Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-01-05
League of Negro Clubs
Would Be a Good Idea,
Says Hughey Fullerton

later it would be certain to result in
intensified race antagonism not only
between the players, but between the
spectators and it would do no good
to the game itself. But contests be
tween colored teams would appeal TO
n big class Of fans and make for high
er sport.
In some ways the drawing of the
color line in baseball is rather unfor-
tunate, because it bars from the game
some of the finest players that have
been developed. There are at least
two eolorea teams in the United States
that rantrclose up TO the best of the
big leaguers, and there are some in
dividuals who could hold their own
on any team In the country. Petway
of the American Giants. for instance.
is one of the finest players in the
world LLOYD, now dead, who for years
played with Colored teams, was a mag
nificent man in every department.
Rucker, as a player and as come
dian. has been for twenty years a
great card and at an age at which
the majority of players retire to slip
pers and rheumatism, he still can
play a gallant third base. as almost
any Palm Beach guest who has watch
ed the negro teams perform in winter
will attest.
A dozen such players might be nam
ed There is one genius, however,
who has given the sport great boost
among colored people and that IS
"Rube" Foster a man now well to-
;e,, fpI ~,
and one of the finest field generals
and students of baseball | have ever
seen.
Foster Is a great baseball man. a
magnetic leader and a manager who,
under most difficult conditions, has
made good everywhere. He has taken
his team from coast to coast and from
Canada to Mexico and has played
more towns and perhaps more games
than any man living. His team has
played as high as 22j games in year
in all sorts of towns and cities, has
made money and never has had any
trouble of any serious nature. 1t has
played against white teams in south
ern cities, and has been popular.
His men play the game hard, fight
all the time, but for conduct, for good
nature. for spCrtmanship and for
clean languare and clean play they
are a model for any team of white
men. Foster instruCtS his men as to
their conduct on and off the field,
tells them that, because of their color,
they must behave better, control their
tempers and tlfeir language better
than white teams, and they do 1t.
I sat on the bench one dav listening
to RUDE instruct his men. His knowl-
edge of the strategy of the game and
of inside play was remarkable and his
discipline severe. There was not an
angry word or an oath uttered by any
player during the game.
Those men love baseball and the
enthusiasm and roofing in the stands
are something worth going to see.
One day in Chicago | sat near large,
very black man who was roofing tor
the Giants. 1t was Sunday afternoon.
Evidently he was still in hued either
with the crap shooting Of the proceed
ing night or the shouting in church
that morning\ AS batter came TO
the plate with the bases filled he
would close his eyes. rock to and fro,
and Groom gently and imploringly, his
VOICE flsills nlt,n ana Hl-neT Uhlli
he was sholtla5 IS he Legged hat
batter for Il In
1t is the conduct and the good ma
ture of the colorcd Il1y"rs and Their
self-restra'nt mat impressed Iae most
with their pro aSscnll teams, Their
arguments with empires even are
tinged with good ,ajurel raillery rath-
er than dislike AMI hey show the Of
ficials more respect than the white
players do
Once, when the old Chicago Cubs
were champions, they played a post
season game against a colored team,
and had their hands full. They could
not hit the pitching, and some of
them got after" their opponents wiz
responded with good-natured ridicule
Of the chamns Tinker was trying n
little goat getting"s and the mascot
of the team, "A black little fellow, WAS
laughing at him. Tinker thoughtless-
IL turned and rallied him "nigger," At
that moment one of the negro players