The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-28

We didn't know then that a great
crowd of English people would al
ways go to any sporting event that
tho King graced, whether they knew
any thing about 1t or not. The Am
erican<ambassa though, had that
in mind when he asked King George
to come. He was a baseball fan and
wanted us to make a good showing.
The most concerned man, though.
was this English caterer.
Several times while 1 sat on the
bench he came to me all a-flutter.
II say, Mr.. MeGraw." he would
start, when Is the intermission?"
Oh, any time" would reply,
laughing, never taking him seriously.
In tho mean time Sparrow was
stalling him Off.
Pfeman Wanted Intermission.
Finally in the seventh inning, when
a. lot of Americans stood up to
stretch, he returned.
IT say, Mr.. McGraw. this oawn't 60
on. I must Insist on knowing when
is tho intermission."
''Why, what's tho matter with
your" I asked. Don't you know that
baseball does not have any inter-
mission?"
my Godr he exclaimed, putting
his hands to his head, II am ruined.
What will I do with my mutton
pies2" :;
you can bring mo ono IL you want
to. What's the idea?"
II say, in cricket, you know. the
consumption of mutton pies in the In
tei missions is quite enormous. am
stocked quite heavily. I insist upon
4.,+a ,fee,f
At that moment Faber hit the ball
on the nose for homerun that broke
up the game.
THE next day tho English caterer
called at the hotel and insisted or
being paid seventy-odd pounds fol-
mutton D and tea that he had + g.
pared for tn, intermission. 1 put the
matter UP to Sparrow and, IL I re-
member right. he compromised by
giving the fellow couple Of hundred
dollars.
Egyptian Mogal Attends.
Another incident on that trip that
caused US lot of amusement was at
game played near Cairo, Egypt
The Khedive honored US by attend
ing, and his presence gave much tone
to the affair among the Egyptians.
ver..- curious to see how the Khedive
was taking ibis baseball. Every time
we looked, though he had his back to
the diamond and was looking in the
other direction. We couldn't tell
whether he was in conversation or
simply declining to be interested
Anyway his back was turned.
Finally we assigned Germany
Schaefer to give us the dope on It
He sneaked from he bench and was
gone several minutes.
TITS all right" . said, returning
Il just talked to one of them fellows
with tho funny hats. He says the
Khedive means no disresp,ct to our
game, but he's got to look toward
home. With SO many e these Amer.
lean ball players here the Khedive
figures he'd better Keep his eyes or
his harmon.
The one outstanding feature to tina,
trip around the world which I will
never forget was the department oil
ous players. At no time on the entire
journey did any one ever do anything
that would bring criticism upon the
American athlete. These ..oung fel.
lows realized that they were repre-.
senting their country and they did II
in way to bring credit on our spor,
and ourselves. A noticeable thing
was their adaptability to foreign Gus.
toms. Very quickly they observed
that gentlemen were supposed ia
dress for dinner on the boats or In
the hotels. In q single day, II
seemed. every man on both clubs was
fully equipped with evenifg clothes
high hats-everythinS in accordance
with the convention Of the country
they visited. And I want to tell you
those Giants and White sox looked
pl city good in silk hats. too.
offer From Federal.
Arriving in New Yor:: on tho Ill.
fated Lusitania we found the baseball
world all upset over the Federal
league. Managers and owners of the
two major leagues were there to sign
up their players. Also there were sew
eral agents of the new league.
have never mentioned this before
but I was met by an attorney Of
prominet oe. q man In whom I have
absolute confidence. who offered me
certifiedscheck for 100000 to Join
the Federal league.
This was to be merely . bonus for
Joining and was in addition to any
salary arrangement that might
make. AS to salary, was told
could write my own ticket.
declined this Immediately.
Often I have been ash d for an
opinion as to why the ederal league
failed. The answer. to me. seems
simple. In the first place. its execul
tives were hot men of baseball ex-
perience. In the second place, there
are not enough good ball players In
this country for three major leagues
We even have difficulty in finding
enough stars for two leagues. Con-
sequently the Federal league, being
tho newcomer, could not get enough
good talent t. offe. seriouss COM
petition. Their only chan :e was to
offer as good II not better BASEBALL
than the National and American
league. This they could not do. Had
there not been a settlement with
them the Federal league would hav
died just the same. #
Traded Off Heroes.
/ found that several of my players
had been approached by the Federal
league agents but there was nothing
doing. I found also that, during my
absence. the New ork club, y en-
I ployers, had traded off Herzog. my
third baseman TO. Bob Beschtr This
was quit surprise 20 me. re-
suited in my having to make several
trades to strengthen up my club
again.
The need of as-third baseman. fol-
lowing the accident to Hans Lobert
Letter on. even.u H. brought about
my trading Larry Doyle, Il ably Doll
jacobson and Herbert Hunter for
/ Heinie Zimmerman.
In the bust up G the Federal
leag-:. took ever Ren9y. Kluff. and
Eddie Rousch. | paid s25.0l0 for
kauff. figr--..g tha he would be a
God attraction on acco I of his hits
ting. Thea much talked about.
O o O
About &c Rousch.
Often / have observed criticism OF