Evening star., 1922-06-08
Ruth Furnishes Amusement to
His Friends the Editors

The suspension OF Babe Ruth for
challenging the universe to fstic COM
bat after an Unsuccessful encounter
with an inoffensive umpire. and his
subsequent speedy reinstatement by
Ban Johnson. has served to distract
the attention of the editors OF the
country from other more momentous
AFFAIRS Of state. They have had .
pleasant time discussing the case;
some seriously demanding that Ruth
be made to realize that the game is
bigger than the player. while others,
in a more or less ribald fashion, an
nexed personal amusement from the
Bambino's experiences But the COM
ment served to show. II nothing else,
that the interest in the game and in
the personality Of the king of swat
is by no means confined to the sport
ing pages.
There must be absolute cleanliness
in all sports that depend on the pub
lie for support. the Butte Miner Is
convinced, because mo one player Is
bigger than the game: No sort Of
gariized base ball or any other kind
that hopes to hold public favor. The
/ best thing that could happen woula
be Ruth's retirement from the game
until he fully realized that base pan
will not stand for temperamental or
any other kind OF rowdyism: HaL @
even though all that may be so. the
Burlington News agrees Ban john
son knew what he was about in as
sessng the minimum penalty because
with no regard for the right or
wrong of the Ruth case. how often
tempt to find reason for discredita-
BILE act. After all we suppose IT Is
merely a reversion to the workings
I of the golden rule that is required,
! but it is all too true that rule Is on
I the top shelf being covered with
dust" Still the fact that Rutn mas
had his head turned by hero wor-
|. shippers" will not excuse. in the view
| of the New Orleans States. "hoodlum-
ism Of the kind of which he was
| guilty"
| II President johnson erred in his
!ieniency, the Binghamton Sun says,
[ because 'if the big stick wielder can
tnot control his emotions and temper
/ better than he did then the game will
be better off without him 1t Is to
be hoped that he will profit by the
example and forget that he is beniHd
| in the race for home-run honors ana
itry to do his level best to help win
the American League pennant for the
Yankees" The Savannah Press points
fout that Ruth doesn't seem to have
Improved after his probation. 1t was
to be hoped that his long discipline
| imposed by Judge. Landfs would be
wholesome." One other thing that
the Incident has demonstrated, the
| Worcester Telegram recalls, was that
base ball spectators themselves fail
Ito exercise self-control. Attacks on
fthe umpire and the like 1t thinks arg
inexcusable and may be due to the
Ifact that there is money at stake"
on the game. But "in any case" It
continues, 1.-The club owners, man
ayers and players have the greater
responsibility. 1t may be Impossible
ship. but the teams themselves may
be made to show it," Yet. whether
the is idol or Idle makes q mighty Big
idifference to Babe" the Canton Re
lpository thinks. although the words
! when said have a similar sound"
l. Ruth's failure to come back" Is
1.-THE Columbia State suggests. But
what strikes 1t "as rather curiously
Intriguing about the incident. Or
|tragedy, is that the commentators
and historians fail to recognise in
the swift betrayal OF QeSertlOn OF. the
lfans, otherwise the mob, or demons.
or populace. the most natural feac-
ttion known to mankind. So long as
tBahe could hit 'em out, could rap out
honers as easily and as certainly as
Esome Of our home-bred batters can
Fwalk back to the bench after vain
terdeavors at. the plate, he was the
Idol Of the fans. But the moment he
tfails-aye, that's another story. The
liking is dead; long live Sisler. or
tHornsby, or Ken Williams" There
can be too much lsniency shown and
itoo many excuses made for such 40.
ttions the Dayton News AYERS. In de-
Imanding that Ruth "start in to con-
Itrol this mental state for his own
I.good, the good Of his team and the
l,good Of the game. He is too valu-
liable an asset to fall into disrepute
among. the fans at the time he 70 SO
tconspicuously in the public lime
Hight" Because the game is bigger
THAN any Individual possibly. could be,
the, Charleston Post declares that
4"whatever his presence may be worth
/ to the New York Americans as a
Erawing card, it is not worth enough
70 tntseansA ses~foiea's ss'systesH'sisee
liza A hA1ln
II "A tAaSAA Pcr