The Washington times., 1914-02-22
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE
SWINGING OVER CIRCUIT
WITH BIG LEAGUE CLUB
es Baseball Editor Gives the Fans of Washington Few In
side Details of How the Players Live During the
Stirring Campaigns on the Diamond
By THOMAS KIRBY.

IS is perhaps known personally OF
as ball players than any class of pub
haracters before the American pub
iiticians become politicians largely
(lrough their close associations with
b, sc who hold the power of the ballot;
ctnrs of fame entertain or are enter
eined at most of the important stops;
|uCilists find their chief places of rec
lea ton at public places where they re-
e!ve homage from their admirers.
With the ball player, however, all is
kinerent Seldom beng natives OF the
itv they represent on the diamond and
bn the road half of the season, the ball
bla yer has little intercourse with those
Kho think him great Even should an
# IT be made by some everenthusiastic
In hus:ast to s"uss baseball with a
.pl.,yer he is likely to be rebuffed in a
manner that will leave a lasting i'm
pr -sion. Ball players, naturally clam
ish do not want to be disturbed when
bn the field. and perhaps half of the
fC Is that have been fought between
BIZ; .er and citizen have resulted from
th Effort of the an 10 obtain from the
BIZ uond star some expression of opin-
10, on the merits of a player or a play.
,..rIers that are scussed in club
fn, ;ings are inviolate, heavy fines
b. ging over the heads OF those who
|ni nj feel inclined to discuss what
b.! nt be said by players when locked
In heir dressing room roasting one Oh
n, n own or an opposing player.
.sehalI writer's however, are thrown
|n,o such close contact with the players
kiat this wall of protection which the
hI.yers have is vau-ted. This is par
b, alarly true on trips. q.
;. these touring parties the numbers
b. t gradually increased until between
t. nty-fve and thirty are included on
Il long swings around the circuit,
wLich usually occupy about month.
4 l- management of these trips is un-
de- the business manager, VINO works
il conjunction with the regular man
d ~ the lesser details. harding bag
3 -e and such matters. beng Ieft to
tn trainer. )
! ears ago every trip meant a fight
O. the berth assignments. but this
h. been sYStematIZed. and the parties
have increased until The first car carries
llt players ana IflS Sc
lection for pitching in the lower berths.
vi lie the others are scattered about.
In the second car 90 the business man
ager. the trainer. second string payers,
B"d the newspaper MEN.
\early all the jumps are made early
i The evening after the game, in or
to have the Grub reach the next city
il time TO GreSs at the ball park with
-lg any undue urry.
IS q ru the players go to bed as
n as their train starts Oh its journey.
: :trenCous game is not calculated to
: ruraGc late hours. and those who
N 'qGartets" or play cards late on
SLEEPER soon get in go bad with
I ir chief that orders are given pro-
biting these practices.
<earlv AL the athletes arise early
~. as soon as the hotel is reached
= "-c is d rush for the dining room,
gage matters being intrusted to
q .'erS. while the business manager
. Ks TO the assignment of rooms. The
.aNers soon choose their ''roomies' for
- who season. 50 there is little de-
60" along these lines. In most cases
= Dlavers live two in Il room. The
] tells at which the players stop are
-hly rated. While the Dest hotels,
! 'Cugh the matter of expense and inn
".S"ibility of obtaining the American
IN, are passed up. there can be few
ltimate complaints on the matter Of
lels.
= nearly every case the teams stay
the same hotels on the swing aorund
h" wheel. The Washington arrange
Mt calls for the Majestic al Phila-
2hia; Ansonia. at New York: Copfey
are, at Boston; Chicago Beach, at
l"aso: Cadillac. at Detroit: Colonial.
Cleveland, and the Planters at ST
lis.
h" hen a European plan hotel is neces-
~ the players are allowed q certain
cunt usually s2.jO a day for their
ats, and while some eat outside the
tel, most of them have their meals in
~ same building in which they do
cir sleeping. OF course, there are
me EroWiers-usually among the vet
ins-but the managers are so severe
these men that the practice is speed
being lost.
With one of the American League
.bs last season was a rather fresh,
cn'1b and not thoroughly broken
lngster, who starte,: grabbing"
out his meals while he was seated 1T
same table rs the manager
That's fine lot OF junk to set be-
D re ball player" snarled the new
rner.
''efOre the words were entirely out
his mouth the boss snapped back.
ell II may be junk but it's whole
= better than the chuck that old
'"tter So-and-so fed young shanty
Sh. That ended the recruits com
ANTS for the remainder of the sea-
II for II was not long before he
- necessary for him to endure con-
q fr1 ha