Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-03-24
GREAT FRIEND IS
LOST To SPORT IN
DEATH Of WRITER
Charles {, Van Loan Greatest
Interpreter of Spirit of Box
ing, Baseball and Other
Sport Boy Spirit Made Him.
Copyright. 1919
BY Hugh s. Fullerton.

Van is dead and sports in America
have lost their greatest interpreter,
and fighters, ball players and ath-
letes of all grades have lost their best
friend.
Charlie Van Loan was the greatest
literary figure to whom Interpretation
of the spirit of sport and the love OF
craftsmanship in the United States
has been intrusted The stories he
wrote were not fiction; they were
truth interpreted in perfect sympa-
thy with the games and their play
ers No man has been lost during
the history of sport in America VINO
will be so much missed.
A great fellow was Van--a huge
good natured, soft hearted giant with
the purity of spirit and the easy for
getfulness of injury of a boy. The
boy spirit and the spirit of fair PLAY
were what made him. Perhaps no
one disliked n hypocrite more and no
one ever was more forgiving ami
tender toward the weakness and the
foibes Of the fraternity. He under
stood them.
The first time | ever met Van was
shortly after he had made his escape
from an express office in Los An
geles and as suddenly startled the
sporting WOTlt WIN MS lullN
feeling reports of fights. He could
tell the story of a man being whip
ped so sympathetically that the beat
en- fighter was his friend for life and
the victor forever afterward.
The fight was in san Francisco. anil
! drew in at a ringside seat along
side a man who looked to me like
Mount Shasta by moonlight. He
seemed to he two men tall and three
men wide, and he had a large, pleas
ant voice such as a male sea lion
when it is enjoying itself, No one
introduced US. Along about the sec
ond round he began to warm up and
below. yea. bo." and every time he
beloved he swung an arm across my
head and almost Knocked me back to
the 50 seats. ! stood it for a couple
of rounds and then declared war. and
nv declaration of war drew a big
laugh and a WALTON from a hand that
felt like a side of bacon. 1t was of
no use to get mad, because he
wouldn't, but l had suffered more
punishment than the beaten fighter
had and was not pleased.
"A month or 50 later down in LES
Angeles, ! was in the office of the
newspaper for which he worked ana
he came across the floor. One of the
boys witt, whom l was talking said:
you know Vaw don't YOU
HuEhie?"
Yes, I've met htm,"I remarked,
and swung a straight right to his
chin. He beloved for an instant and
appeared about to descend upon me
and annjhilate >me, then he broke
into huge laugh,and shook hands
Van and the late Hop Hogan, the
inimitable baseball manager and
player, were great chums and never
lost chance to slip over something
on each other. He owned a little dog,
part fox terrier, part dota. which was
great pet around the team at ! .os
Angeles Some one had given Jim JEFF
fries a Great Dane which was eating
Jeff ont of house and home, and jeff
promptly gave it to Van. The, two
seemed perfectly mated in size, Van
promptly bought brown suit,
brown overcoat and hat and spent a
couple of dollars for chain to lead
tho dog.
Ho made his appearance at the Los
Angeles grounds and the spectacle
was an impressive one, Just rs they
walked onto the field Hap's little XII
oodle rushed at the Great Dane and
snapped at It, Van warned Hap to keep
the little dog away and save its life.
Meantime he interposed his dog and
stopped the mutt.
Let 'em 60" said Hap, II don't
want that pun, anyhow"
For several minutes Van tried to
save the mutt from his Great Dane
and finally lost patience and decided
to let nature take its course, The