The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-10-06

! 100 Per Cent Americans.
They Watch and Stretch.
Hitting a Mana Ball.
Behold the First Game.
BY ARTHUR BRISBANE


l---------------------- -
Polo Grounds. october 4-What is
pleasure? For come millions of
Americans It is watching other men
hit, pitch. throw and run while the
crowd bowls.
In Rome 1000 years ago, it was
watching men with swords fight each
other, or fight lions, while the crowd
also howled. In early England it
was bear batting and badger draw
ing.
In early America is was Puritan
ism and witch hunting combined. We
have grown milder and are content
to roar while well fed young men
play a game that does not hurt
them. We concentrate on a war of
pitchers against batters, like the
war of cannon against armor plate on
a harmless scale.
Mildness is civilization. For thou.
sands to gather where no blood is
shed is a hopeful sign.
Not that the people, perhaps. but
their government, their accepted
ideas, are better. The great base
ball crowd would look away from
Babe Ruth to watch two men fighting
with triden. and net.
Look away from the fighting men
to watch an old ..on fight rhinos-
ceros. But this is news report, SO
please attend to the opening of the
great baseball championship series.
At one minute OF two the band Is
playing for Al Smith. once govekor
of New York, who expects to be
elected again next month.
Mr.. Smith is a little lame; touch
of govt, perhaps-statesman is
sedentary job. He bows his head,
now bald. craftsmanship is wear
ing.
Marcus Loewe. father of the -Four
Horsemen, and one of the first to
realize what the moving picture must
mean saunters in leaving a gold
I plated automobile. with eight atten-
dants He has built more theatres
than any man living. He makes pic
lures. but his motto. addressed TO
Mr. zukor. Is: II build the houses,
you do the rest
Three moments for spasm for the
newspaper photographers-one for
Pershing, wild. then for AL Smith,
less wild. Third for Christy Mathew
son, great ex-baseball player, now
winning his fight against the real
world champion, consumption.
Great photographing and cheering
for Mathewson. Take off your hat,
Matty; let them see YOU With all
the obliging modesty of a baseball
player, Matty keeps 1t on.
You know what il is all about, OF
course A few Americans play base
ball, while millions sit and watch,
taking their exercise VIGOROUSLY; but
excuse an Interruption. A young
lady walks out on the green and
dirt field, in tights; very high up:
no corset; the fact asserts itself.
after the fashion of the mammal. A
peculiar roar as she appears. causes
reporters to look up. 1t is not
baseball roar--quite different. Men.
like other wild animals, have differ
ent kinds of roars. The lady's hair
is nicely bobbed face skilfully
painted; eyes bright but not even
Demon, banged knows who or what
she is. Advertising something. prob
ably, you say to yourself; write on-
Two sets of ball players National
league and American league; have
played all season.
Now the National Giants play the
American Yankees to decide the
championship of all America and the
whole world for that matter. No
one else knows how to play baseball
1t seems to be very important to
many Americans. A typical 100 per
cent American, entering the playing
circle with seats piled all around
says simply-1o0 per cent Americans
have limited vocabularies sometimes
j.. what a mobiY It's a big
crowd.
But the game has begun. There
goes the first ball.
Witt knocked line fly to center
field. A man down there caught
the ball while it was still in the air
and Witt Is out. II IT hit the ground
before being caught il might have
been different. A least, that was
the rule at Jackson Schoolhouse. so
years ago.
Babe Ruth, tall and wide, had two
strikes and famed at both balls.
He's excited So would you be IL
you could hear this crowd yell. 1t
is yell of anger; no happiness in It,
He's out--struck out by Nehf, pitcher
for the Giants. If it were not for
that Nehf the Yankees would win this
series probably. But do not be in
influenced in your betting.
Three out; no runs; change sides;
the Giants come to the bat and the
Yankees are out in the field.
The game itself is rather dull ex-
cept for 100 per cent American. The
yelling saves it, for IS. 900 human be-
ings bowling as though engaged in
cannibalism are interesting. One
Giant out, Bancroft.
Groh. bought by McGraw from
Cincinnati for $4,000, is batting.
He's on first base. having made the
first hit of the game. The roar is
worth $4,000.
frankie Frisch, only New York
city born Giant. is out on a straight
fly.
Many here imagine themselves
happy as they tear their vocal cords.
but little boy is the real happy one.
clouu OF aust at third base,
man sliding through the dirt flat
on his chest as you may have seen
hop toad raise dust with a puff
adder chasing him. Groh was the
slider-Heinie Groh, landed safely.
Frisch went to second
That really happy person mentioned
above is boy of 10. dressed just
like Giant, cap and all. He kneels
on one knee or stands with hands
lon knees. initiating the coaches.