Evening star., 1924-10-06
Frensied Cro,cd, Led by Blind Fan,
Cheering Plays Detected With Ears

Yesterdays thriller was the most
exciting ball game Ed Ball ever
heard. and he has heard a lot of them
since he has been selling lead pencils
at American League Park.
When lanky Fred Marberry stepped
into the pitchers box in the ninth in
ming and smothered the Giants rally
with three sizzling strikes, Ed was the
first to raise his voice in a mighty shout
of joy. His trained ears had told him
right, although he did not see the tall
Texan wind-up and shoot that ball,
red hot, past batter Jackson.
Ed was looking all right, but his
eyes, sightless since birth, reflected
nothing but a black wall Of darkness.
But against that shapeless void Blind
Eddie's brain wrought a fanciful pic
ture of the bowling masses, cheering
the pitcher-hero as he walked nom
chalantly back to the dugout after
yanking the game out of the fire for
the Nationals.
And when those fighting Bucks
went to bat in the last half of the
ninth. with the score a tie, Eddie's
ears were straining to sift out the
that dinned around him, SO that he
could pick up the familiar crack of
bat against horsehide that would tell
him the story of the end.
Ed did not have to be told that Joe
Judge was at bat. He had that line
up as firmly fixed in his mind as
though he were looking at a score
card. Neither did persons nearby
have to tell him that Joe had drawn
a base on balls. His ears failed,
however, to distinguish between a
safe hit and a sacrifice. and he
learned from the man next to him
that Ossie Bluege had laAd down a
pretty sacrifice that sent Joe to the
keystone bag
Blind Eddie smiled as best he could
in spite of his CHASTITY. film coated
eyes, when the Rajah came to bat. He
remembered that ninth inning of the
hrst game. He shrieked for Peck to
come through, as he had done Satur-
day. He bent his head forward for
the crack he felt certain he could
hear.
Forty thousand pairs Of eyes were
still following the hurting sphere in
It's lightning course from the
Rajah's willow to the far outfield and
10000 throats were prepared to let
iooSS a hodTsc CTy Oh VICTORY, out
Eddie's shout burst forth before the
others.
Il knew it'll 1 knew it," he was
screaming as the augmented echo of
the blind negro's initial signal re-
sounded in frenzied chorus. Perhaps
Eddie had just happened to guess
correctly, as he had guessed Alright
SO many times before.
But those who know the boy and
his wonderful ability to substitute his
ears for his eyes say otherwise. They
firmly believe he has q gift of in
tuition.
Buffeted by the surging, happy
crowds that sought the exits after
the game yesterday. Eddie was tossed
about like a cork in q whirlpool. as
he held tightly to his treasured stock
of pencils.
Eventually he was borne out to
Georgia avenue with the crowd, where
he was standing when Headquarters
Detective Tom Sweeney spied him and
without Identifying himself said
Hello, Ed"
The blind boys brain reacted in
stantly and catalogued the voice with
out hesitation.
10, Mistah Sweeney" came the
CHEEKY reply. Wasn't that last innin'
sumpin?'
Albert West, 9o1 Buchanan street
northwest, and Vincent L. Bailey, 920
Massachusetts, avenue northwest, were
the first and second persons. respec-
lively, In line for the standing room
only seats in the grandstand.
: reporter asked West for his name
and address.