Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-04
THINGS NOT LIKE
THEY USED To Be
IN METROPOLIS
Time Was when Players
Yearned for Gotham But
Not Now.
By |. E. SANBORN

There used to be a time when pro-
fessional ball players yearned to be
chosen to play in New York for two
very good reasons. because the crowds
in Gotham justified demanding high
salaries and because the publicity given
diamond performers there meant great
joy and nationwide renown. Times
are changing.
The crowds at the Polo grounds are
just as big as ever. but they are chang
ing, too. just at present the fans are
all keyed up over the double glory of
two teams of champions. but, as al
ways happens in such cases, the rooters
expect their pets to win every day.
Having established their supremacy, it
behooves the Giants and Yankees to
do just that. or they hear about it
from the stands. Too much always is
expected of world beaters and they are
the hardest athletes in the land to
handle.
Too Much Winning Hurts
Then there is the danger of safety
by too much winning. just as Connie
Mack discovered in the early days of
the last decade. when ne had to wreck
a splendid team because ii didn't pay
dividends on the investment. Rooters
become hypercritical when their diet
becomes too m~onotonous. They demand
too much and become blase if their de-
mands are satisfied.
Moreover. the ardent publicists have
done their work so well that they have
spoiled the broth by too much season
ing. if a mixed metaphor is permitted
in these days. when mixing a drink
land one in Jail.
Witness the eagerness with which
Gotham fans We're inspired TO antlcl-
pate the restoration of Babe Ruth to
good standing. Scarcely a day of the
five weeks of his suspension passed
without some mention in the papers of
the date when Bambino would be per
mitted to start whaling the ball out
of the lot again. The longed for day
came and the scramble for seats was
like unto that for Il world series.
Almost three days passed before
Ruth delivered the promised home run,
and on the third day it came to pass
that the hero worshippers began to de-
ride their superswatsman because he
did not get his first four-hagger of
the year until near the end of the
game.
Fans Cheer Sarcasticaiiy
Think of hanging wreaths of rasp-
berry on the worlds greatest diamond
hero, The fans cheered him sarcas-
tically for making a simple fly catch
in two different innings. Each time
Ruth tipped his cap with equal sar-
casm. Then came his home run, and
the jeers were turned TO cheers, but
Bambino did not doff his lid after COM
plotting his circuit jog. showing how
deeply the injustice of the rooters had
ranked. They forgot that while the
slabmen were getting their wings tuned
up Ruth had been kept idle for more
than a month. and consequently started
under n heavy handicap.
Another penalty of too much ~touting
is the attitude Of the Polo grounds fans
toward that alleged million dollar in
field" of the Giants. Every time Me-
Graw's men were beaten at homeland
it was only occasionally-they We're
panned. simply because they were
worlds champions strengthened by in
field material that was heralded as
making them unbeatable.
The Giants had to wait until they
got away from home before they dared
lose many games. then they slumped
hard On the first western trip. 1t was
a very well timed slump, too. At the
rate McGraw's men were going while
in the east there wouldn't have been
any race in the National league after
July 4. and even Gotham patrons would
have quit going to the games, all wait
ing for the worlds series. Now the
Giants can resume winning for the home
rooters and everything will be lovely.
No Bed of Roses in Gotham
Still it isn't quite as much a bed of
roses, playing baseball in Gotham, as
it used to be, as the athletes are find
ing out this year. Even st. Louis is
beginning to look more desirable, and
it wasn't so very long & that Mound
City patrons were regarded rs the
hardest in the land to please.
Meantime the magnates are wonder
ing whether union labor never did &c
to ball games or is continuing to at
tend in spite of the edict sent out from
Chicago to abstain from big league
stuff so long rs former Judge Lands
was retained as commissioner of base
bah. There has been no diminution in
ottapJnurn narcanfibia 70 tto h,,.y