The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-03-19
TEXAS MECCA
FOR ARMY AND
BALL PLAYERS
Has Four Big League CIubSi
Many Soldier Camps,

With four major league baseball teams
and nobody knows-not even Secretary
BAker-hOw man military units training
within Its borders. Texas has the right
to claim the title OF worlds greatest ALL
round training camp
Last year the Lone Star state had five
elE league clubs getting their spring con
dittoning on Its soil but lost one OF them
this year on account Of the increasing
arldity OF the commonwealth.
As there are two distinct kinds OF
audlty In Texas the foregoing is suscep-
tble to mlslnterpretation But as Field
er Jones, manager OF the st. Louis
Browns, H. teetotlar himself and an
advocate OF abstinence among ball play
ers, the reason for his removing to
Shreveport, La, was wholly duo TO tho
other kind OF arldlty.
Turf Diamonds Scarce.
Being accustomed TO "Hdnned' dla
monds In their own Iusty little baseball
league, Texans have difficulty In under
standing why the big leaguefs put such
premium on turf for spring training
purposes. Although unable TO grasp the
situation they have exhibited a willing
ness TO supply the luxury II conditions
would permit but in some parts Of tho
state record breaking drouth OF over
two years duration has made turf a
super luxury difficult TO furnish
The other kind OF arldity, which now
ls flourlshng in the Lone star state,
gives II mn increasing value ns a training
place both for ball players and soldiers.
The United States government apparent
ly Ia appreciatlve OF that fact, Judging
by the Increasing number of embryonic
heroes II Ia sending here for preparation.
And the state Ia responding speedily 20
government requests to increase the dry
zones NO as to protect the soldiers as
teetotally n g possible from temptation. In
cidentRlly that makes It n better place for
baseball teams TO get In condition for
their pennant races
Concerning "Wet Drug Stores
Although this is supposed TO he a base
ball contribution a brief dlgresslon may
be permitted without making 1t eligible
to the propaganda bureau OF the prohbl-
tiOn party Just brief warning TO the
"drys' In permissible and that In to keep
closer tab on the drug stores Possibly
their leaders have become coEnlZant OF
the increase Of pill dispensarles In the
wake OF the dry waves. but II not they
are not at all observant. Others besides
the writer have noticed the disprOportiOn-
ate number Of drug stores In so called dry
territory, not only In Texas but In the
real bone dry states. II you'd not be
so noticeable n the dispensers Of drugs
did not all seem to bo prosperous In un-
due proportion to the vital statistics OF
their communities.
To walk along the streets Of their
dryest cities one would be led 20 believe
the people were an extremely sicky lot,
requiring many carboys Of medicine to
cure their Ills But this Ia beled by the
records OF the health departments and
by the comparative scarcity Of ply
oIcianS. In one little city OF $500 or
40 | WAS told, there were five prosperous
drug stores and only one doctor. More
over all the pill sellers owned real auto.
mobiles, while the doctor could afford
only a jltney.
How Law ls Dodusd.
The explanation IL to be found In the
presence IN most drug stores Of eEten-
sive soft drink counters and soda toun-
tains and In many OF them Of commodl-
Gus floor spaces given over to small
tables where light lunches are served,
The native son Cor daughtsr) who
knows how TO order properly has no great
difficulty in duenching any old kind OF
thirst and the proprietor has no diff
Guilty I'm serving anything within reason
without danger Of detection, unless some
trusted customer squeals And II viii be
impossible to control this by prohibition
on shipments OF forbidden viands for n
while, because there Ia so much stuff nj
ready In the state that cannot be sold