The New York herald., 1921-10-12
FAN CROKER LIKES
ONE OIL CAT BEST
Modern Game Too Scientific,
He Says, Recalling Days in
Old Manhattanville.

In the opinion Of that eminent octoge-
marian fan, Richard Croker. baseball has
become SO scientific 1t isn't as interesting
as II used to be. He recalls the days
when a team was thought to be off its
feed II II didn't make eighteen or twenty
runs In the course Of a game He thinks
farther back than that. to the days when
YOU had to hit q runner with the ball
in order to put him out. and on the
whole he believes that those were the
spiciest days Of all.
MT. and Mrs. Croker saw Mondays
game. in which the Yankees beat the
Giants 3 to i. They sat In the box OF
the hot dog monarch. Harry Stevens
They said yesterday that they would
not go again. At the Savoy Hotel they
were asked why.
"It was a great game" the retired
Tammany leader said. I'D like to see
another, but my time Is too much occu-
pied. When come to New York want
to see all my old friends that are left
There are still some I haven't seen yet.
and what would they think of me II they
heard I was spending every day at the
ball grounds?
Leans to Ruppert's Team.
years ago. / suppose 1 was rooter
for the Giants, although they weren't
called Giants then, were they? Now l
find I favor the Yankees. I don't know
any of the players on either teaih. but
Col. Rupert, president Of the Yankees
and others interested in the club, are
old friends OF mine, so l naturally lean
to their side.
envy impressions Of the game? Well.
II has got to be very scientific. hasn't
it? The batters look strong. but they
don't seem to be able to hit the ball the
q -o hp ri
development Of pitching is to blame for
that. Is it true that they can really
curve the ball, so that it starts in cer-
tain direction and then swings off in
another?"
The visitor assured Mr.. Croker that
to the best Of his belief this was the
fact. He did not express disbelief. but
said he never had been so placed at
game as to see the curve with his own
eyes.
II took special notice of Babe Ruth"
he said. 1T is easy to see why he's
such hitter. He puts his whole body
into the swing. while many other players
bat from their shoulders or their
elbows"
Ever play baseball yourself?"
"Ball Cut out Of Springs"
Mr.. Croker smiled. 1.-THE ball was rub
Der then. We cut 1t out Of rubber car
springs. You know the cars and wagons
had big rubber spring underneath.
When q spring was worn out and laid
aside it still had a lot of good rubber
left, and the boys would take their
jack knives and whittle q piece Of the
rubber until 1t was pretty round There
were nine players on side and three
bases. just as there are now. but
batter or runner wasn't out until he was
hit with the ball. 1t was part the run
ner's Job to dodge the ball as he ran
paround the bases. We used to throw It
pretty hard, too, and sometimes getting
hit with 1t was pretty serious.
When I first came to New York as
Na little boy we lived in Twenty-sixth
street near Third avenue We used to
go out into the country to play ball.
Come to think of it. I believe we used
70 play just about where we are now.
wnere the Savoy Hotel Is now. Then
my family moved to what is now 10th
| street. near Eighth avenue. That was
the village Of ManhattanvilIe then.
There were four villages on the upper
part of the Observation-Disclosures and
Carmenville on the west side, then Har-
lem on the flats and Yorkville on the
| east side.
II must have played with the Man
hattanville team. though as a matter
of fact there weren't many Of what
you would call regular teams. The
boys just went out into the fields and
chose up sides. like this.
He "Chooses Up Sides"
Mr.. Choker with his two hands in,i-
tated the fist over fist motion. whereby
millions of boys clutching a baseball
bat have decided the personnel of heroic
combat. He laughed as the old MEM
ories came flooding back. then said:
Don't you think I'm right? They're
too scientific nowadays"
Mr. Croker would not comment on
the city campaign, saying he knew
nothing about II. He thinks that eff
President Harding can make the arma-
ment conference amount TO something
his name will live IN history"
1T would cut the taxes in half II the
different countries disarmed." he said.
This business OF everybody wanting
peace and yet keeping up a great lot OF
fighting machinery Just because the
other fellow does Is too silly for any
thing. I'm a Democrat and President
Harding is a Republican. but my hat Is
off to him il he puts this thing through"
The lawsuit in which Mr.. Croker and
his son Richard Croker. Jr., are op-
posed. is on the Supreme Court calendar
for next Monday. Mr.. Croker expects
to leave New York in about a month,
to Ireland or Florida. He will be 80
years old on November 23, he and Mrs.
Croker said. who's Who in America"
eays he was born on November "a. 1843.