The evening times., 1914-02-28
Indications that France will
Take up the Game-or-
ganize Movement.
FRENH ACCENT
PROVES AMUSING
"Foul" Becomes COOL and "F1y" is.
Twisted into .sF1ca"-Younger Set
Wins Victory in Election of Jockey
Club President. ''

Paris. Feb. 2s.-Therc are many
indications that baseball will gain a
real foothold in France this year.
The visit of the New York and Chi
cago teams which are concluding
their tour of the world will be fol- :
lowed by organized effort on the part
of many of the French admirers of
the American game to popularize it
here.
One OF the handicaps to the growth
of baseball in France oddly huas been
the conservation of national resource
es. Open grounds favorably located
are at q premium and land owners
have been loath to cut down their
trees to make room for diamonds
This prejudice is being overcome to
some extent, however.
The. Racing club of France, which
already has a ball ground on its ex-
tensive property outside of Paris, is
planning to lay out three more dia-
monds this spring. Arrangements
have not vet developed to the league
or association stage but games will
be played between teams of the rae
ing club and school boys. especially
the American boys of the Latin quar-
ter, and a number of games will lie
played at Etretat, Havre and other
French cities. The coincident develop
ment of the game in Spain is noted in.
a challenge from a nine in Barcelona
which the racing club here has ac-
cepted.
Those i'll Paris who hope to SEQ
baseball interest increase here expect
considerable assistance from the
French army training school. Four
members of the school have already
undertaken to introduce and teach
the game the coming summer. These
instructors have thoroughly studied
all the rules of play and all the Eng
lish terms which are used.
The pronunciation by the French
youths is amusing to Americans, es-
pecially as to "foul'' which is termed
fool" and "fy,' which they call
"flea.''
w. Fl. Burgess one Of the Ameri-
cans here who is particularly inter-
ested in baseball and who acts as UNI
pire at some Of the games declares
that sports generally have not made
the same progress in France as In
some other countries S,ld he explains
numerous causes.
Resides the difficulty of getting
playing fields,' he says. "the hours of
the French school boy are eNtraordi-
narily long. The average pupil is at
his desk at o'clock in the morning
and is not released until six. whereas
In the United States generally in the
public schools the boys leave their
desks at from two to three. This gives.
them several hours for relaxation
which is devoted to ball playing or
other forms of sport. The school boys
holiday here is Thursday instead Of
Saturday. Also when French children
want to participate in a baseball
game they arc generally required t,
tell their parents the names Of the
children with whom they intend to
play. II certain boys are not of equal
station the parents refuse to allow
them to play and this feeling of class
tends to hinder the development OF
baseball among the youth. Neverthe-
less the progress the past season was
exceedingly rapid and 1 look for {,
greater advancement ili popularity
the coming season.
X X *
The election of Count Ellie de Be-
slade dAvaray as president Of the
Jockey club is a triumph for the
younger element in that stronghold
OF aristocracy. The older members,
had fixed their choice successfully OF"
the Due de Luynes, Prince Murat, the
Duke de la Rochefaucauld, and 9TH
ers but without effect. The young
clubmen proposed the Duke de Dou-
deauville. The County d'Avaray was
the candidate Of third section, an
outsider; but the younger element,
failing to elect their man on the first
elected him.
The new president is the clubman
to perfection. Being a widower, he.
spends the greater part Of his day at
the club. He will be q working presi-
dent. always to be found at his post.
Although only Sc years old he has
flowing snow-white beard. He belongs
to one of the oldest families of
France l.flE t.. =