Evening star., 1925-10-04

natn snail De given principe
has been established countless
Il times. but never more con-
vincingly than In the matter
Of rewards for base ball players
that have become world series
heroes. Such men receive ample
financial reward for merely participant
ing in the annual base ball classic.
Even the share Of the members of the
losing team is usually sufficiently
large to double the average PLAYER :
salary. But the public ever express
sivA Of it's sentiments. customarily
acclaims it's favorites by further en-
riching them with gifts and presents
in abundance.
The list of things that have been
| given pennant winners is almost with
out limit. In includes everything
| from flowers to automobiles, from
| canes to Liberty bonds, and from such
| utilitarian affairs as watches and cuff
buttons to such useless ornaments as
silver bats and golden balls.
In many instances the testimonials
| have been an entire surprise to the
person receiving them. while. on the
| other hand. 1t is not infrequent for the
| honored player to know Of the gift he
Is to receive weeks in advance. Usually
! the bestowal IS made by some person
OF note whose carefully prepared ad
dress is unheard among the cheers of
the fans. the congratulations of the
recipients comrades and the direc
| tiOns OF the camcrsmen taking photo.
graphs of the event.
Ever since their invention. auto
| mobiles have been among the most
popular presents for base ball
| luminaries. A partial list of those
who have received machines includes
| iris Speaker. now manager of the
Cleveland Indians: Larry Doyle, former
captain Of the New York Giants: Jake
Stahl. manager of the Boston Red
| Sox. who captured the championship
OF the world in 1912; Johnny Evers
captain of the 1914 Boston Braves;
for Cleveland: Walter Johnson. Wash
ington's premier pitcher for nearly
two decades, and Roger Peckinpaugh,
the Capital City's star short stop.
Most OF these cars were gifts from
the fans. but Doyle and Evers won
theirs for being rated the most
| valuable players to their respective
teams in the National League.
iris Speaker has received two ma
chimes. In 1912. as a member Of the
Boston Red Sox, he was presented
in every respect then, but which
would he regarded as relic of
antiquity now. After the presentation
ceremony, about a dozen OF "Spoke's''
teammates piled into the machine and
drove about the field.
A few years later Speaker trans
ferred his allegiance to Cleveland,
where he was made manager of the
nine, and in 1920 piloted his team to
victory in the American League. 1t
was the first time Cleveland had ever
n a a inc wifi ho
suit that the Ohio metropolis for "A
time forgot the sensational presiden-
tial race between the two native
sons" Harding and Cox. and con-
centrated on the correct celebration Of
its highly priced base ball victory.
Prior to the opening of the first
game in Cleveland. Manager Speaker
ceived automobiles. Speakers car
this time was handsome, dark red,
closed model.
There were other presents for the
Cleveland chieftain that day. Among
them was a gold watch from an ad-
mirer who was said to be witnessing
his first big league ball game and
a pair Of platinum and diamond cuff
buttons. James Dunn. president of
the Cleveland Club, likewise received
q similar pair OF cuff buttons.
birthplace, sent him several floral Of
ferings. These, together with all the
other flowers received by the indivi-
dual players of the Cleveland team,
were taken to the vault in Lake
View Cemetery where the body Of
their former teammate. Ray Chap
man, lay. Chapman had been killed
by a ball pitched by Carl Mays a
short time before, and the members
,,s,
ing bands on their sleeves in his
honor throughout the series.
Ball players, like seafaring men, are
noted for their superstitions. One of
the diamond devotees' pet supersti-
tions is that there is enough bad
luck in a floral wreath to sink a
whole club in six inches of water"
vet flowers are one of the favorite
Gifts of the fans. Often the presents
Of this kind are quite distinctive af-
fairs.
Tho Detroit team has long been
known as the Tigers. and when it
won the pennant in 1907 the city gave
its champions a floral tiger at the
first world series game. An Indian
good luck cross Of flowers was also
presented the players at the same
time.
An unusual floral good luck omen
was sent Manager Pat Moran OF the
Cincinnati Reds before the start of
the thrown" 1919 series. 1t con-
sisted of a. box full Of southern sham
rocks or cotton balls from a Ten
nessee supporter.
Washington fans will recall the
unique floral gift made Earl McNeely
at the first game here last year. The
Sacramento, Calf, Chamber of Com:
merce had ordered a huge base ball
! Of white chrysanthemums upon which