The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-06
VISIT OF WORLDS
TOURISTS TO JAPAN
PROVES BIG SUCCESS
Three Games in Japan Draw
$4,000 Fans - Natives
Marvel at Playing
of Americans

That the visit of the big leaguers to
Japan proved success, both from a
financial viewpoint as we'll as from a
sporting angle, is evidenced by the
Japanese papers that are now arriving
in this country. The papers using
English are filled with pictures of the
worlds tourists and complete box
score follows the account of each game.
Furthermore, every writer speaks of
the great example furnished the Jap
anese players by the Americans.
The total attendance of the three
games was $4,000 and in each instance
the playing field of the Kieo univer-
sity was filled hundreds being COM
PEELED to stand up and so near to the
outfield that they interfered with the
playing.
The admission price ran up to three
yens, or s1.50 in American money. this
being considered high figure for a
sporting event in Japan. The Toxic
Times remarks that st is a mathe-
matieal puzzle to imagine how great
crowd would have made a rush to the
ball park had not the admission charges
awaited up to three yens.'
The greatest gathering was at the
Sunday morning game, when the Kieo
university team of Japanese PLAYERS
engaged in game with picked team
from the touring clubs. This crowd
numbered 1000.
on Saturday afternoon 5000 saw the
Sox defeat the Giants and on Sunday
Afternoon 5000 witnessed the second
game between the two teams.
The Japan Advertiser of Toxic had
the following:
The teams seem to move like clock
work. Each signal is exactly followed,
and the umpire's decision is obeyed ST.
lently. 1t Is this system of arbitration
that the ball players of the country
must note and develop so that further
friction in international baseball
games may be averted. The speed and
alacrity of the base stealing, too, was
revelation to the Japanese. 1t was es-
pecially interesting to watch the peer
less Manager McGraw signaling to his
men by his attitude and to see the
strict discipline of his players. CallaL-
hans men seemed to work the stick
with better results. The fans did not so
with any particular interest as to who
would win, but rather to study the ac-
tion of the world renowned players
What impressed the fans was the style
of the players, the umpiring and the
details of carrying out an Al match
1t was a pity that the field did not af
ford a greater sphere of action to the
outfielders, so as to exhibit their real,
worth; but, nevertheless, one was i'm
pressed with the idea that the major
league players are everything theiI
name signifies
The Daily Mail of Toxic said:
The appearance on the Keio varsity
dc n nf fba
lean players elected loud plaudits
from the grandstand. which was
thckly packed with enthusiastic fans
Despite the fact that the players
stood on the diamond few hours
after landing the game was we'll.
players worked with precision and
alacrity almost superhuman. The
team work was simply perfect. Each
and every member of the teams was
: like a part to well regulated mo-
chine.
The Yokohama Gazette had the fol-
lowing:
The games played have been reve-
lation to those who had not witnessed
anything of the sort before. Every
! thing seemed in favor of the travel-
ers-fine weather, large crowds, and
much entertainment.
Saturdays game was great source
of amusement and study for the large
crowd that witnessed it. 1t was full
of humor, science and incidents that
were really new to the multitude.
, Manager McGraw treated the fans to
n great exhibition of shadow baseball
before the game. Shadow baseball
consists of going through all the mo-
tions of a regular practice without
using "a ball. The antics of the players
. brought roars of laughter from the
. crowd. There is no doubt but what the
Japanese have learned a very valuable
lesson from this game if they watched
closely the game put up by the Amer
leans.