Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-07
PLAYING THE GAME

TONE may hold pOetiCal pre-eminencc as
IL spring-time fancy for young men, but in
reality it has TO share its hOnors with base
ball and the sports, Love is matter OF
coincidence and fate, whereas baseball is the
spring time diversion par excellence for men
Of all ages from the youngsters playing
"catch" in the backyard to the old grads at
their 5Oth reunion, making up a scratch
team, and pretending to believe what they
tell each other about not looking feeling
day older than the day they graduated.
Woman's spring time diversions used to
consist of receiving young mems fancies.
and, even more generally, housecleaning.
This latter detail has been handed over to
the vacuum cleaner, and women, too. hail
the opening Of the baseball and gofng and
tennis seasons as eagerly the men.
Ring Lardner, the humorist, helps to open
the season by picking out an "All-America
Team" in the American Magazine %. This
is favorite diversion of both fans and
sporting writer's, and is one of the chief
means of keeping up the all-winter conver-
sation on the subject while there is nothing
actually doing in the game itself:
Well sir that's a tough one. I was think
in about it the other day when some fella
come out i'm the paper with an all-star club
picked on actual figures. 1t was a mighty
sweet lookn' club, too, when you first looked
at it. But when you come to dope it out,
you seen where they was pretty all left-hand
hitters: all but one as l remember outside
the batt'ry positions.
But if | was to pick n team, l wouldn't
come right out and say it was the best that
could be got together. It's just a matter of
'pinion, and ! don't know no more about 1t
than the next man. not as nuch, prob'ly as
a whole lot of EN- SO il hand you my line
of DOPE you don't need to think it's got to
he right in ev'ry partic'lar though | don't
believe anybody'd call me for namin Cobb,
say, or Johnson.
Last year was bad one for Johnson, but
a whole lot o. pitchers would be ticllled to
death if they could have seasons as bad as
hisn If some dub had come through with
doubled Nobody in the world would pick
all-star club and leave him off 1t.
Cobb could play left field all right. He
could pitch if he made up his mind too. If
that birds got a weakness, or if theys any
thing in baseball that he can't do, he's been
keepin it pretty well hid from yours re-
spectiyely.
The team as Lardner names it, includes
the following players;
Pitchers-Nap Rucker, Willie Mitchell
Johnson, Alexander, Matty and Eddie Cicotte
Catchers-Archer and Schalk with Schang
for third choce)
Infeld-Daubert, Collins, MaranVille, Baker
and Jack Miller,
Outfeld-Cobb Speaker, Jackson and
Becker.
Pinchhitter-Ham Hyatt.
Umpire-Bill KLEIN.
The very name of the Baseball Magazine
is a striking proof of the all-year-round
popularity of baseball, This month 1t is a
Walter Johnson number, with pictures of
Walter Johnson, his wife, his family, his
wifes family, his hoWe, his chickens, his
COWS and his dog, Thtfe are many articles
about Johnson and a statement from him,
"Why I signed with the Federals" CD. He
says in part;
When a man has made mistake, 1t Is
easy to Criticse him, / have never yet
made an alibi and | never expect to make
one. But / claim the privilege common to
When I signed with the Federal League,
expected to be criticised, but felt there was
nothing dishonorable In such a course |
was always impressed with the Federal
League They looked to me like a game
crowd, and l always admired their courage.
In 1913, signed with Washington for one
year at a salary of $4,000 with bonus of
$1,000. A professional player owes II 10 him
self and to his family TO make the most OF
his opportunities Even ministers are not
criticised for accepting large salaries else
where. do not see why ball player should
be criticised more than they.
Griffith wrote asking me to meet him in
Kansas city. There We're no lawyers present
at this interview. But Grlffith showed me
where he thought I had not done right by
him and by the Washington club. / had got
into a position where whatever l did was
wrong ] had TO iniure either the Federal
League or Washington, and / decided IN
favor of Washington. Perhaps 1 was wrong,
but / acted for what / considered best IL
the Court decides belong 10 Chicago, / win
play Tor Weeghman willingly and with the
best spirit. Otherwise, viii give Wash
EFFORTS
An this technieality about contracts. ana
batting averages, and the ike. makes Of