Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-18

1OntlnueO from rfTSt fa4e.j
game from pinochle to solitaire. Little
groups of four and Ave bending over a
box in the center Of them, the soft thud
of card as it was thrown down, or the
raSpfng voice OF player as he called
Il bid three gave evidence of the
method being taken to while away the
! weary hours before the gates should open
Over In one corner one fellow VINO
had some Of the tendencies OF the nat
ural born orator started to declaim in
Shakespearian style: ITO stand for
hours or not to stand. Whether tits
suffer the pangs of hunger and finally
see the game. That is the question.
Stay" yelled everybody, and that
seemed to be the consensus OF opinion
of the good humored crowd
And not only did 1t seem to be the
general intention Of those who had be-
gun their long vigil early in the morn
ing to endure anything rather than
miss the opportunity Of seeing. the
game of games. but the same opinion
was voiced by the thousands who came
later. They were the same men who
had stood In the pouring rain for two
hours on two occasions last week and
watched the symbol play Of the team
on the electric boards Under such con-
ditions II is hardly to be expected that
they would allow anything to stand in
the way of their watching the real play
And so they have come together.
that has ever seen an athletic contest
of any kind in this city. Gathered in
one small space from twenty to TWEEN
ty-five thousand people are hing
with breathless interest the movements
OF eighteen men. who combine the ef-
fectiveness Of two Of the best teams
in the American League.
Is it any wonder. after the excitement
~
thusiasm attendant upon the wonderful
showing of a nine that had begun as a
disappointment and the heralded ability
of players who are to be seen in action
for the first time today. that Washington
is in the grip Of the giant-base ball-and
Is proud to admit 1t?
Beginning with the lad who was at
his post yesterday. In order that he
might be the first in line to buy
privilege. the great crowd gathered at
first slowly. and then more quickly. until
just before the time for play to begin
long strings of cars were disgorging
their human freight by the thousands.
Early this morning. long before the first
faint streaks OF the sun were seen, there
were gathered in the small Enclosure
that leads to the park gates crowd
OF at least five hundred. AS the MORN
ing grew on the congregation grew
larger, until the police as a last resort
were compelled to clear out the space.
1t was so full that no semblance of
line could be formed, and had the crowd
been allowed to start for the ticket stands
it is probable that some injuries might
have resulted In the rush that would have
been sure to follow.
Eat Lunches While in Line.
At 1890 o'clock some OF those gathered
in the Enclosure began to eat the lunches
they had brought with them. Others. who
had not been far-sighted enough to realize
they would get hungry. would band to-
eether, select one of the number and
send him out to buy sandwiches and milk.
while they agreed to keep his place dur
ing his absence, by force II necessary.
Some Of those present had had no
breakfast, while others had brought both
breakfast and lunch.
And they were not all men who sat
sleepy-eyed. waiting that they might get
the pick of the seats in the stands. Scat
tered through the bunch were women.
some old and some young drawn by the
same impulse as had actuated the pres
ence of the more strenuous sex.
The lad who went to his post by the
gate last night at IL o'clock had dark
circles under his eyes and around the
ming to turn red, because of constant
rubbing that he might keep awake. In
one pocket he had his lunch. The other
had held his breakfast.
Yes, its hard on the nerves." an
swered the boy. who goes by the name
of Talbot. in response to question.
but it is worth It. I wouldn't miss
the chance 1 have Of getting good
seat for today's game for two nights
sleep, and. besides. just think how well
I'll rest tonight IL the Nationals win"
RIGHT next to Talbot sat a young wom-
an. She also had her lunch, and 1t was her
announced intention to stick and see the
game unless her sudden demise inter-
vened. II have held down this box right
in this place since I o'clock, and
intend to stay right here Until I can get
A ticket that will admit me to the game,
40 therer' Womanlike. she had to add
the last two words to emphasize her
meaning, but they were not necessary.
Anybody who heard her assert her ideas
would not have attempted to keep her
from the chance of getting the best priv
ilege to be obtained.