davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-25
SECOND SACKERS
WEAK WITH STICK
No 800 Batter Guarding Mid
way Bag in Either of
Major Leagues.
Ripley.

What has happened to the present
generation of second basemen? A hit
ting second baseman seems to be as
extinct as the buffalo which used to
Craze on the blue grass meadows OF
kentucky
A second baseman usually was sup
posed to be one of the strongest hit
tiers on club. The hitting strength
was supposed to be in the outfield and
second and first base. Clubs with
plenty of hitting power could carry a
weak-hitting shortstop and also at
times a third baseman. Throughout
base ball history the shortstops have
been the weakest hitters outside Of the
pitchers. the great Honus Wagner be-
ing the one great exception.
The leading hitter among the Ma
tional League second basemen last sea-
son was the mediocre George Cut
shaw, traded last week to Pittsburgh.
with the 1owly average of .259. 1t is
doubtful if in the forty-two years of the
National Leagues history it's second
base colony contained such a weak
bunch of maulers. The American
League is little better. Eddie Collins
of the White Sox still leads the second
basemen with an average of .2S9, but
even Collins has taken quite a tumble
and fell under the 300 mark for the
first time since 1908 last season. Nor
gan of Washington hit 1855. Collins
and Morgan were the only big league
second basemen with averages better
than $50.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-25
Gives St. Louis q Rub.

BAN ANTONIO, Tex, March 25.-St.
Louis Nationals. runs. II hits. 1 error:
San Antonio (Texas League). runs.
hits. errors fBatteries-Ames. Mead
ows. Nay and Snyder: Hydorn. Ross
and Anderson,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-25
That Queer ouestionnaire.

Who invented the grape fruit?
Where do you paste the stamp when
you mail q chicken?
AT what Potomac port do women wear
ankle watches on Pennsylvania avenue?
Did Sherman stutter when he manu-
featured a pedigree for war?
Are salutes furnished free to soldiers
and how many?
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-25
THE OTHER ANGLE
Slandering the Kaiser
BY KIRK MILLER.

since this old earth started agitating
around the sun. steen centuries or SO
to our rear. some tough assignments
good and tough.
It's not so palatable to embroider a
set Of olive drab wristIets when you've
got a brace Of boxing gloves dashed
to your palms.
There's nothing soft about eating
watermelon through q dotted swiss
ven. and the goof who tries to cram q
thirty-six diaphragm into a twenty
eight vest will find that the bird who
invented cubic measure knew what he
was knittin'.
Still and all, these trifiing chores are
Insignificant compared to the problem
Of trying to SANDER the kaiser-for the
kaiser bird has nothing left to defame.
It's as intricate to unwind the kaiser
good name as it is to bride an alarm
clock, and Big Bens don't know any
thing about graft
As far as Berlin is concerned the libel
laws are as loose as ashes and you
can't throw mud on an adobe bungalow.
When you were a little bolsheviki
IN school. did you ever make any tin
types Of teacher on the blackboard?
Did she get sore and quit teaching?
Wen, the kaiser is the same kind Of
Samaritan The more names you call
him the harder he tries to live up to
them, and criticism rolls of of his iron
fedora like water on Of a mallard's col
larbone.
Even IL you were a DR.. Jekyl or ar
Old Man Hyde you wouldn't be clever
enough to breathe scandal about the
Hohenzollerns. because they're all gos-
sip-proof.
You hurl a mouthful of reproact
across the Rhine, the rhinoceroses
gather it up and put 1t through a
process of German efficiency, and you
get it back the same day in the form
Of q gas bomb.
There is certain slefght-of hand ma
5ordomo. called Houdini. who wraps
baby grand pianos up in cigarette
papers and gets out of capsules and
things, but even he couldn't say any
thing that would get the kaiser all dis.
mayed up.
You could even accuse the kaiser o.
wearing perfume. and he would turf
his other cheek SO you could charge
him with using rice powder. Nothir,
gets him sore, not even when he look.
into a mirror.
Near as we can figure the kaiser, he.
scandal-broke, gossip-proof. non-re
fiilable ounce and an all-year-round
three-feet-to-the-yar burglar. Beside:
that. he's thug. gross, and we hope h
reads this.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-25
Pratt Best Of Young Crop.

