Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-02-20
By ROBERT EDGREN.

HAVANA, Cuba. Feb 6-rye been
sitting out under q blazing sun all aft
ernoch n Havana; watching q cham
pionship baseball came Can you beat
it.?
John McGraw SIT in q box beside
me. John Just looked on. He says
he's down here fd rest. Says he
Yants to get away from baseball But,
being in Havana Jbhn couldn't dodge
the desire to seeI me Havanas and
the Almendafes -, even 4 Il did
take him avn biil's an aftefnoonss
golf at the Country club. There's q
great rivalry between Cuba 8 two
strongest baseball teams Every time
they meet It's like the historical ming
ling Of the famous Kilkenny cats And
this was one OF the contests In the
series that will decide which Is cham
pion Of Cuba
The Almendares ball park is only
q short ride from the icenter of the
city. Az around are royal palms and
other tropical trees. On theShill seen
over left field stands q great grim
stone fortress. the Castillo del Prin.
cipe, one Of the ancient defenses Of
Havana. Here, two or three hundred
years ago. the Spaniards met assault
after assault of native Indians, then OF
english and French invaders. and then
Of inarauding piratical hordes. His
toric ground Perhaps the flowers
bloom redder because Of the blood
drenched soil Of past centuries.
walked into the grounds accom-.
panied. by several Havana newspaper
men. and as we passed along In front
or the crowded stands faint an1urmur
arose, finally crashing into . cheer I
glanced around All eyes were turned
our way. Hats were waving In air.
They think you are Mathews0Ii,
whispered one Of the writer's.
NY chest swelled several inches. It
Is something even to be mistaken for
the great Matty here In the very home
of the greatest baseball rooters OF.
earth. But my friend shook his finger
at the stands and called out: No. no.
Not Matty." The cheers died away
into low growl Of disappointment.
Ny hat again dropped down to the
Immediate proximity Of my ears and
my chest gently subsidized.
Took Upper stand.
We climbed into the upper stand
The game was just beginning. The
sun shone from clear sky. 1t vas
hot. In the distance the blue hills and
the waving palms melted gently into
an azure Iorizon. looked the teams
oser. rho Havanas, in white suits
trimIsed with red, were all white men
But on the Alniendares team were sew
eral extremely husky and undeniahly
dusky citizens, who looked as II they
could wallop the bah over the end Of
the island. One was the great pitcher,
pedrose, whose bulk and general build
reminded me Of Johnson, Langf9rd
and Joe Walcott all at once. II Pc.
tifoso was down there In Mexico train
tng for q crack at Jack Johnson 7
wouldn't know which to have bet.
on. He happened to be playing first
base. for Cuban players are all-arOund
men and can play any position. Stand.
Ing at the bag Pedroso could reach
about seven feet with either hand and
spear flying ball as easily as an or
binary man might take Goldfish cake
from a platter.
Before the first inning was half over
noticed a curious sound running
through the stands. A player hit the
bail. Instantly there was roar Of ap-
plause and encouragement. then Q
Quick, cilattering undertone. In few
seconds there came iingling. clinks
ing sound
The runner was on first Crack
came another hit. The man on first
started down toward second The bat
ter was speeding to FIRST Came the
short roar Of applause the staccatc
undertone. leaned over the rail and