Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-16
BY BILLY EVANS.

Over in Cuba there is a limit OF a
couple of minutes on all base ball argu-
ments on the field Failure TO resume play
Is liable to result Nm the arrest of the Of
tenders. When a team forfeits a ball
game the entire club Is liable to arrest.
There is a law in Cuba which governs
the failure of any amusement enterprise
to give the public just what 1t advertises.
Naturally when the Cuban goes to a ball
game he expects to see at least nine in
ninEs. unless weather conditions stop
play. For a team to forfeit the game, say.
in the third inning because of some dis
pute is violation of this law. 1t is re-
garded as getting the money under false
pretense. While these measures are pos
sibly bit too stringent, still the idea IS
an excellent one for 1t protects the pub
lie.
Patrons OF the game are attracted to
the ball park not only to see ball game.
but also to observe the stars Of the pas
time in action. Every player OF any
prominence in any league. major or
minor, has big following No matter
how badly the team may be going. the
brilliance of this or that star VIII at
tract a certain amount of people through
the gate. l know no better example Oh
this theory than Walter Johnson two or
three years back.
The Washington club at that time was
a hopeless tailender, and late in the
year was doing little more than playing
out the schedule. 1t was usually taken
for granted that Washington would De
trimmed in rather easy style unless q
certain Mr.. Johnson was booked to pltcn.
Johnson had been with the Washington
club but year at the time, yet he was
looked on as one Of the sensations OF the
American League. People wanted to see
Johnson in action, no matter how poorly
the Washington club was going. They
felt satisfied that Johnson in himself
would give a performance worth Whiie,
and through his great ability make the
game interesting. Not over Thousand
people saw any of the first three games
of the series in one of the western towns
worked, yet over 5000 turned out to
watch Johnson perform in the final con-
test Which simply leads up to the point
am going to bring out in this article
Have Big Following.
1 feel safe in saying that half Of the
fans at every ball game turn out to see
a certain individual star or stars in ac-
ton as much as to see the ball game.
The name of Lajoie in Boston or New
York is always a big enough attraction to
bring out the people In those cities Lar
ry draws as much, If not more, applause
as the stars of the home team. Wagner
and Pittsburgh always get the people in
New York, while Mathewson and the
Giants get them in Pittsburgh. Hughey
Jennings, Ty Cobb and the other major
league stars have their following, who
are always loyal to the player, regard
less Of the standing Of the team.
When Detroit hits a town the fans go
out to see Jennings cut up on the coach
Ing lines, Ty Cobb to do stunts on the
bases and at the bat, Sam Crawford to
break down the fences with his terrific
hits, DOME Bush to electrify them with
his sensational plays at short II by
chance any of these players or any other
member Of the team is put out of the
game for something that possibly could
have been avoided, certain percentage
Of that crowd is disappointed and leaves
the park with a sour taste. Put Ma
thewson, Lajoie, Collins, Walsh, Wag-
ner or any of the stars out of the game
and the result is similar. In this connec-
ton l recall couple of incidents that
I figured in.
There is no question about Ty Cobb s
wonderful ability, neither is there the
slightest doubt as to his drawing pow
ers at the game. For a star Ty is a
mighty fine fellow with the umpires. Be
cause of his great speed and his, willing
ness to take any kind of chance, nine
tenths of the plays on Cobb are close.
He is out or safe by an eyelash most of
the time. He realizes that the umpires
give them just as they see them; that