The Springfield herald., 1913-06-20
HE greatest game in the world
was played last month. but the
sporting columns. full OF base
ball activities. prize fight bat


ball activities. prize fight bat
ties. and other classics of sport.
carried not 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 sandlot contests of the dia-
mond rolled into one eleven-inning
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 Aeet. The
field was the southern drill grounds
Of the United States navy. seventy
miles out to sea from the Virginia
capes. The prize, modest bit OF
bunting. From the deafening roar
of the hrst twelve-inch gun. aimed at
the half-submerged hull Of the old
Texas in Tansier sound. to the last
s70-pound steel projectile. that tore
away freight trains through NOV
ing target six miles away. the days
piled up to q total Of ten.
There were . dozen ships in this
unique lineup. first-class fighting bat
tleships all. and ON each was . team
ranging from TOO to 1000 men. For
the warworn hickories Of Tyrus Cobb
apd 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 on.
soundings. churned into fury by the
quadruple screws of dreadnoughts
steaming at a lively rate.
The home plate was screen-cov-
cred target the size of the painted
sign advertising cigarettes in your 10
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 a well man
nered home plate. and It 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 ponds. thousands for
each single man at play. and you will
grasp some signihcance 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 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
plosions Of worlds series contest.
No Gate Rsoelpts.
Again, there was no division OF fat
gate receipts at stake. no hero-wor-
ship. no great increase of salaries and
no vistas Of vaudeville contracts. In
their places was 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
zelda of Elton then frulv the noxt
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-
tiic than football Its thrills are t.
tanic even when compared with =
ninth-inning rally. No golf course
ever boasted SO unique a beauty Of
surroundings. Racing stables In their
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