Omaha daily bee., 1922-06-11
Remedy Needed
for Low Grade
Baseball Fans
Vile.Mouthcd Fans Who
ride" umpires and Play.
ers Should Be Elected,
Says Critic.
BY I. E. SANBORN.

Remedies Tor the low'grade sports.
manship OF baseball patrons have
been sought for some seasons with
out success. In fact, the disease
seems to be getting worse instead
OF yielding to the homeopathic doses
thus far administered. Perhaps
little OF osteopathic. strong-arm
treatment would be more effective.
Many folks who had acquired the
impression Babe Ruth was getting
swellcd Uranium rather wished the
rules had permitted the Tarzan OF
the diamond to satisfy his impulse
to beat up couple OF knockers when
he went into the grandstand after
them a few days ago. He probably
would have if they had not run away
and mixed in the big crowd. f
II a baseball rooter knew he was
liable to get a mashed map as re-
suit OF riding" ball players there
would be lot fewer smart Alecks
who take advantage of the safety OF
numbers and the well-known law
against retaliation by the athletics
to hurl all kinds of epithets and
slurs at the Gagged performers in the
arena.
Lands Pays Tribute.
Commissioner Lands recently paid
high tribute to the game, which he
previously had classified as a ma
tional institution Speaking of his
new job, the commissioner said: Il
came into baseball to keep it clean,
not to make it clean. It's always
been clean-as clean as any profess
sion without exception. l say this
despite the disclosures Of the fall of
1920"
That's largely because the mag
mates have for years been devoting
most OF their thought to improv-
ing the game on the field of play.
Drastic rules have been made and
enforced to curb the rowdy tactics
which prevailed 20 years ago within
the inclosure. By these rules the club
owners have produced an orderly and
clean pastime that has become
source OF healthful diversion to many
millions. In accomplishing this the
| magnates have neglected to rid the
game of rowdyism in the stands be-
cause they dreaded to offend a pay
Ill patron and lose his coin.
| Rooters are Vicious.
But the time apparently has arrived
when more drastic methods must be
adopted to curb the viciousness of
some OF the rooters, who no longer
are satisfied with making the UNI
pres the targets of abuse, but have
turned their vile tongues and brains
against players and managers. And
the greater the hero the more vicious
the attack it seems.
Devotees of other branches of sport
long have pointed fingers of scorn at
baseball for its lack of sportsmanship.
Once at professional billiard match
a spectator, who probably had a
wager on the game, attempted to dis
concert one of the players while max.
ing a difficult shot. Those nearest
| him hlssed and demanded his election.
| lhe management of the billiard hall
| complied by ejecting the man and re-
funding the price of his seat.
| At the time ne. e.ghbor of mine re-
marked: Il hope to live to see the dav
when that will happen at a baseball
game" He didn't, and a few of this
generation will live to see that day.
But it must come, or the diamond
pastime will lose all its claim to
cleanness and nobility s
Cobb Goes After Fan.
After Ty Cobb went into the stand
and "bawled OUT a fan who had been
derlding him, the club owners posted
lnconspicuous signs notifying patrons
that discourteous language to players
| would be punished by election from
the stands. Much good that did!
Put the signs on the fence in place of
some of the advertisements where
the rooters can see them during the
game. Then enforce them by eject
ing all Objectionable rooters.
If the club owners would spend az
much time picking out and removing
loud and emouthed fans as they
do in recovering foul balls batted intc
the stands, they soon would cure the
evil. A few patrons might be Of.
Tended and never come back. But il
is almost impossible to hurt the feel.
ings of that kind OF folks.