New-York tribune., 1918-03-10
Bacilli, oker,
Food Galore.
In Ball Camps
Sunshine the Only Thing
Free in South, Excepting
Scribcs' Card Manners
By Louis Lee Arms

Mr.. George l.. Moreland's complete
record OF baseball statistics does not
say much of anything about spring
training trips, and we are disappoint-
ed. From week to week we have seen
that Mr.. Moreland has covered his
field with the most exquisite care, and
yet every one knows the Importance of
spring conditioning.
In point Of mileage this trip is the
longest journey made by any major
league team, and is much further than
most of them get after the jaunt is
concluded.
A team goes South on the theory that
the players need warm weather and
sunshine to fit them for their race for
the league pcnnanJs. Warm weather
and sunshine do not cost anything IN
the South, being of the few things that
are inexpensive below the Mason and
Dixon line. After assimilating many
square feet of warm weather and sun
shine the ball player returns to the
frigid North, and usually manages to
catch anything from a large herd OF
la grippe bacilli to q small but sterling
cluster of pneumonia germs. These
germs take up suite or apartment III
the ball players system, bringing their
own entertainment and amusing them
selves as they may. until they finally
are expelled by the said system. By
that time the ball player is in as good
condition almost as he was before he
went South to improve his condition.
The spring training trip lasts sew
eral weeks. during which time the ball
player is entitled to eat free Of charge,
Gravel without cost and win as much
money as he can at stud poker from
ambitious, but amateur, card players
who are generally wearing the cos
newspaper reporters. 1t is the news
papermen's idea that the ball player
is always bluffing when he raises the
bet, and if he can catch the ball player
AT it once in ten times he Is happy,
If eventually poorer, citizen.
Not Like the One-Arm Places
having arrived IN lne COulu, lHo
first thing the ball player does is to
fessional sophistry that may almost
pass as poise.
Rotten food" says the ball player
when he reaches New Orleans. He re-
peats this at Memphis. Nashville,
Louisville, ad libitum. Compared to
the luxurious fare and the splendid
service to which the ball player has
been accustomed during the long
winter months in Cedar Springs, Mich,
it is no wonder he complains. If he is
going to have free food he can, at
least, insist it be good, and every one.
particularly a man from Cedar Springs
Mich, or Kokomo, Ind, knows how
much those famous shore dinners in
New Orleans are overrated.
When in the South it is often neces-
sary for a major league club to prove
its general superiority and baseball
caste by walloping the cabinet pudding
out of few minor league clubs. If
possible the major league club does
this with great flourish, but there are
often encountered low-down minor
league ball teams that insist on beat
ing the major league clubs with some
thing like regularity At such times
the Southern baseball fanatic becomes
an excited citizen and as sarcastic as
a South Carolina Senator.
Busher Fans Are Silenced
"on the level, is THIS a big league
team ?" shouts some hostile fan.
Whereupon the down hearted ball player
responds with 10 little briliance and
sense OF repartee:
cav. go chase yourself,"
There is always a large party of
strangers on a Southern trip. Most of
them wear badger hair cuts and funny
looking pants. They are the recruits
from the minor leagues who are trying
10 pry some veteran loose from his BIZ
monthly insult.
The veteran who is slipping regards
them ostensibly with a friendly eye
however much he would like to crown
en- with baseball bat. But, on the
whole, they have been useful to fill
upper bcrths
We have just happened to observe
according to our historian. Mr.. More
land, shat "a novel and amusing con-
test, designated by the originator as
a donkey game, was played at Brook
lyn in November. 1861, in which the
nine having the least number Of runs
Al the end Of the game was considered
Fhc victor"
Well Well, Brooklyn came by tho
habit honestly.