Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-20
I I


fans will risk anything to be considered the inside
Then they'll turn right around and do you the biggest
kind OF favor They are just bugs, that's all Lots Of
people IN this town. he went spend half their lives
trying to get acquainted with ball players-ones they've
read about | suppose its the way with promi-
nent writer's actors, on trial for murder
These fellows want to meet them and then boast to
their neghbors about having the real dope them.
No celebrity escapes.
began to acquire a distrust for fans
THE next day Jim got his two weeks check and
brought it to me. After paying off our bills, had
than two hundred dollars to put away. He got
six hundred dollars month then, and expecting
raise Jim had given full charge of the money, and
was figuring every day how to invest it. had
era1 plans under considerations but of them took
more definite form two days later when went to the
game and met some Of the wives of other players.
Jim suffered with a for week after having
been knocked out OF the box that day. and during his
enforced layo took occasion to sit with in the grand
stand and introduce me to the members Of little
baseball colony After that was never lonely; though
found myself in surroundings that brought out grlev
ously to my ignorance OF the ethics OF my husbands
profession.
At the ball park three or four boxes had been set
apart for the wives of the players that could all be
together, and this made it like afternoon social Few
of my friends knew much about the fine points of the
game; and knew less than any of them. Naturally
all had one interest in common that understood
quite well,-the winning of the pennant, SO that we
could share in the extra receipts of the worlds series
Though Jim had warned me about listening to fans,
he had forgotten to coach about the code of ethics
among the wives Ate~ he had gone back to work and
left me to look out for myself with my acquaintance
that negligence his part and ignorance on mine were
responsible for my second bad break.
THERE are two subjects absolutely taboo among the
wives of the Professionalism OF the individual
plays and the amount of salaries of their husbands
We try to figure out the latter sometimes by the way
they live but the direct question must never be asked
limited at. The players not supposed even to
know what the others get As to criticism we can say
what we please about the opposing team; but 1t IS
treadng on dangerous ground to discuss own The
who NJ rty aS mt &c n
of the wives of the visiting players had been in
vited to sit with Nobody dared make comment.
This funny to me that got many hard looks for
giggling.
On the afternoon of my first break sat in box with
Mrs. Elliott the pretty little wife of the shortstop
Her husband had heard was oldtmer, and was not
fast as he used to be. She telling of home
they building in Indiana, and, if the club the
pennan the extra money from the worlds series would
be enough pay off their last note Of three thousand
dollars Jim had not discussed it with me; but when
discovered these possibilities immediately decided on
how would invest our money. was going to buy
home too.
Mrs. Elliott and engrossed in conversation
that the game under way before we had noticed it.
This day lin again the pitcher, and everything
seemed to be going nicely until the fourth inning when
the visiting team got three men on bases and ball was
hit toward shortstop. l could Mrs Elliott tighten
up. Her whole form contracted if in pain. Charlie
Elliott started for the ball. little slowly it seemed to
me- and when he about to stop it the ball struck
some object-my husband afterward told me it
pebble bounded over his arms, rolling into the out
field. Two scored and there groan, really
growl, of displeasure from the crowd.
"Why, that's terrble!' | exclaimed exctedly and
fooishly. "Anybody could have stopped that ball.
By this time l had learned that if game lost it
would go into the records defeat for the pitcher
whether he to blame not. 1t the thought of
this injustice to Jim that made me forget myself The
cachers wife, who sat the other side of me, tried
but couldn't caution me this time
isn't that awful, right @that they should
treat lin that way? And just when we are figuring on
a raise too7 The spirit Of the fan unconsciously
getting into me. Suddenly l noticed that the other
~. 4 l.
the storm broke and | realized my terrible blunder
Mrs. Elliott rose stiff1y if to leave the box.