And the worst of it is that no young
second basemen are coming up who
can hit. Pratt is about the best of the
young crop. though he has been in the
American League five seasons, and new
er hit over 300 since 1912. He always
was close to it until last season. when
he took quite a slump. Wamsganss OF
Cleveland has displayed signs of de-
veloping into hitter. but he is incon-
sistent and long slumps follow periods
of unusual batting prowess.
The National League is even worse
off than the American in that respect
as its second basemen last year were
weathered many gales, players like
Herzog, Doyle. Shean. McKechnie,
Evers, Miller. Cutshaw and Niehoff All
of them are well past their crest and
are on the down grade.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-25
Eight in 800 Class $ Years Ago.

Eight in 800 Class Years Ago.
Compare those batting figures with
the averages of some of the second
base sluggers of the past-Fred Dun
lap. Jack Burdock. Hard Richardson,
Nap Lajoie. Danny Murphy and the fig
ures of Eddie Collins. Larry Doyle and
Johnny Evers in their prime.
However. it is not necessary to go
back to old times to see what a poor
lot our present second basemen have
fallen to. Go back only five years and
you find eight second basemen-four in
each league-hitting better than 800,
of whom five are hitting $3.50 or better
The National League had nine second
basemen hitting .275 or better and the
American League seven. The only sec
ond basemen hitting under $50 that
year were Simmons of the Yankees
Louden of Detroit and Egan of Cincin-
natl.
The second basemen hitting .275 OF
better in 1912 were as follows:
National League-Sweeney. Boston
.344: Evers. Chicago. .341; Doyle. New
York. $50: Higgins. ST. Louis. 1902;
Magee, st. Louis, $50; Knabe. Philadel-
phia. .282; Hummel. Brooklyn. .282
Cutshaw. Brooklyn. $50: Mccarthy
Pittsburgh. .277.
American League-Lajoie, Cleveland
1858: Collins. Athletics. .34S; Laporte
Washington. .311; Pratt. st. Louis. .302
Delahanty. Detroit. 1856; Gardner. New
York. .2S1: Rath. Chicago. PIT.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-25
A New Record for Majors,

Going back through the averages
there is not another year in which no
second baseman has hit better than
800. For years Lajoie remained in the
800 set. and after he faded Eddie Col
Inns looked after the hitting laurels for
second basemen. Eddie rose as high as
1856 IN 1911, but even he has fallen,
The following shows what big league
second basemen accomplished last sea-
son:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-25

New York, .2s5; Pitler. Pittsburgh. .2ss;
Smith. New York, .229; Bethel, st. Louis,
PIT; Evers, Observation-Disclosures, .214
Shean. Cincinnati, .210: Massey. Boston,
.19S; Dugey, Philadelphia, .194.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-25
AMERICAN LEACUE

AHE1tICA4N LEAGCE e.
e. Collins, Chicago. .2s9; Morgan,
Washington. .266; Wamsganss. Cleve-
land, .255; Pratt, st. Louis, .2i7: Ged-
con. New York. .23s; Young. Detroit,
.231: Grover. Athletics, .224; Baumann,
New York, .21s; Barry. Boston, .214
Maise1, New York, .19S; Janvrin, Boston,
.197; Lawry. Athletics, 1854
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cutshaw. Brooklyn, .259; Rawlings.
Boston, 1855; Niehoff, Philadelphia, .255;
Doyle, Chicago, .254: McKechnie, Gin
natl, .254; Miller, st. Louis, PAS; Herzog.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-25

Copyright, 1918, by q. O. Fisher. Trade
Reg q. s. Pat on
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-25

