The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-14

A story is told of a certain erstwhile sick man of Birmin gham. He had been in a state of coma for two days. There had been three consultations of doc tors, and his family had given up hope. The physicians had gathered for a final consideration of his case. Ono after another they shook their heads and gravely remarked that the only thing they could do was to make his last hours easy. Then the next door neighbor arrived and begged to be per- mitted to see the invalid. After a good deal of arguing he was permitted to enter the room where the patient lay "George!" he exclaimed, "George Get us I've got two passes to tomorrow's S ball game" And George got up. He is fair example of the Birmingham man, any by the same token, he is like many Birmingham women-for the ma jority of the feminine populace is so ardent, so faithful in its allegiance to the sport that there are few catastro- phes, public or private, that can keep them at home an afternoon in season. Verify, during the summer months our ball park is to us what the Grand PriX Is to Paris or Ascot is to London.
 Not that baseball is considered pure ly fashionable pastime. Far from it. The smart set, of course, almost to an individual, affects baseball; club wom en and suffragists whom, at first blush, would appear superior to so frivolous an occupation as watching a crew of chaps the best of whom is a person in baggy pants, with a dirty brown streak up the side where he has slid for base, and Micawber shaped collar, and skull fitting cap and a foot or two of tan or blue or pink sleeves sticking out at the arms beneath the rolled up white ones; twisting and twirling and grubbing about in the sun You wouldn't think such women would care for baseball, but the most violent lans are to be found among them. And besides professional men, the busy woman is there, too, on occasion. Now and then, when an afternoon may be ,natched from business you will see her sitting, maybe up in the tenth or maybe in box, in a smart linen frock and a hat trimmed in red roses, trying 10 smother a Httle shriek of delight when Ellam snatches high one out of he Armament. There are teachers from the public and private schools, and ministers of various creeds who mover miss a play.
 And this is what makes baseball "the" American game. People love to go ana forget all about cares and social ameni- lies. One likes to be out in the open rubbing shoulder to shoulder with the Birmingham populace; to exchange pleasantries with a next door nelghbor, who, in this busy day, is familiar pnly at little hurry up" dinners or buffet suppers; to exchange obserVa- lions with ones own rector as To the eam's work to watch the quaint WIS som of little barefoot boy "fans who Ire up in the clouds one minute and town in the depths another; to some lines follow the game with score .ard, like hardened baseball fan, keep ng watch open on ones knee and ac- surately jotting down every play; 10 watch the Inevitable little serio-eemie play always to be seen; the palntui patience of the instructor and the mad- aening incomprehension of the pupil 10 see thousands and thousands of people about some Of whom one knows, others just as interesting whom one 9oesn't; to go home through the fast approaching twilight past the big blackboard and see the crowd swarming About so that you would think they were giving away electric lamps and lardiniers. Not less than the game it. telf, the atmosphere, the environment If baseball game, and its democracy appeals to Americans and to that very important fraction of America that fre- uuent Redwood park on a sunny day.
 It is this democratic phase. that makes one indifferent to whether he shall sit in a box or on the grandstand box seats are comfortable and little ad- sitional expense it is true but so, thanks to the owners of Rick wood are the others And some there are who are prone to consider the box seats as undemocratio and unworthy of a true ran. There is d United States judge and his wife who. .unfailinsly occupy seat s n the grandstaud. A wealthy woman Of Influence, who spends her winters chief y in travel and her summers at th' ball parks comes out to the game sfft fterIfOOn InCr dulOUlDUllts iBul