The sun., 1918-11-24
BASEBALL SLANG IS
POPULAR WITH FANS
SO Proved by Investigation Of
a Northern University
in 1908.
FAVOR THE vERNACULAR

The triteness OF the baseball vernacu-
ar has been the source of considerable
comment among sporting writer's. univer-
sity professors. ministers OF the Gospel,
mothers clubs and other institutions and
individuals whose foremost aim In life Is
the uplift of mankind, spiritually and
mentally.
Columns have been penned by learned
men condemning the common use OF
what Is generally termed slang; addi-
tional columns have been written con.
doning II. A universal agreement on the
subject has apparently long since become
hopelessly out OF the question and more
than 9s per cent. OF the newspapers OF
the country continue to serve out TO
readers reports OF the American national
pastime and other stories pertaining
thereto which fairly bristle with the
popular code OF baseball writer's.
movement was inaugurated during
1905 by one OF the foremost Of the north
ern universities to ascertain the justlflca-
ton for resorting TO slang phrases. or a
wholesale Strengthening Of the Kings
English in reporting baseball. This in
vestigatlon was not prompted by any
special prejudice against the use of slang
~
to n desire to arrive at some Standard
lzation OF reporting the game which
would not offend and Crate upon the
finer sensibilities OF those who had con-
demned the use of slang yet were suf-
lciently interested In the game TO peruse
the daily press for results.
After an exhaustive Investigation this
University announced that there was
nothing discovered in the baseball YER
aacular which persons frequent!ng the
stands and bleachers during the season
did not understand fully and that the
popular demand for the use Of baseball
slang In published reports was unques-
tIonahly 80 great as to preclude Its
elimination.
And so from that day to this the pub
lie has not been called upon to read any
further condemnation OF baseball re
ports as written by the Overwhelming
majority OF sporting writers throughout
the good old Y. g. A.
Some OF the most familiar terms used
In baseball reports have been handed
down from generation to generation and
used so generally as 10 be practically
Indispensable. yet the origin OF such
terms Is to many writers absolutely un
known.
The most commonly used OF such
phrases Is one which almost nvariablr
puts in an appearance at least once In
every baseball story and has a special
significance for Texas baseball fans
Reference Is made to the term Texas
Lacquer" There Is perhaps not twelve
year-old schoolboy in the United States
who has ever attended baseball games
who does not recognize the meaning I'm
Piled by that trite phrase.
He understands Immediately that some
batsman has connected with the Offering
OF a pitcher and In doing so has popped
up little short fly hall which falls too
far back to be captured by the inaeld
and too far IN TO be handled by the out
fielder. To ask any sporting writer OF
sIedUdsasu sul 90 pemIgIooe SUN opsloL
-Ispun gu u slIuoLIo enSTsI Lofstu eul
OF that city under generously large and
stood the play would constitute nothing
short OF n downright insult, yet II is
more than probable that not one OF every
ten OF these experts on the game could
give an accurate explanation Of the
origin OF the phrase or even satisfy him
self as to its real fitness.
For the benefit OF any such writer's
likewise interested baseball fans, the ex-
PLANTATION is herein set forth:
What "Texas Lacquer" Means.
After the close Of the Texas League
season OF 1858 Bill Joyce. Emmett Rog-
ers and Arthur Sunday, trio Of Hous-
ton club swingers who had wrought
havoc and devastation to the hopes of
every pitcher in the circuit. were sold to
the Toledo club OF the American Asso-
citation. 1t was little wonder that the
three Houstonians took good care or
fbeir 81 Spha II tat tnpa It,ev