These reprint paragraphs have little to
do with athletics, other than that many of
those numbered were athletes. but they
are worthy of much consideration: they
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-25

The daily routine of two workouts is
on the card for the Nationals today.
The weather has not been altogether to
Cribs liking, but he looks for it to
improve and is confident he will have
all his men in shape by the time the
bell rings.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-27

board. They will be heard tomorrow.
 At the request of the joint chairmeh representatives of the interests present today agreed to draw up a plan emoody- ing the.f views as to how the President could administer the power to raise rates should he agree with the view that 1t has been conferred upon him. This also wiu be presented to the full board when the conference with the President is sought.
 Only 19 street railway companies are parties to the present controversy, but members of the board are agreed that the final policy to be adopted will all feet every community in the country having street railway lines,
 Joint Chairmen Taft and Walsh today also began hearings on the subject or a living wage preparatory to estabhshing a minimum wage rate commensurate with the increase in the cost of living. John H. Lewis of the Bankers Trust company of New York said an investiga- ton made by committee whose report fixed a borus for payment to bank clerks, showed that the average cost or q altlcies classed as necessaries ot li1e had advanced 93.3 per cent since lsl9. John Fitzpatrick, president of the Chi cago Federation of Labor, said that red eral agents who made awards Of wages
 in settlement of controversy ln Chi- cago. had found that an increase or Iron 27 to 10 cents an hour for common Ia bor was necessary to maintain eAlstihe standards.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-27
Peace Time Business Is Virtually Dead in Germany,
 Say Escaped Prisoners

Toulon, France, June l-eCorre- spondence of the Associated Press )- Business, in the peace-time sense Of the word. virtually is dead in Germany asserts Sergt vuillemet, who. witil several comrades. recently escaped from a prisoner of war camp in Ger many and reached France, and who IS on visit to his father here.
 According to his story, countless stores in Germany were closed and empty and everything that is being manufactured is for war purposes and for the state.
 The meat ration, he said, was 250 grams, one-haf pound, per week. to which was added one-tenth of pound of grease or fat. Sugar and coffee were only dimly remembered luxuries. The beer was virtually undrinkable, and the people were living on potatoes and beets. The bread is said to be in- digestible.
 Leather had almost entirely disap- peared, and the soldiers at home and many civilians wore wooden-soled shoes almost exclusively. Soldiers home on furlough were no longer per- mitted to spend all their time with their families or friends, but mast work part time in the factories.
 The morale of the civil and miIs- maintained by the continual spreading of stories about an alleged desperate situation in France" and German vic tories, which are loudly proclaimed by the ringing of bells not yet seized for ammunition purposes
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-27

ments and battalions, instead of to in dividuaIs One set of contestants were 40 men from each of a number of regl- ments. These partes of 40 ran over five-mile course with successive lines of Instructions of trenches, barbed wire en- tanglements. ditches and barricades One os the barricades was q three-story stone house, which had to be scaled by climb ing up the window cornices on one side and down the other.
 Another contest was between machine gun sections aided by engineers, who forded streams and set up pontoon bridges while the gunners crossed with their guns and ammunition, set up hast fly constructed lines of works and opened up a fusillade with blang cartridges
 At.the same time another fusillade was coming from the hand grenade contest in which groups of 10 men represented all the infantry and assault battalions.
 In pulling the rope the artillery reg iments were pitted against each other, t men from each regiment and in foot ball the engineers were matched agains' inc artillery
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-27
English Government Is
 Now Breeding Rabbits

