The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-06-20
As ENGLISH Sci.
AMERICAN HALL
rENoERFooT IMPRESSIONS or
THE NATIONAL GAME.
BURKE BECOMES 4 FAN
Well Known Author Tries to Inter
pref Expressions and Likens
Noise to Chinese Theatre, but
He Soons Falls For 1t.
(By Thomas Burke.)

(By Thomas Burke.)
London, Iune 17.-Last week suf-
fered all the thrills described in the
sextet of Keats sonnet, "On First
Looking Into Chapman's Homer: ]
discovered a new art-form, l discover
led baseball.
The match between the U. S. Army
and Navy teams was my first glimpse
of a pastime that has captiyated a
continent, and can well understand
its appeal to a modern temperament.
What sequence Of thrills! You
should have seen Pitcher Williams at
the top of his pitch; you should have
seen the sweep of Lieutenant Minis
shoulders at the completion of fair
hit; you should have seen Catcher
Fuller receiving pitched ball. Such
opulence of vorticist rhythms surely
never was before.
And the crowd--I had heard and
read much of baseball fans" and their
methods of roofing but my con-
captions were nothing near the real
thiiYg. The grand stand, crowded with
Army and Navy fans" with bristling
with megaphones and waving limbs
and tossing hats and demoniac faces,
would have made superb subject for
a Autograph by Sir Frank Brangwyn.
Game Good Before II Started.
was received in the Army's dress
49,. roo,, ap1 tn Tiantp
Minis, their captain, who said he was
mighty glad to know me and would
put me wise to anything that had me
beat
The game got hold Of me before the
first pitched ball. The players in their
hybrid costumes and huge gloves, the
catcher in his gas mask, and the ecst-
attic movements of the teams as they
practiced shook me with excitement.
Then the game began and the root
ing began. In past years | attended
various Test Matches-England VS..
Australia-and various football match
es in mining districts, when the play
ers came in for a certain amount OF
"barracking": but they were church
services compared with the furious
abuse and "hazing" handed to any I'M
fortunate who failed to play ball"
Such screams and eldritch noises l
never thought to hear from the human
voice. No Englishman could achieve
them: his vocal cords are not made
that way.
There was for example, an explos-
i've, reverbarating "Ah-h-h-h-h!" which
have been practicing in my back
garden ever since. but without once
catching its true quality.
Worse Than Chinese Theatre.
The whole scene was barbaric pan
demonium. A Chinese theatre is no
where near it, and that's saying some
thing. / never dreamed that that hard
shelIcovered business nation could
break into such frendzied abandon.
You should have heard Admiral
Sims as college-yell leader, when the
Navy made home-run, with his:
"Attaboy! Oh, attaway to play ball!
Zaaaaa!" And when they got an "er.
ror," he sure handed the Navy theirs.
Here are few of the phrases hurl
ed at: the offending players: "Aw.
we'll, well, well!"--"Ah, you pikers.
where was you raised?" Hey is this
a corner lot or is it ball gamer
Say. buddy, you can play, maybe
ats right, Navy-on yer toes the
Navy, all of the time" Hey, pitcher
Quit the plate and send yer III brnd-
der."-"Aw, buddy, dear, gimme some
barb wire, wanna knit a sweater for
the piker."-"Watch this watch this!
He's a bad actor-kill the bad actor!
more ivory, more ivory!-"Get
step ladder to it." "Oh. you gutter.
oh, oh, oh! Bonehead-bonehead bone
head! Ahhh!" And a chorus, chanted
like an anthem, Going up! Going
up! Going np!"
A Full Pledged Fan.
Yes, I've caught 1t. From now I'm
a fan" Pm going to see every base
ball match played anywhere near
London. / shall never be able to
to watch with excitement cricket
or football match after this; it's be
like a tortoise-race. shall take all my
friends with me to the next match to
join me in roofing and killing the UNI.
;nfre