Evening star., 1924-10-05

Crowd Shricks Ecstacy
Aching hearts, glad hearts-hearts
which pound like strokes on an an
vii, which flutter like a bird in flight
the hearts of the thousands who
sat at Griffith Stadium this afternoon
were with those white clad players
down there on the field, fighting for
base balls crown.
Tense moments, when the stiffness
of the tomb hung over those thou
sands in the stands. Moments of
triumph, when they poured forth
their souls in ear-splitting shrieks of
ecstacy.
Eighteen players fought it out this
afternoon on the diamond. But
countless thousands fought as hard
from the stands above.
The stands had filled half an hour
before the game-the crowd was
slower in gathering today than yes
terday. They say that 37,e00@ill the
park. The place was jammed. The
fans were silent when the Giants took
the field for infield practice. 1t was
snappy practice. But the crowd
yelled when their own team trotted
out. The Senators were just as
snappy.
Business of taking pictures-any
old picture would do. First the um-
pires were lined up and snapped
Then Harris. Then anybody who
happened to be strolling around loose
At 80 the bars were lowered and
the long line of standing room fans
poured its thousands up the run
ways. They finished off what was
left of the small and few empty
spaces.
Band Strikes Up.
Meyer Goldmans Band in hot blue
uniforms strobe upon the field about
IL o'clock and took their stand be-
hind home plate. They tried a few
pieces. but the only audience was
composed of empty seats in the
grandstands and a few telegraphers
and newspaper men in the press box.
But the stands in right field, now
fllled to overfowing, set up an insist
ent shout for the musicians to come
out where their efforts would be duly
appreciated. A cop came running
across the field, acting as ambassa-
dor from the clamorous bleacherites
and the band followed him across the
field to the accompaniment of roaring
cheers of approval.
The band took a new stand in front
of the bleachers and sounded off. The
hosts of white-coated peanut boys took
up their antics, for the amusement of
the fans, dancing pigs, turning somer-
saults and generally raising a racket.
The bleacherites soon tired of the
jazz and demanded old tunes, and the
band responded with "Old Black Joe,'
"My Old Kentucky Home and such
like stuff. Then the peanut boys lined
themselves up along the rail and acted
as song leaders. 1t was good singing,
too.
Old Nick Appears.
Old Nick Altrock, coming out of
the dugout, saw his chance and
amb1ed across the field to lead the
band. He did his stuff and it went
over big, as it always does. He was
pretty good on rag-time, but he ex-
celled when it came to leading the
sob-stuff music.
Nobody seemed to recognize the
players when they drove up in their
cars. The Giants reached the club
house together, jumped from the
takes and beat it inside without any
body ficking an eyelash. The Senators
drove up in their own cars a few
minutes apart, and still those who
saw them couldn't get excited.
Byron Specie was the first Griff
on the field and played catch with
the bat boy. He was followed few
minutes later. though. by his>mates
who sprawled around in the dug-out
waiting for the boss to come up and
start the batting practice.