London, June 1.-(By Mail. )--Rabblt
 breeding in England has been under
 taken by the government in an eff fort to relieve the shortage of meat due to the war
 The National Utility Rabbit associa- tion, it was announced recently. has
 established central breeding station
 and stud exchange in Vauzhall, Lon don. The first club started in Lon-
 don under auspices of the association 1 is at the Royal News, Buckingham palace.
 The primary object is to build up as quickly as possible large supply of the best pedgreed stock, which will be sent to provincial breeding centers. These in turn will supply breeding stock to smaller stations. Each of the larger provincial centers will have 100 breeding does while the smaller stations will keep on hand about 20 each. It is the hope of of I ffcials that all allotments societies, l food production organizations. women's l institutes and many factories, muni- l tions works schools and summer camps will form rabbit clubs to be affiliated l to the national association
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-27
AMERICAN SYSTEM IF ARMY ATHLETICS
 TAUGHT IN HAL '
Imposing Military Spectacle Held Recently at Front. Entire Corps Taking
 Part

Headquarters Italian Army, June l. Correspondence of the Associated Press ) An imposing military spectacle was held near the front recently when an ltal- ian army corps put into effect the elab- crate system of military athletic games which the American Young Mems Chris- tian association is developing in Italy Major General de Gorgio, and many oth- CT officers of high rank were present, and some 10000 troops were assembled from the nearby fighting front. From the vast plain where the exercises were held one could see the mountain defenses of mount Grappa and Mount Tomba, and further back the distant lines of the ene- my positions.
 General de Giorgio had designated the day American day., in recognition of the American cooperation in the affair; the American consul at Venice, Mir Car roll, and his wife were present; American flags waved at every hand; the official programme showed the American and Italian colors entwined; the Italian mill tary bands played "The Star-Spangled Banner" and thehre were many other evidences of cordial good will toward the American allies.
 LARGE GROUP PLANS
 The military games carried out the plan of the Y. M. c. A. of applying ath- letics to large groups, even up to regi.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-27
Automobile Industry
 In Italy Quadrupled

Rome, June 1-(By Mail.)-The au- tomobile industry has been quadrupled in Italy owing to the war demands. As compared with 1913, there are now 55 manufacturing companies instead of 32, with total capital of nearly 200,- 100000 lire as compared to 50.000.00 lire in 1913. Dividends now paid are per cent as compared to 3.5 per cent in 1913. Exports of automobiles have increased in value nearl four times, or from 34,00000 lire to 116,000,000.
 The use of passenger cars by pri- vate persons has been forbidden for a year, so as to save motor and lubricat- ing oils for military purposes.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-27
Kerensky Reaches London On His
 Way toAmerica
Former Russian Revolutionary Premier Tells English Worlngmen That His Country Only
 Waits Chance to Aid Allies in Conflict

London, June 26-Alexander Kerensky, former provisional premier of Russia. has arrived in London.
 Kerensky reached London incognto four days ago. Since then he has moved about quietly though busily. conferring with prominent Russians in England over the necessity of entente allied assist anee in Russia.
 Kerensky expects to go to America in week or 10 days.
 Kerensky was introduced to the Brit ish labor conference here this afternoon and was received by the delegates with loud cheers.
 Kerensky's appearance before the la borites was a complete surprise. When Arthur Henderson, minister without port folio in the British war council, and former labor leader in the House of Par liament, introduced him, he spoke in Russian and his remarks were interpre- ted to the assemblage. He began with an expression of thanks, saying:
 q am very much impressed by the reception accorded me.
 .'I do not take it as an expression of sympathy toward me. 1t is an eXpres- sion of sympathy toward Russian democ- racy which is fighting for the ideals so dear to us all
 Kerensky told the labor conference del- egates:
 q have just come straight from Mos COW. and it is my duty as statesman and socialist to tell you and the people of the world that the Russian people that the Russian democracy, are fighting against tyranny
 II believe, indeed, l am certain, addee the former premier, that the Russian people will shortly join you in the ngn' for the great cause of freedom. MISSION OF KERENSKY London, June 26.-Kerenskys mission II England and the purpose of his vislt '' | America is to inform the people or th' 1 two countries, especially the infiuentia | Russians, of the exact conditions Tn Ras
 sa with view to procuring allied ai
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-27
BOHEMIAN UNIT CHEERED

