Evening star., 1914-03-01

The first principle of fair play is to be-
iieve the other team is playing fair.
Many an athlete has tried to let in
spiration take the place of hard work,
and then wondered that miracle dldn I
haprcu at the moment when he was
being defeated.
Some serious attacks have been launch
ell against foot ball and base ball, the
latest coming from headmaster Oh
Phillips Academy. Say what you please,
the crux of the whole matter hes IN ,he
verse with which this column opened
few weeks ago
Ec each pray God. u gentleman.
\ few wears ago the writer OF this
column published in the Phillips Acad-
emv paper an article on this very point,
from which the following is auoteo.
suspicion and unfairness Will spoil any
sport No amount of legislation can take
the place of a prevailing spirit OF fair
play 1t is the dirty play and not the
dirty field that blackens. II Is the way
the play is meant and the way II IS taken
tbat makes friends or enemies. English
rugby has weakness in the rule OF
scrmmagc. but neither team accuses the
other OF attempts to take urlair aoVan-
tage Each tactitly accepts the weak,
ness of the rules and both are satisfied
because they think well of each other:
If we only might have little more OF
tho give-and-take principle. and at the
same time not neglect to make our ruies
us precise as possible we should all Oe
better for it,
LEARN the rules Be sure of what they
milp. then play as hard as you Ike, but
Nv fair, and believe the other side Is
~ ny to do the same. and you Will nave
IL regrets and you will have done your
TART to keep good game where II shouio
.FHE BASE BALL YANKEE boobies!
Old Polo Grounds of classic fame.
McGraw will soon be seen there!
Comiskey's home, They shout his name,
And Callahan can win there!
\ famous crowd from yopder ~ oars'
Each seems TO bear q customs marx
And all Of You have manners.
The base ball fans. motley crowd,
viii show you're not forEotten.
For each bad play they'll shout aiouo,
The customary ''notten!
But that don't mean they love y,,ns,s; You less;
They'll you 'bonehead. noodies.
But welcome back. We'll all confess
=. We're base ball Yankee Doodies!
The welcoming back from their worlds
tour of the Giants and Chicagos promises
to be a most impressive occasion ana
gives one some idea OF the immense i'm
portapce that our national game mas as
sIrmed Can any one imagine the con-
sternation that would nave preVaiieo
among the early settlers Of this country
had it been announced that two teams
of ball PLAYERS from the United states
would journey through Japan. Australia
and the continent OF Europe, displaying
their prowess. and that so much was
the game thought of that in the same
month il would be announced that one
of the players at home was to be pa1o
The sum of $4,000 for four-year con-
tract"
Several years as chairman of the rec
nd
president of the Civic Federation has de-
termined the writer to appeal to tine
readers of this column and urge that
they be prepared to support unitediy
plans for the proper use and supervision
Of the greatest asset the country can
have. namely. playgrounds.
Every boy in thiS>country has right
and ais father and big brothers should
demand 1t for him. to certain years OF
play-good. honest play. with protectlon
and assistance from the law. When
this country was first settled there was
a vacant lot in every neighborhood so
that every boy had his chance. The
growth of civilization has changed all
tnis Sparingiy, grudEingly the cities
are recognizing this fact and furnish
backgrounds. But how about the man
agement of those Fairgrounds? boy
who - playing base ball in the streets
is against the law and order because
the policeman chases him. He gravitates
70 tho saloons and becomes a bad citizen,
hut he is rounded UP politically. Now.
wien VIC take him to the Fairgrounds
and give him sport under laws pro-
tect'ou- hc develops the making of a
good cjtzcn. When the doubtful poll
ticiaus begin TO tind their gangs missing
they naturally look into the question OF
what mas become of them and find that
The play grounds maybe made a better
uiasirG school than anything they had
FOUND before. Hence when the time
comes every reader oil this column
should know the type of man in his
community who Is wanted for the man
a=crucnt of the Fairgrounds in his sec
tion and he should insist that the play
ground must he kept as free from politi-
al aud partisan bias AS the school, and