The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-18
That Business Can Be Com
bined With Pleasure Proven.
Demonstrated by w. o. Ander-
son, Commission Merchant.

Since Adam first ate of the forbid
den fruit and Eve first wasted her
time trifling with the Garden snake,
one of mans greatest trlbulations has
come from his inability to amaIgamate
pleasure and business harmoniously.
Most men have found that the two
are like oil and water. They don't mix
very well. Most men who have eXper-
imented in the art of mixing them
have given up in despair. Some have
been forced to follow the adage which
says that if your business interferes
with your pleasure, cut out the bust
ness. Others have cut out the pleas
ure entirely, and those who have done
this latter are the ones who fill the
ranks of the gloom sots, the crabs, the
indigestives and the other disa greeabIe
joy chasers of the world.
However, the fact that business and
pleasure can be made to mix as read
lily as milk and honey has been dem
onstrated by well known Topekan,
who mixes the two--business and
pleasure-every time there is ball
game at Western league park.
Said genius, who is also a genial
good fellow and a benefactor to HUI
mainly because of his wonderful dis
covery. is no other than w. 0. Ander
son, better known to his friends
Billy Anderson, head of the "A
company and one of the most faithful
fans the Topeka baseball club ever
had.
His Method.
Mr. Anderson's method of mixing
business and pleasure is a simple one.
His greatest pleasure is derived from
watching a ball game. And his prin-
cipal business occupation is that of
wholesaling berries, beans and BAN
anaS and other varieties of human
fodder. In order to enjoy the ball
games he was compelled to be away
from his office. And in order to do
his wholesale business he had to be
away from the ball games. And SO
the only problem was to find meth
cd by which he could be in touch with
both at the same time.
1t was some time during the winter
stove league season the winter before
last that he originated his plan. Last
season he put it into operation. Here
it is: First, he rented the end box
along the third base line of the grand
stand. Then, he had the telephone
company run private telephone wire
to his box. and had a special phone
box constructed to keep the precious
using it.
Since that was done, Billy has
not known what it means to have
business and pleasure conflict. When
the time comes to go to a ball game,
he goes. Then, if anybody wants to
sell him a crate of Gran berries, or any
of his customers want to buy a key
of krout or a carton of Goldfish, all
meet the party with his ball park
phone and he transacts the business
without ever missing a play Since
the phone was installed, he has missed
only four games, three last season
and one this.
Talks to Arkansas.
Last Saturday while the Ssvages
were playing the Wichita Wolves, Mr.
Anderson used the ball park phone to
talk to a customer at Emporia and
sold him $50 cases of berries. This
made it necessary for him to buy more
from his chair, he called the repre-
sentative of a berry growers associa-
ton at Van Buren,. Ark. over the long
distance telephone and bought anoth
er car of berries. Also, during Satur
days game he transacted business
twice with parties in Kansas City.
The accompanying photograph
shows the manner in which Mr.. An
derson does business while watching
a game. The lady sitting next to him
is Mrs. Bracking, and the other lady
is Mr.. Andersons wife The two boys
with coats on in the foreground are
William and Joseph, two knee trous-
cred fans who are following IN their
fathers footsteps. Also, Miss Ger
trude Anderson, his daughter, was at
the game in another box when this
picture was taken.
So it may be seen very readily that
the whole Anderson family is pretty
strong for the great American pas
time. In fact, the boys are most en-
thusiastic, and Sunday when the Saw
ages made their 10 scores in the sec
ond inning one of them rushed up to
F. G. Willard, the photogra pher, who
was taking pictures OF the game and
exclaimed: MIR. Willard, you will sure
have to take a picture of that score
board, won't you 2?
Mr. Anderson has no patent on his
plan of mixing ball and business, and
any other Topekans who care 10 do so
are invited 10 use it in any way they