University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1913-03-28


of violets, of the poet lolling on a
grassy bank, of those who go strolling
two by two. But it is none of these
that l would sing. No! 1t is of him
who with the warm spring weather
develops in his good right pitching
arm and gloved left hand an itching
which he is unable to scratch. 1t is
him who has been stung by the bee
of baseballdom. Yes, sing of him
who will miss his dinner for the op-
portunity of yelling: Put 'er over and
I'll knock the cover off," For it is he
who has put the ring in spring.
Now when one begins talking of
baseball he has very large topic. A
world of things can be included i'm
the subject. 1t is such a broad term
that should he take up every branch
and phase that rightfully comes under
this head, probably his grandchildren
would be present to hear him finish
but they would have to live to ripe
old age" One might talk of winter
baseball form of the sport which
is immensely popular with the has
beens and the over-vOluble members
of the teams. This form requires very
little exertion but quite a bit of deX-
terity in hitting the door of the stove
about which il is played. Winter base
ball may not be excitinO hut it plays
its part and should not be omitted,
since it gives the sporting editors a
chance to work all the year round.
The ''Inside" Game.
Then one may rave and rant about
the inside baseball. To the uniform
ed this is the clock work, the mind
reading, play-by-system form of the
national game. In other words, it is
plays that are worked out in the club
house and Immediately forgotten when
the time comes to use them. Now if
one is a great thinker, a reader of
new-thought publications, or is troub-
led with insomnia, the inside baseball
is for him. But to the average mind
inside baseball is even worse than a
railroad time card or university
class schedule.
The layman goes to the big games
and to him the hit-and-run and squeeze
plays, are the greatest part of the
afternoon. He proceeds to cry out
his admiration to the players until
a deep-thought fan next to him leans
over and asserts, That's one of the
best pieces of inside ball I've seen in
some time" The game is spoilec
from then on.
Inside, shucks. That isn't the kind
of baseball that he wants to witness.
He didn't come out to be present at a
game of chess. He wants to play in
the game, too. He wants to see the
game and understand what is going
on at same time. He enjoys seeing the
ball slammed by a long willow bat
that sends it shooting toward the
clubhouse. He grows excited and he
wants to see fielder, built OIL the
order of that bat, run for that ball
as if Old Nick were after him. He
wants to see the fielder put up a
gloved hand and have the ball there
when from his seat he felt sure it was
a home run. That's what he calls base
ball
This is the Real Baseball.
What cares he for all the theoretical
baseball when out in the center of
the field there is a desperate race 60
ing on before him? His pleasure
comes when he sees the deftly-handled
ball thrown to a base, where a cloud
of dust and pair of bright spikes in
dictate a desperate slide to beat that
throw. And he delights in telling the
umpire to what world he should take
a health-trip. Oh, yes, he wants all
those little exciting moments, those
uncertainties, that cause him, after un-
consciously devouring the brim of his
new straw hat, to jam the remaining
wreck down over the ears of his neigh
Dor and do few impromptu steps of
war dance. Why, that's baseball'
Inside baseball! Just to show the
absurdity of it here is an example.
In an important series last year a
little bunt was laid in front of the
plate with runners on first and second
and one out. Now, according to in
side ball when he recovered it Bres-
nahan should have thrown the ball to
third base two feet from the bag and