The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-22

eggeO the players OIL. All dLCdCh Ou
for them.
Usually it was the spectators who
gave the cue for a razzing of our OPP
ponents. To win at any cost was
of the players. They would resort
to all kinds of tricks to handicap the
opposition. A favorite practice, for
instance, was for some enthusiast to
sit in the stand with a small mirror
and throw a reflection of sunlight
irto the batter's eye. That was con-
sidered good sport and perfectly
proper.
In this day and time man who
did that would be frowned upon as a
poor sportsman
Didn't Applaud Foes
All over the country the sportsman
ship of the SPECTATOR Is improving.
There is still room for Improvement,
Tough Thirty. years ago--the APP
p;auding of an opposing team was
looked upon as little less than trea-
SON 1t is very common now for the
stands to give the opposing team,
even an individual player, an ovation
In the larger cities, like New York,
Boston and Chicago, applause is given
just as freely to the enemy as to the
home club. The old feeling of intense
partisanship still exists in few of
the cities but it is rapidly disappear
irg That, think, is largely respon-
sible for the increase in attendance.
People appreciate the wonderful play
ing of certain stars and go out to see
them regardless of what team they
play on. Formerly the artistic work
of these stars was seen only through
a cloud of bitter partisanship. There
was feeling that no man on the
other team could do anything particu-
larly meritorius. At any rate, such
feats were never welcomed or -appre-
CITED.
Cheering Helps Players
The spectators are really an I'M
portant part of the game, even though
the players do not trust their loyalty
any too much. Without the noisy
support of the fans it is very difficult
to start q rally sometimes. sud
den burst of enthusiasm and en-
couragement puts the players on their
toes. 1t is just like the establishment
of morale and esprit in the army.
Our coaches to this day take adj
vantage of that by urging the spec
tators on with swing of the arm. 1t
Is rare that a home crowd fails to
IcSpOiiu tSptNidiAy III SSA vain PfeS - -
with magnetic personality.
In their unbridled efforts at roast
ing the opponents, though, the fans
often turned this weapon against GER
tain players of the home club, IL they
were antagonistic, or If they were
falling down on their jobs.
The player has little protection
from the insults of fans. He should
be protected by the umpires and the
police. but In lots of cases the police
are sympathetic with the insulting
spectator and will do nothing. Always
/ have maintained that ball players
should be protected from insult the
same as actors. but it is pretty diff
cult to work this out in a practical
way
Those of the Gruff Voice
In the old days every town had two
or three fans noted for their trum-
pet like voices who never missed 4
game These fellows gained wide
reputation for their wonderful voices
and for their sayings. They were a
sort of institution. A fan was just
as proud of such distinction as a
ball player is Of his batting average
Walter Brodie, our center fielder
"Steve," we called him-was often
the target for some of the shots from
these foghorn fans. Steve had little
Imagination and his sense Of humor
was not as keen as it should have
been.
Steve was going badly in Baltimore
for two or three weeks. A certain
fan who always sat in the right field
bleachers made a point of aiming
sharp edged darts at Steve every
afternoon. Finally 1T got on his
nerves. At the end of the fourth
inning in a game with the Boston
ciub-Beaneaters they were called
then-.we noticed Steve trudging
along the edge of the right field
stand with ladder. Having placed 1t
against the wall leading I'D to tho