Evening star., 1921-10-18
PUBLIC SYMPATHY
IS WITH ATHLETE
Fans Think Star Should Be
Permitted to Get Coin While
Getting Is Good.
BY JOHN B. FOSTER.

II IAVING broken over the traces
Babe Ruth and his compan-
ions will probable continue
to remain broken over as long as
they feel inclined. Meanwhile it is
not hard to see that the fans, the
democracy of the fans who sit in
she bleachers, sympathize with
Ruth. nor is it hard to see why
they do.
1t IS the sum of money which is
at stake that creates sympathy for
the ball player. Usually the pro-
letariat hasn't much sympathy for
the man who gets large money in
chunks. but here is Ruth. who is
one of them-a regular bleacherite
himself-with a chance to get enough
to make most of them rich, and
why he shouldn't be permitted to
make all that dough while the sun
is shining for him is something which
the bleacherite doesn't see. He
doesn't want to see it. He wants
Ruth to get it.
Vote Unanimous for Ruth.
Ask the newSboys. the office boys
and the other boys who are a little
older and a little higher up what
they tHiHh ABOUT IL. anu Inelr vote IS
unanimous for Ruth
He made enough for those guys"
, referring to organized base ball in
general. ito keep 'em in gas and
limmyzeens an why shouldn't he
have as good chance as them"
No matter what the offense may
he. .or. what ball players may have
done in the past that would bring
about the rule which forbids world
champions to play exhibition games,
popular sentiment is to the effect
That base ball owes more to Ruth
than Ruth owes to base ball, and
the way to let the debt be paid is
I" permit him to make all he can
while the "makings are good" If he
is going to have injured arms and
like Affections it is pretty well un-
derstood that he will not last long
at the best.
Why Rule Was Enacted.
From the business end of the game
there is another story. The rule against
Transforming by world series contest
ants was passed because certain players
in the past met Objectionable aracters
and engaged with them on the diamond
10 the detrinsnt of base ball. The
players have not always been careful
what they have done. They have gone
into games with ineligible players. with
players of outlaw leagues and with ne
gro teams. which doesn't find favor
with the owners.
Ruth was offered by his employers an
amount equivalent to what he would be
likely to make on the trip up through
the country. but that didn't suit him
and he went forth to enter upon the
game simply because he had some bad
advice as to the Importance of his per-
sonality in base ball in general and also
fos the reason that the men who UNDER
took the trip had been promised by him
that he would so.
Following this exploit Ruth is likely
to go into vaudeville and naturally a
y >Nttle more advertising will not be re-
GREETED by the vaudeville circuit which
obtains his services.
There is no doubt that he will be CEN
sured and punished by Judge Landis
because the thing has gone so far that
organized base ball cannot back down.
The question is as to the amount Of
punishment
Rule Changing Frowned On.
II suggestion of changes in the
playing rules is made at the present
time to those who are in the control
Of base ball clubs it is not greeted
with tumultuous enthusiasm The
owners were too fortunate with the
world series to wish to undertake
anything which may in any way af-
feet the even tenor of the game
Had the world series been loosely
played, heavy hitting, many-error
affair. it is possible that some one
might have entertained a suggestion
that there could be notifications in
the rules to tighten up the game, not