The Ordway new era., 1913-06-20


was played last month, but the
sporting columns. full of base
ball activities. prize fight bat
ties. and other classics of sport.
carried not a line Of It. 1t was a game
that staggered the Imagination. 1t
was played In the most unique of
stage settings and on a scale that
would dwarf the combined activities OF
the big leagues. the bush leagues and
all the sand-lot contests OF the dia-
mond rolled into one eleveninning
match.
The playing ground was at sea and
Its boundaries Tapped over the circu-
lar rim of ocean that stretched to ev-
cry point of the compass when. with
the most powerful glass. you swept
the horizon from a ship in its center.
Take the Polo Grounds Of the New
York Giants. the white-ribbed grid
iron Of Soldiers field at Cambridge,
the race track at Latonia. KY. the
polo field at Narragansett and the Ma
tional golf course at Shinnecock Hills.
Multiply them by thousands and toss
them Into the center Of this deep sea
field. The resultant ripple would die
leagues away from its outer rim!
Modest Prize.
The game was the record battle
practice Of the Atlantic feet. The
field was the southern drill grounds
Of the United States navy. seventy
miles out to sea from the Virginia
capes. The prize. a modest bit of
bunting. From the deafening roar
OF the first twelve-inch gun. aimed at
the halfsubmerged hull Of the old
Texas In Tangier sound. to the last
s70-pound steel projectile. that tore
with the noisy rush of hundred run
away freight trains through NOV
ing target six miles away. the days
piled up to a total of ten.
There were a dozen ships In this
unique lineup. flrst-class fighting bat
tleships all, and on each was q team
ranging from TOO to 1000 men. For
the war-worn hickories of Tyrus Cobb
and Honus Wagner they substituted
the gray steel tubes of twelveinch
guns, and for the horsehide-covered
baseball they rang In shells Weighing
$40 pounds. The base lines were lanes
Of dark green sea. fathoms deep and of
soundings, churned into fury by the
quadruple screws OF dreadnoughts
steaming at a lively rate.
The home plate was q screen-cov-
cred target the size Of the painted
sign advertising cigarettes in your To-
cal ball park. The home plate trav-
eled due north. and now due south.
dipping and curtesying to the lazy
swell and at times careening to the
wind. 1t was not always well man.
nered home plate. and 1t was never
still. Between 1t and the pitchers box
10000 yards OF sea! For your favorite
sport on shore substitute miles for
yards. tons for pounds. thousands for
each single man at play. and you will
grasp some Significance Of this big
game.
There were no bleachers and tower
ing grandstands packed full Of straw
hated, shirt-sleeved humanity to
cheer the brilliant plays or to urge on
the under dog in this match. Every
man OF the 10000 played his part be-
fore a gallery Of only wheeling sea
gulls and handful OF observers. The
yells of the bleacherites were missing.
but In their place was a gigantic roar
that would have drowned the vocal ex-
pIosions OF a worlds series contest.
No Gate Receipts.
Again, there was no division OF fat
gate receipts at stake. no herowor-
ship, no great Increase OF salaries and
no vistas OF vaudeville contracts. In
their places was a plaque Of bronze to
be held for a year. but the incentive
that spurred them on was the knowl-
edge that. II Waterloo was won on the
fields Of Eton. then truly the next
great American naval victory will be
won by the annual game that the
navy plays on the southern drill
grounds.
The big game is vastly more scien.
tifc than football. It's thrills are IT,
tanic even when compared with
ninth.tnning rally. No golf course
ever boasted so unique beauty of
surroundings. Racing stables In their
palmy days never entailed such eX-
pcnse or represented SO much Invested
capital. No other game was ever
played on such a scale or by the
United States government. and. final-
ly. there is no other game whose for
tunes so directly affect the 10000. 900
people OF this republic.
You have seen the Yalc bulldog and
the Princeton tiger grapple on the
gridlron? Substitute the Delaware
and the Utah. You placed your wager
on the Red Sox or the Giants when
they met to fight out the worlds Sc
ries7 For the Giants send the Flor.