The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-08-19
Belgians Play Ball.

Bcigians Play Ball.
This particular Sunday afternoon
game was played by Belgian soldiers,
about dozen taking part Each play
er had his own umpire, who sat on
the side lines with a judicial air and
called 'em wrong, just as the UNI ires
do at home. The official costume con-
sists of a khaki Yachting cap, q white
shirt, white canvas trousers and
white shoes. One OF the rules is that
| the contestants must wear ''Ralluses"
| in plain view. The 30s hitters wear
| both a belt and suspenders and so
| II is rumored, Boston garters as we'll
The action takes part upon a court
! of funnel shape marked out on the
concrete pavement of the public
| square. This court is perhaps 1926
feet long and about rs feet wide at
the big end of the funnel The on
material needed is a white, soft nall
about the size of handbal One OF
the players stationed in the large part
of the funnel serves this ball with an
underhand wallop hat drives II to The
other end of the court. Tho players
grouped together in the small end, or
spout. endeavor to return It. En-
deavor is the word. for they seldom
succeed,
AS soon as the ball hits the ground.
every player rushes to the point
where this happens and by wild ges-
ticulations and loud cries claims tte
point. The man who. in the opinion
Of the ajority OF the umpires. has
made the first claim In a firm, clear
voice gets it, Then all the others
kick and demand that 1t be measured
just as Is done in football when there
is some doubt about a first down. An
expert surveyor is summoned and
proves the majority report wrong oy
millimeter > The point is played
over. and so the game continues un-
I'll dark, with pauses only occasion
ally to indulge In a little win ordinarie
or maybe a few "bieres,"
Home Team Loses.
The home club was badly beaten
in the game the American secretaries
saw. a Belgian who spoke English
explained this by he statement that
the umpiring had been awful and
that the best player on the team
wasn't in shape. 1t seems that TINS
star. who is the Ty Cobb OF Belgium,
had contracted a sore throat and
couldn't get any curves In his vocabu-
II was very easy to see from the
actions and facial expressions of the
PLAYERS that the umpires were having
understand Belgian even when spoken
by a man In his right mind. and Ger
tainly had no chance OF com prehend-
ing the words of lot of excited ath-
letes. Yet those among them that had
been baseball fans back home knew
what was being said just as well as
If they had been parley-vousing from
birth.
Mon Dleu, sole" tFrench for
'silk'D the home boys would say
whenever the head umpire would give
a particularly displeasing ruling,
Your work is getting coarser touts
les tours You haven't donnez us a
close one this season. What Is the
matter with your yeuxe Look at the
bali occasionally. don't guess at 'enl
all"
"Sacre," Sole would reply with dig
nifty Par bleu. IN make you allez 10
the clubhouse. One more not from
yous and youll be on your route 10
the shower balm, If you want 70 iocer
keep 1t termed. Jouex ball"
IT'S a great game because SO
many can play at one time and so lit
lie paraphernalia is required. 1t keeps
one out in the air and gives plenty Of
exercise, especially to the larynx. Its
only effect as national institution is
that no man that stammers has a
chance to make even a me diocre
player With all respect and adrnira-
tlon for our Belgian allies, most
Americans would prefer baseball after
seeing Belgian worlds series"