The Washington herald., 1917-05-07
MOST FANS LIKE TO See
A SCRAPPY CLUB PLAY
A Verbal Tilt Now and Then Between
Umpire and PLAYER Amuses Him.

New York, May 6--When the Boston
Braves won tho National League gon-
falon IN 1915 they came in for a world
OF banning around their circuit.
Many OF the scribes said they were
a bunch OF rowdies, from Manager Stall
lings down, and because they argued
and wrangled with the umpires over
every close decision the scribes probably
felt justified.
Last year, and the year before, the
Braves did not win a pennant, and their
rawlings were not given so much notice.
This year some OF tho scribes outside
Of that staid old town of Boston are
beginning another campaign OF panning
against the Braves which is a sign that
Stallings has his club keyed up and on
its toes for a hard race.
The Braves stand out as the strong
est opponent OF the Giants. And they
are without a doubt a huge stumbling
block in the path of the Phillies. Cubs
and Dodgers. Because OF this 1t is only
natural for some OF the writer's to land
on the Braves through their columns
and perhaps the Braves deserve some
criticism for their wranGlinG tactics.
But the real question seems TO lie with
the fans.
The average baseball fan doesn't like
rowdyism. lie doesn't champion a rowdy
ball player. He does not want to see
the game hurt morally. But he does
like 10 see a peppery ball club in action.
and verbal tilt now and then between
players and umpires helps to amuse him.
The use OF profanity within hearing OF
the stands is bad, yet profanity doesn' I
always figure. The ball club that hasn't
a little spitfre in its system Is short on
the ginger that helps to make baseball
a thrilling paStime.
As compared TO other clubs. the Braves
have one distinction when II comes TO
an argument. They all want to get into
II II they can. They don't leave the
verbal bombardment to George Stallings
alone. Evers, Konetchy. Moranville and
Gowdy have quick tongues and plenty
OF lung power. They seem to think
get into the chorus.
With the Giants, for instance, It Is
bit different for aside from Zim-
norman and Herzog. the players will
often let McGraw do the protesting when
things don't seem to break right. But
even the Giants cut loose in unison at
times, and when they do Boston's heavi-
est verbal shells have nothing on them.
During the winter President Tener ex-
pressed the belief that the rulings OF
his umpires would be treated with greater
smashing OF the Players Fraternity, fol-
lowing the last gasp OF the Federal
League. would tone down some of the
temperament.
But it takes a heavier pressure than
an umpire or league president can
produce to keep a peppery bail club
from bowling over adverse decisions. for
even a string of fines won't keep some
OF the players still when they think they
are losing out on the close ones.
In the case of the Braves, the pre-
cedent set three seasons ago, when the
scrlbes panned them right and left. is
partly responsible for the early pan
nings they have been handed in the East
this season.
And as an old-time baseball man said
recently:
THE more they pan 'em the better
attraction they'll be. The fans like to
go out to see a scrappy ball club. They
haven't got much use for the ladylike
kind"