Evening star., 1924-06-26
RECORD CROWD AT GAME.
Victrious Griffs Given Rousing Re.
ception by Fans.
;oin' to the ball game ?"

Coin to the ball game?
That seemed to be abou. the only
question jubilant Washingtonians
could hurl at each other today. as they
cast speculative eye heavenward
drank in the dazzling glory Of COLDER
day and murmured joyfully:
"A perfect day for base ball and
victory"
All Washington, it seems, from
President Coolidge down to the
tiniest sandlot enthu 3iast, crowded
into the Griffith Stadium this afternoon
when the league leading Grinmen
flushed with their victories of the pas,
month and still working with machine
like precision, faced the Philadelphia
Athletics in a twin bill.
The ball park was made to seat
10000 persons Another 10000 can
be accommodated in safety along the
side lines on the field and still another
5000 may be squeezed into the aisles
and rear promenades of the grand
stand. Arrangements were made
to utilize all of these spaces. and il
the managements prediction tha,
$4,000 persons will witness the con-
test proves true, it will be the great
est gathering that ever saw an ath.
letic contest in the National Capital
Virtually every reserved seat had
been s5ld by last night. and before
noon today it was announced that the
entire quota of 10000 grandstand and
bleacher seats was then in the hands
Of the fans. Eager purchasers were
already begging. for the standing
room privileges of the field and the
aisles. and there was every reason
+ believe that a new record would
be set for attendance at the park.
Line Up for Blocks.
The box office at the ball park was
sold out yesterday, and half an hour
before either the Hecht Company or A.
G. Spalding's opened there were half
dozen persons waiting to get the
best seats obtainable at those places.
Before 10 o'clock the lines were a
block long and policemen were called
upon to preserve order.
Parade at Park.
Just before the gong called the Ath-
letics out to the diamond for their
appropriate ceremonies of well
come in honor of the Nationals.
Headed by the Navy Band, several
thousand paraded into the park,
before the Grinmen's dugout. sere-
The scene of greatest activity this
morning was beneath the grand
stands, where the dog sandwiches,
peanuts. popcorn and cool drinks
with which the fans refresh them
selves are stored. Fifty men were
busy piling up reserve supplies. and
Griffith Stadium is likely to become
the worlds leading hot-dog and
coke emporium of the -ast for to-
day, anyhow.
Greeted mt Union Station.
The Nationals arrived in Washing
ton last night and were met at Union
station by 5000 cheering fans So
dense was the crowd that the station
authorities were obliged to permit
hundreds of persons to crowd out on
the platform in the train shed. The
others, under careful police direction,
formed aisles from the train to the
streets, where friends or relatives
were waiting with automobiles for
the members of the team.
When Bucky Harris was warned,
while his train stopped for a minute
in Baltimore, that a tremendous re-
ception committee was gathering at
Union station, he became worried that
his men would be carried off to a
celebration and lose a much-needed
nights sleep.
To forestall this he arranged that
he and one or two should go out first
and the others following were to
hurry out. through the back of the
crowd to automobiles.
But the throng had outthought
Bucky, and when the players arrived.
there was no more chance of a single
one lodging into the mass than there
was of him flying over the concourse
roof. All had to walk down that
aisle. banked by hand waving,
cheering, enthusiastic mass OF jubflant
fans