the better of his opponents. and Fos-
ter's contention, in so many words fol-
lows:
1t is a fine thing to have a lot Of men
on a ball club shouting words of en-
dancing around and yelling,
but VI thc %dJoic'
Crawford, and Wallace type who seldom
say a word during a ball game. but
make themselves heard when they do
speak
Many fans have come to the conclu-
sion that a ball team is lacking in pep
when a whole bombardment Of wordy
sallies doesn't issue up to their ears
from the field of action. II Is possible,
SO Foster claims, for a man to be on
lis toes ready for anything, without de-
livering an Grafton.
Then there's another point to be con-
sidered. Is 1t a strategic move to keep
yelling encouragement to a nervous
pitcher when he's In a hole? Isn't he IL
able to be disconcerted. have his mind
taken of the batter, to hear a running
fire Of comment? Does he have to be told
the team Is behind him to have perfect
in his helpers?
Foster maintains that he possesses in
his own u1ake-up just as much pep as
any other members Of the Nationals, only