Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-12-15
CROKER TELLS
OF PREFERENCE
/. FOR OLD GAME
Aged Tammany Boss, After
Seeing 1921 Worlds Series,
Draws Comparisons.

Richard Croker, former Tammany
boss OF New York. still hale and hearty
at so years of age, is not much OF
baseball fan, but baseball reporter so'
an interesting interview out OF MN
one that showed some knowledge OF the
game and disclosed also that the FORMER
chieftain had played tin an euoIt u
learn what Mr.. Croker thought OF tLe
world series. Croker saw one game u
the 1921 series, and said that was euOuS u.
He was rather disappointed because 4 Lo'
Of huskies didn't murder the p-tcuS11 5
not taking into account, aPPSieH'-! :
that the pitchers are some husAles on
their own The interview Of the scTIoe
with CrOcker Will appeal 10 many an
old fan who in his secret recesses hoiq+ ;
views the same as those eApIesse'-- -
In the opinion Of that eminent octoge-
marian fan. Richard Croker, DaseDalL uds
become so scientific II ism as IuleIest Us
as it used 10 be- lie recalls the ~
when q team was thought 70 ne on Is
feed if il didn't make Is or 70 runs ia
the course OF a game. lie thinks IaElLeI
had to int a runner with the BAH IN or
der to put him out, and on the W1olee
he believes that those were the splclest
days Of all. -
Sir. and Mrs. Croker saw one game OF
the 1921 series, a game in which the AahAs
beat the Giants, TO l. Iley SAT III tIe
box of the hOt-dog monarch, harry ote-
vens They said o1tcrWarQ tAal tAeJ
would not 90 again. 1t the savoy HoJe-
'n .:ft Vas Vas great game. the retired
Tammany leader said. I'd ike TO see
another. but my time IS too MIcL &C.
pied When / come TO New 1olA He11
70 see all nv old friends that are leI l
There are still some I haven't seen } Ct
and what would they think OF me II tLsI
heard | was spending every day at Lhe
] ball grounds -oo+o-
for the Giants, although they Wereh
called Giants then. were they: Now /
find I favor the Yankees. l don't know
any of the players on either JeaLA' ou1
Colonel Rupert, president OF me an
KEGS. and others interested in the ciuO'
are friends Of mine, so l naturaIy lean
TO their side. though I suppose a good
Irishman should root for McGraW.
MY impressions OF the game en-
1t has got to be very scieutlhc, hasn 10 !
The batrers look strong, but they 0on I
seem TO be able to hit the ball the way
they did years back. I'm told the Ce-
velOpment Of pitching IS 10 blame Tor
that Is IL true that they can really eur sc
the ball, so that it starts IN certain
direction, and then. swings on IN an
The interviewer assured Mr. Croker
that to the best Of his belief this was the
fact. He did not express disbelief out
said he never had been so placed at a
game as to see the curve with his own
Il took special notice of Babe Ruth, -
he said eft Is easy 10 see why he such
a hitter He puts his whole body into
the swing, while many other players PAT
from their shoulders or their elbows
Ever play baseball yourself was the
question Uut 10 the aged IamDany chief
tan. when a luu came in the converse
ton.
"WelI. sixty or seventy years ago." Ar.
Croker smiled. 1.-THE ball was rubber
d
springs. You know the cars and wagons
had a big rubber spring underues IN.
When q spring was torn out ana lald
aside it still had lot of good rubber
left, and the boys would take their JACK
knives and whittle piece OF the ruoo-r
until il was PRETTY round. There We're
nine PLAYERS on side, and three bases,
lust as there are now, but batter or
runner wasn't out until be was hit with
the ball 1t was part OF the runner s
lob to dodge the ball as he ran around
me bases. We used 20 throw it pretty
. hard. too. and sometimes getting hit with
Il was pretty serious
'.Waen I first came TO New York as a
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 1t. I believe we used TO play
lust about where We are now, where tho
Savoy Hotel is now. Then my family
moved to what is now One Hundreth and
Tenth street. near LlSntL df eul c- AtA-
was the village Of Manhatrsnvuie then
There were four villages on the upper
part Of the Standardization and
CarmenviIle on the west side. then Har-
lem on the flats and Yorkville on the
east side.
81 must have played with the Manhat-
tanville team, though as q 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"
Mr. Croker with his two hands initiated
the fist over fist motion, whereby mill
lions of boys clutching a baseball bat
have decided the personnel Of heroic com
bat He laughed as the old memories
came flooding back, then said:
Don't you think I'm right They
too scientific nowadays"