The Washington times., 1926-05-08
By Babe Ruth

NEW#YOFsIs, May S.-Tlue fellow
who invented cross word puzzles
certainly did ball players q good
turn. Al friend OF mine was over
In philadelphia d few days ago and
called around IT the hotel TO see
me. We were sitting in the lobby
Finally Ne said: I've always
wondered what ball players did dur
Ing their spare time, but I know
now, and he pointed around the
lobby. AT least Il dozen Of the boys
were working cross word puzzles.
/ guess its The same with other
clubs. Connie Mack told me the
other day that half Of his players
would stt UP Tor hours at q time
working them.
It's funny how fads get started on
ball clubs. "A couple Of years ago
all the Athletics had the NAH jongg
lad. They carried 3 lot OF NAH
jOngg sets around with them, and
I've even seen them start q game
In an afternoon between games Of
q doubIe-he
Kid GLEASON was talking about
it , few days ago. Rail players
aren't HE they used to be;" the
Kid said. Twenty years ago the
boys didn't know Or talk anything
but baseball. Nowadays when y0n
travel around with . ball club
you're apt TO hear them discussing
anytIing from politics to the
what they're talking about, too =
Even in the 10 or ~ years I've
been in baseball its easy to see the
change In players. When I broke
into the league there were only .a
few college men playing chaps IKE
Eddie Collins, Eddie Plank, Jack
Coombs. and boys like that. Now Il
guess there's q half dozen college
men on every team in the league.
And don't think they don't help
baseball. either. Even Kid Gleason
admits tl1at-and the Kid is pretty
hard-hOiied, too. It's the college
kids who have taken lot OF the
rough stuff out Of the game and
put a lot more real sport into Ii.
It's the college kids who have been
responsible for cutting out the
kicking ana the grabbing and the
dirty play. And they've made the
game sl1artef, too.
"a lot Of old timers stfll say that
college men aHe dumb ban play.
efs. That's the bunk. No one,
would call Eddie Collins dumb: I,
iW6uld they? Or Max Carey or
Muddy Ruel or Joe Dugan. or.
Pep Young or Pete DOnOhue?s
:. Not exactly. Or George SIsIer,
either. Jack COOmbs was a.
So was Eddie Plank. And Christy
MathewsoM They were all col-f
Iege nen.i
4 Ball players have changed all
right and for the better. And col.
lege men, have helped to do lit. we
got to- talking about it in the club.
house the other day, and Just to
prove their point the boys made up
a ball club. Here 1t is: w 1.l
Mickey CQchrane and Muddy RuelS
.catchers: Wally Pipp, George Sisler
and Lou Gehrig. first base; Eddie
Collins and frankie Frisch, second
base; Travis jackson and Joe SeweIl.
shortstqp; Joe Dugan, third base:
Max Carey, Earl Combs, Bib FaIk
Ross Young, outfieIders: pete nono' s sn'
hue, Eppa Rixey. Ted Lyons. Art
Nehf, Bob McGraw, Curley Ogden.
Dutch Ruethef, Ernie winpa "a
Garland Buckeye, Vic Aldridra
Walter Miller Slim Harriss, pitchers.
That's a pretty good outfit and
one that would win a pennant IN
most any league. And every one
Of them college men, too. IT
I never went to college. 7 didn't
have q chance. But believe me sT.nn
not kidding myself for q. Minute
about the part college men play n
big league baseball. They're the
goods. And when anyone \ tries.,.to
tell you that college men are dumb
ball players, just give them the
laugh. It's the bunk.
~s4 tCopyright, 1926. by the Christy
Walsh syndicatsJ