Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-15

against Mac" I only saw one OF the
most dangerous bntsman on the Boston
club, / did not remember the time he
mad loaned mo a collar, or had tipped
me the best auto route to Willow Grove.
he was as much my enemy" as was
inc leading slugger Of another club with
whom / enjoyed no more than a speak
Ing acquaintance.
Magee does not discuss baseball with me
much any more. But we pal together
Just as often as possible and we never
nave permitted the fact that we now
are baseball enemies TO interfere With our
friendship on the diamond
Probably there are baseball players
VINO are not good sportsman. I suppose
| would not be far wrong IL said that
some golfers and tennis players were not
all that the term good fellow" implies.
Nnd yet I'll bet that the average ball
player has as many qualities that call for
public admiration and respect as has the
participant In the games which ale totally
amateur or have less Of the professional
tinge.
FORGETTING THE GRUDGEs.
My game is one that requires more than
half year of constant work. II the
player remembered what was said to him
in the heat OF battle and carried It
with him to the clubhouse after the ninth
INNING, he would soon number as mis-
enemies every man on an opposing club.
In that respect baseball differs from other
sports. for goat getting" is and always
Will be part of the battle.
When 1 Joined the Phillies remember
a famous player who had a reputation
| Tor using sharp-edged tongue. came to
! bat In game when l was pitching.
so you're the fresh busher who has
been getting away with n curve ball and
a prayer" he said TO me. "Well. I'm
the guy that likes 'em, so don't kid your
self into believing that you'll fool me-"
THE GoAT-GETTING.
As a matter Of fact. 1 didn't fool this
fellow and he got hit. which helped to
| beat me. / was little new to big
league ways Just then and 1 was bit
surprised that same evening when the
veteran was hanging around our hotel
and began to talk to me. He praised my
pitching and told me that II took care
of myself and did such and such things
, should be a success in the big league.
At first l did not understand how a man
| who had called me names on the ball field
| could come around three hours later and
| give me fatherly advice. But l soon dis
| covered that II was much the same all
| through the big leagues, and the sue
| cessful player was the one who forgot the
diamond disputes when he put on his "cit''
uniform.
do not mean to say that ball players
| always are friends. In rare instances we
| find men who do not speak off the dia-
| mond because of some real or fancied
| grievance the result of an argument on
the ball feld. But the good fellows of
baseball are pals when they lay aside
| their work clothes. And that is why the
game has prospered these many years.
BASEBALL STILL LIVES.
In recent years enemies of baseball have
said that II was dying. l do not need tc
| mention at this time the many reasons
they have given. But l say that baseball
is just as strong as It was ten years ago
that is, the game occupies the same place
in the hearts of the public.
The reason for this is the good sports
| manship that prevails. Ball players may
| quarrel and make fools of themselves
when the game is on, but when the bat
tie is ended they accept defeat or vic
tory with the same brand of good-fellow'
ship that exists in other athletic fields
The public knows this.
We cannot go on the ball field day aftei
day and display the same sort of II hope
the best man wins" spirit that the goli
and tennis player is supposed 10 exhibit
But we can and do try to act toward oul
opponents as II "the best man hac
won" which amounts to the same thing
am glad to say that I number among
my best friends the players OF othel
clubs, and they are the men who swinl
a bat against me with most deadly ef
feet when am forced to oppose them.