New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-06
Thirty Thousand People
Arise Spontaneously as
"Marseillaise" Is Played
By w. o. M'GEEHAN

The spirit of 1917 swept through
the Polo Grounds yesterday and
made the double header between the
Yankees and the Detroit Tigers seem
like a mere incident. Thirty thou
sand people spontaneously rose to
their feet and stood reverently as
the platoons of the two American
League baseball clubs swept up the
field 70 "The Marseilaise."
On the right flank the Detroit
Tigers, headed by Hughey Jennings,
marched in their slate-blue uniforms
carrying their bats at the right
shoulder. On the left the Yankees,
with carbines cleaning in the sun,
marched with swing that would do
credit TO any unit of the regular
army. Before the grandstand they
swung into platoon front and stood
at present, while "The Star-Span-
gled Banner was played.
There was no wild shouting, there
was no hysteria. For the moment the
noisy baseball crowd was silent, and
the significance of this neat little bit Of
melodrama seemed to be felt by all.
Young men fresh from the registration
booths fingered their little blue cards
proudly. All in that throng seemed to
realize that within a short space of
time perhaps several thousand Of those
in the stands and in the field would be
on the way to France.
The drill was staged Immediately
after the first game. Both teams re-
tired to their dugouts, and as the band
struck up "Dixie" they assembled and
swung off down the field to the great
est American fighting tune. AS they
wheeled back the band burst into "The
Marseillaise," the greatest fighting
tune in the world. With something
that sounded like great sob the crowd
surged to their feet and heads were
barred in unison.
Demonstration Most Inspiring
The air that called the men Of the
Marine and the Somme, with the skirl
of the pipes that called the men Of
Vimy Ridge, died down, and the Amer
lean national anthem swelled up with
a new solemnity. 1t was playing this
time for men who stood ready to stand
with the men of the Marine, the Somme
and Vimy Ridge and for their relatives
and friends who were willing that they
should take their places on the West
ern front.
The demonstration was one OF the
most inspiring ever seen on q basepali
diamond in this country. The best place
to read the minds, the hearts and the
souls of people is on their play
grounds. The occupants Of the bleach.
ers and the stands Of the baseball
grounds are your real Americans. The
voice of the bleachers is the voice OF
the American people. This demonstrs-
ton at the Polo Grounds, then, should
prove that the time of frivolity, the
time of vocal patriotism, has passed
and that the able-bodied American is
awake to what is before him.
First Game-Yanks, 5; Tigers,
The militant Yankees, who have been
reused to fighting fury through the
example of their doughty half owner,
Captain r. l.. Huston, now training
with a regiment of United States en-
ha
with a 5 to | victory. In the second
game Ty Cobb, aided and abetted by
three superlative umpires, was too
much for the Clan Donovan.
Tyrus Raymond, often called the
Georgia Peach, Prune, Ounce or Rasp-
berry. according TO the mood OF the
person calling him, achieved some bat
ting feat in the second game. Out OF
five opportunities at bat he annexed
TO himself two triples, double and
two singles. The only reason that he
did not get any more hits during this
game is that he was only five times at
bat.
After getting temporary setback IN
the first inning, chiefly through this
same ubiquitous Cobb person, Nick
Cullop. who worked in the first game
for the Yankees, settled down to bust
ness and baffled the Tigers for the rest
of the game. Willie Mitchell, who
started for the Bengals, allowed the
hits TO bunch on him and was finally
removed from the first line.
Tigers Score in First
The Tigers got their lone run in the
first inning. Bush got a base on balls
and got TO third on Cobb's double. he
scored on an intield out.
The Yanks deployed and swung into
action in the fourth. The fleet-footed
Maisel sliced single, went TO second
on an out and stole third. Spencer
made a wild peg in an attempt TO nail
him. and Fritz came home. This tied
and put the Yanks in confident MOOD:
In the fifth, Nunamaker was beaned
and Magee raped a nice single. Wallie
Pipp brought them both home with a
drive TO centre. Baker, Hendryx and
Nunamaker all hit Mitchell in the
sixth and Mitchell's erratic throw
was largely responsible for two more
runs scoring.
Mitchell was chased from the first
line in the seventh, and Caryl Jones
replaced him. Peckinpaugh and Pipp
were fielding stars of the first session.
Second Game-Tigers, 6; Yanks, 4
The second game was distinguished
by some Empirical eccentricities that
would make even an innocent bystander
enash his teeth and moan in protest.
Most of the eccentricities were commit
ted behind the bat, where Umpire Nal
hA m