The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-07
CAPTAIN THOMAS ANDERs

many baseballs flying around is just about. difficult as trying to watch the proceedings of a three-ring circus. And of course everybody knows that that is a physically impossbility. Yet" she says, "it wouldn't be so hard if all the baseballs were white, but some of them are dirty and should be cleaned with gasoline, the same as white gloves are
 Her courageous escort finds 1t difficult to make her understand that the bat ting is merely a preliminary to the game and the players are simply 1imbering up so they will be in condition when the game begins,
 ''Yes, that's all right" she declares emphatically, "but if they continue to exert themselves like that they will be all tired out when the game begins. Aren't they foolish?"
 When the game begins she seems to be very much interested in watching the pitcher and catcher. Incidentally when the starting bell sounds she asks if the stands are fireproof, because, as she ex- plains. she just heard what she thought was fire gong and she did not wish to get caught in the stand in a fire with such a mob in them. She overlooked the important fact that the stands are con structed of concrete and can not burn.
 However she was interested in the pitcher and catcher.
 Tt strikes me as awfully funny to see such a mixture of uniforms on the field" she declared. For instance. the other men on the team all have baseball uniforms, while the catcher, as you call him, has on a football uniform with a mask over his face, they can not kick him. I never supposed that baseball was such a rough game. It seems that all games are rough nowadays.
 What has he that pad around his C11a fnrc Go nt lynao l,n wind out of him when they tackle and throw him? Ohi That's a chest pro- tector? Well. 1t hardly seems possible that such a big husky man as he would catch cold a day like today. He must be frightfully susceptible.
 Was Pitcher Insane?
 "Oh, goodness Look at that thrower. Oh, you call him the pitcher? Excuse me. What is the trouble; has he sud- denly gone insane? Never in my life have I noticed a man throw his arms around like that fellow If he doesn't stop swinging his arm around in a circle it will snap off him.
 "Why doesn't he throw the ball and be done with it? What is the sense of his trying to make the ball dizzy by turning 1t around his head that way? The balls inanimate.
 Good heavens! never saw him throw that ball. Now, isn't that ridcu- lous! As long he threw the ball at that catcher, why didn't that misguided person at the bat permit the catcher to get 1t without swinging that club at it and knocking it out in the field in that way? Some persons never seem to realize when they are putting in. That was an awfully smart piece of work
 What's he running for? Is the catch CT going to chase him off the field for not permitting him to catch the ball. or is he chasing that young fellow away out there on the lawn who seems to be running off the field toward that house. which I believe you informed me was the clubhouse? I failed to notice that young fellow out there give that fellow with the club any provocation for chas- ing him in that way. Some men have to bully other persons because they are larger and stronger.
 Who's that officious looking person out there in the field? Now he's running after the man in uniform who just threw he a policeman? I hope there isn't any trouble here today. I imagined that these ball games were all peaceful, but on consideration l do remember my brother telling me that sometimes the spectators and players get infuriated at the referee and kill him. Is that so? Oh, beg your pardon the umpire.
 well, that certainly was despicable piece of work. Did you see what hap pened? That fellow who threw down the club was running toward that pillow out there in the middle of the field when somebody out on the lawn threw the ball to another man on the dirt part of the field near the pillow. The young fellow who had been running tripped and fell with his hand stretched forward. Then the fellow with the ball made a dive at him and struck him violently on the back with the hard ball. It must have hurt.
 don't blame him for quitting. I'd do the same myself if they struck me-"