Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-07-09
BASEBALL HUM0R.
This Brand Is Purely English and
Wholly Unconscious.
THE WAY WE PLAY THE GAME.

c~ountered a Curious Species of "Fan,"
Describes the Fine Points Of the
Great American Sport.
One of the most Illuminating appre-
Citations OF the national game IL that
contained In a book on America writ
ten by Hon. Chillingly Butler-Stout, a
gentleman OF British extraction who
is evidently a trained student OF Amer
lean life.
Hon. ChillingIy Butler-Stout nat
urally felt that no picture OF life on
this side of the water would be com
plete without q description of our ma
tional game-a view which we are
glad to indorse as eminently correct
He therefore devoted several pages
Of Informed comment to 1t which the
average American In particular will
read with admiration and gratitude.
Hon. Chillingly Butler-Stout began
this part Of bis work by the state
ment that the mysteries of baseball
were generally supposed to be o pro-
found for any foreigner TO penetrate.
But the writer was no ordinary for
eigner, and baseball had 10 mysteries
for his trained eye. Witness the fol-
lowing marvellous description OF the
organization Of the game:
"A number Of clubs representing diff
ferent cities Of the u. 5. A. and
mamma hlv no potfvoc ~ tho
respective cities join to form a league.
and throughout the spring and SUM
mer months a lively contest IL under
way for the championship OF the
league. or. as 1t is popularity referred
to. the banner. Two teams OF nine
men each take the field. The men on
n team. known as the outs dis
tribute themselves about the field.
while one of their number In the cen
ter, known as the pitcher losses the
ball to a comrade at one end. known
as the catcher. The men on the
turns at shifting at the ball as II ia
tossed past them by the pitcher The
object is to hit the ball and to reach
the first station before the ball can
be returned by a member of the op-
posing team to his comrade at that
station"
There il an authoritative air about
this statement that carries conviction.
No one could mistake the Hon. Chill
lingly Butler-Stout for one OF those
travellers In foreign lands who see
things on the wing and indulge In
generaliztions about the country ~
inapt as they are hasty. He has
plainly zone carefully into the subject
Of American baseball. and the result
il a conservative statement that must
commend itself to all thinking people.
But the erudite writer has more TO
say:
Sometimes the ball Is struck so hard
as to enable the runner to advance to
the second station or the third sta
ton or even to complete the circuit
of the field and make what Is called d
home rum
al first sack second sack. third
sack and home plate To decide
whether the runner reaches the sta
ton before the ball there ~ an Off
cial known as umpire who passes on
all other disputed questions Us they
arise Decisions are frequently very
close. and partisan spirit runs high
among the spectators. There are
cheers when the umpire cries
'Savedr There are loud cries OF pro
test when the umpire declares a bail
fouled or out OF bounds Clever
plays are always apnlauded. and after
q peculiarly difficult catch the stands
ring with cries Of We'll 1elded: well
caught, indeed"
How vivid. yet now exact. l. that
description! AS u reads those mar
velous lines of the Hon. Chilling
~ Butler-Stout be eau almost heal the
umpire calling out "SavedP' as the
runner reaches the first second or
third station" Hs the case may be.
and the enthusiastic cry OF well
caught. indeed!' from the wild eyed
excited mob OF fans" on the bleachers
M the nelder manages to engulf an
unusually difficult ny.
There has been IN the past some
criticism Of British books on America.
Dickens and Kipling. az well as divers
other notables. have been charged with
viewing this country with eyes jaun-
diced by British prejudice. But In
the case of the Hon. Chillingiy Butler
Stout such criticism Is silent His
genial and instructive criticism leaves
room for nothing save admiration.-
Hhtra Ur Irfar nr0.n