New-York tribune., 1918-04-28

Armenians, Portuguese and Jews. The fact
that the British showed such an interest in
the game puzzled a tourist who knew that
ordinarily overseas cousins had little
use for the great American science. He
brought up the subject over a couple of
frosted glasses in the Astor House lobby.
"'Why. my dear fellow laughed the Brit
isher, Il don't know anything about ths
game. AS matter of fact, think it is a
silly game, not nearly SO good or sensible
as cricket or lawn bowls.
"'Then why, demanded his friend with
even greater mystifcation, do SO many of
you attend?
"'Oh, explained the other, we go out
there to hear the sailors rag the members
of the opposing teams.
"And it proved from other sources
that the repartee of the sailors bleachers
was the main attraction for the British
fans. For few of them have heard the
wonders of American slang, and they did
not try to conceal their admiration when a
husky seaman informed the pitcher for the
other side that he is dead from the neck
northward or advised the catcher that he
ought to sneeeze to get the dust particles
out of his brain
''ln this connection however, it was no.
ticeab1e that even the British could not at
tend the game for long without becoming
interested in the contest itself. Some of
the results Of this were fortunate and some
otherwise. An example of the otherwise
came IN hard-fought game between the
Shanghai team and nine from the Cincn-
natl. The score stood 3 to in favor Of the
sailors in the ninth Aided by carelessness
on their opponents part, the town managed
to get men second and third by the time
they had two outs.
"a rising young attorney of the American
colony stepped forward, spat on his hands,
picked up bat frightened his cap, clenched
his teeth and faced the slowly winding arm
of the pitcher. The arm let go.
Ball one droned the umpire.
Foul-strike one
"'Str-r -rikc tub
"1he batter dug himself firmly in with
both feet, gripped the bat more tightly, laid
back for a haymaker and swung with all his
might-six full inches above tantalizing
slow drop. The game was over There was
low and hollow moan from the Shanghai
benches
"ln the lull spindling clark who had
been studying the game took it upon him
self to relieve the tension. Standing on his
seat, he leaned forward and called to the
crushed batter in comforting treble:
Ncli lIIcu OlQ CHdp.
The sailors promptly went into Mysteries
and doubt if the rising young attorney
has ever lived it down.
Another story that will long be remem-
bered is that of Ng, the bat boy Because
of shortage of men the Shanghai team
put him i'll one afternoon to hold right field
in a game with the flagship. The honor was
too much for Ng. He let long fly slip
through his fingers and allowed three runs
to come in.
Intuition told Ng that it would not be
we'll to stand and await Developments He
started toward the other side Of the grounds.
his bare feet hitting the turf with great
rapidity and deep sincerity. Eight swear
ing, yelling, weeping men followed with bats
in their hands and manslaughter in their
hearts. But Ng's feet were lightened by
fear, and by the time he had reached the
fence he had heightened hundred ward
lead 70 quarter of a mile. He foated
over the barrier without apparent effort.
and he has not been seen in the confines
of the foreign concession to this day 1t
is said that his relatives are still advcr-
tising IN the Chinese press in hopes of dis
covering his whereabouts.'