The appearance of the Bohemian unit. recently organized from natives of Aus trials big province, was the signal for tremendous enthusiasm. They wore the red and white athletic costume of the Bohemian gymnasiums, and in open or der stretched across the plain, went through the Bohemian manual of arms with it's slow and graceful physical ex- ercises. Keeping time with their move ments they intoned the Bohemian na- StionaI hymn. and, as they closed a great banner was raised from their ranks bearing the inscription, Long Live Bo- hemiai Long Live Italy,
 Many handsome prizes were given to American Y. M. c. A. taking a leading part in this branch of the exercises. General De Giorgio also paid special tribute of appreciation to the officers of the Bohemian troops by presenting watcheG to them; Mrs. Carrol wife of the American consul, confering the gifts on the several officers. And in order that none of the 10000 soldiers should be disap- pointed, the American Red Cross brought their camions loaded with 10000 pack ages each containing some useful articles of soldiers wear and food
 One of the most notable features of this affair was that these splendid ath
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-27
-SDENT MAY BE
 tED ID INCREASE
 RET CAR FARES
nal War Labor Board S to Act on Agree ent Reached After
 Conference

inEton, June 2S.-The national
 moor board, sitting tomorrow in
 controversies between street
 ay companies and employees.
 to act finally upon n proposal
 cd to today by representatives of Il sides that President Wilson he ed 10 advance local car fares if it demonstrated that the companies mot raise wages without increased fcnue.
 he proposal was made by attorneys the companies and joint Chairmen it and Walsh, sitting today as a sec on of the board, agreed with them that . powers conferred on the President the declaration of war, reinforced by using legislation and the Overman bill, ere sufficient to enable the President tu der increased fares. Final decision IS deferred and the joint chairmen anted request of attorneys for the V of Cleveland, who said they desired present differing views to the full
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-27
The New Calomel Is
 Harmless and Delightful
All Sickening and Dangerous Qualities Removed -Medici- nal Virtues Vastly I'm proved-New Variety Called "Calotabs."

Science has given us smokeless pow der. colorless iodine and tasteless quf- new variety known as Calotabs, that is wholly delightful in effect. yet more effective than the old style calomel as a system m-purifier and liver cleanser.
 Yourdoctor prefers calomel above all other medicines, as 1t is the best and only sure remedy for biliousness, indi- calomeI is delightful to take, every body is asking for the new variety Calotabs. One tablet at bedtime. swal- low of Water-that's all. No nausea. no gripping, no danger. Next morning you wake up feeling fine, your liver cleansed, your system purified Eat habit or diet.
 Calotabs are sold only in original sealed packages price thirty-five cents. Your druggist recommends and guar antees Calotabs.-Adv.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-27

letes. full of enthusiasm and vigor-men who could run five miles and scale a three-story house-were part of the sec ond army. It was the second army # will be recalled that bore the fereest bront of the tremendous Austrian rush last fall. when the retreat was made back to the present Piaye mountain lines
 There was some murmuring at that time when the second army gave way before that terrific onrush. But all this mur- muring is past now, and the spienoia ,lieor of inc reconstructed second army was reflected today in the steadiness,
 enthusiasm and pride displayed by the representatives of this famous old army
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-27

Prosperous Chinese want brass and iron bedsteads, and these form one of the lines in which there has been con- siderable increase in the imports of China from America during the last few years Iron bedsteads were imported last year to the value of. 100000 taels, and brass bedsteads to a value of about 37,000 taels. Of the iron bedsteads Shanghai took about one- fourth of the total quantity imported while as regards brass bedsteads Shanghai took nearly all, only few having been re-exported to outports.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-27
Language Courses Costly

Frofn the Syracuse Grange Peel.
 Father of Fresh.-These language courses are too expensive. Here my son has been charged $20 extra for English.
 Father of Soph-Youre right, they are expensive. My son has an $S5 extra on his account for Scotch.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-27

Despite EngIands war troubles. the agitation for a 4S-hour week con tinueS.