Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-15

pleasure, whatever they might be
within the walls.
Guards Manage Teams.
The teams are managed by guards
or shop foremen, who arrange the
games, plan the line-ups and direct
the field activities of their teams.
Usually the manager is the prison
official who is assigned to duty in
the shop from which the team Is Sc
| lected.
Baseball was established as a por-
ton of the prison routine soon after
W. c. Hawk was appointed deputy
warden at the penitenJiary He was
one of the leading spirits in its insti-
tuition, and is now the arbiter Of all
disputes. acting somewhat as the
president of a professional baseball
| league. Last weeks issue of Good
Words" referred to him as President
Hawk, 1t gives a short sketch of the
organization of the league:
with the approval of the Depart
ment of Justice, the first game Of
baseball was played here Saturday
afternoon, September %. 1911. 1t was
an innovation and was approached
with caution and prudence. For the
first game. only the men of the east
dollhouse we're allowed to attend. and
the team was made up of men picked
from these prisoners. On the next
Saturday, the men in the west CELL
house we're allowed a game under
the same conditions. The conduct OF
the men was excellent, and from that
time all prisoners have been allowed
to attend the games. and now It Is
permanent feature Of the prison
routine
Warden Explains II.
Also is set forth in the prison pa
per, the official report made by Wars
den Meyer TO the United States De-
partment of Justice, regarding the
establishment Of the league. He said:
AT the beginning I notified tho
| prisoners that all prisoners in first
| grade or who had not lost grade after
/ the beginning Of this form OF recrea-
ton. would be permitted to attend
/ the ball games. and would be per-
mitted also to take their cell chairs,
| pipes, tobacco, musical instruments,
newspape rs and books 70 the ball
field with them, and that they would
be allowed to talk to each other,
laugh. cheer the plays and players.
and TO enjoy themselves. provided
they refrained from the use of vulgar
or rowdy language. Early in March
we organized a league OF eiBht clubs
arranged a schedule, and began play
sng ball according to American
League rules and practices. All the
| players are Captained by prisoners,
/ the umpires are prisoners, and the
records are kept by prisoners. In
| other words, it has been my desire
that the ball game shall represent not
only the work but the spirit Of the
prisoners themselves.
1T is, indeed, gratifying TO me 20
report TO you that not once since tina
first game was played has a prisoner
been reported for disorderly conduct
Oh the ball field, either as a player
or as a spectator. When It is remem-
bered that more than nine hundred
men, who have been deprived OF their
liberty for almost every crime in the
decalogue. are permitted TO oongre-
gate on a bali field for hours at a
time. and have controlled themselves
In such manner that they have not
violated the restrictions placed on
them, the tremendous significance Of
| baseball as a means to establish good
discipline and at the same time to
provide healthful recreation. will be
we'll understood"
Some Sport Writers There.
The sporting page Of Good Words
is handled by prisoners who in the
free days wrote sports for newspa-
pers. Baseball dope is outlined with
! all the glibness at the command OF
the newspaper writer. One bit Of
gossip. revealing the baseball temper
OF the prison. was in last weeks IS
sue, saying:
prison bars may kill interest IN
some lines Of thought. but the genus
fan lives. moves, and has his be-
| ing here, just as the fanatic outside,
We have men here who keep the OOPS
OF the Prison League and others who
have the records Of the big leagUers
at their tongues end. Many Of the
1 officers are baseball bugs, and the
results Of the games in the American,
National and Southern Leagues ara
phoned 20 the prison every evening,
Some Of the clerks make copies and
distribute them to the various de-
partments. and soon II IS known Sr
over the institution
And then. IN verse, IS this tribute
10 The Moonshiner:
There is q young man called 'MoOR
sinner.
Whose pitching gets finer and finerf
II he keeps up the gait
Hes been going Of late,
Some dav he'H become a top-liHer.s
Also:
'.Thers t0as az old rooter HGBss