The Washington times., 1929-05-22
Tells
Of SMART
LINES
By Babe Ruth

NEW YORK, May 22.-
Recently we were playing the
Athletics, and before the game
the fellows were sitting on the
bench while the AS took hit
fif practice, watching the
pa sEiee, and kidding the "a"
hitters as they came up to
bat.
Players on opposing teams say a
lot Of pretty mean things to each
other before and during the ball
game--and half the time they don't
really mean what they say. But it
seems to be just part Of the
game. "Jockeying'' we call it, and
believe me there are some fellows
in our league who are pretty fair
jockeys.
We've got two on our club in
Benny Pascha1 and Leo Durocher.
Walter French, Of the Athletics, is
another one. Mflt CASTOR, of the
Red Sox, has a pretty nimble
tongue when it comes TO lashing
into opposing players. too, and Bill
lings, the Detroit pitcher, was a
bear cat. SO Is Oscar MelllIO, of
the Browns.
Now and then some OF those
fellows pull some funny lines,
too. The funniest one ever
heard think, was one that
Leo DurOcher pulled on Bob
FOthergill, Of the Tigers. Bob,
you know, is pretty fat and one
day when he was coming To bat
In q close game Leo called for
time and walked over to the
umpire.
"One of you fellows IL out" he
yelled at the umpire.
What do you mean." the umpire
asked.
why one of those hitters," Leo
yelled back, pointing to FothergiH.
You can't have two men up there
at the plate at once"
Joe Dugan was another guy who
had a pretty flip tongue. Joe's
world series classic was peach.
1t was against the Giants in 1928.
Jack Scott was pitching for the
Giants and going great. Joe came
up to bat in a tough spot, with run
ners on and the ball game hanging
In the balance.
Scott had one strike on him
when Joe stepped out Of the
batter's box. The umpire called
time, and then, 80 loud tha& Ii
could be heard from both
benches, Joe yelled 10 Scott:
"Hey, ScOtty, pink pack your
ears: YOu look like . loving
cup"
One of the newspaper boys who
was listening to the chatter on the
bench on day, asked me how much
good 'tjockeying" did in a game.
That's a hard question. A lot OF it,
of course, is useless. Older players
for the most part don't even hear
half the things that are yelled at
them. But there are some fellows
who will go completely to pieces II
they are being razZed-and those
are the fellows that the boys arc
always ''on.''
II you can get some opposing
player sore-if you can get him
seeing red so he wants to fight.
then he's not much good In a ball
game, and that's the big idea. I've
seen fellows get so sore out there
on the field that between innings
they'd come over and challenge
every man on the opposing bench
OF course, that's duck.soup for the
boys and from that time on they'll
do some plain and fancy jockeying.
I've been pretty sore myself
sometimes. I don't mind saying
that the Giants once had me so
sore i'm q world series that i !
was ready to do murder, and
Once last season we had Howard
Ehmke so peeved he didn't know
whether he was playing baseball
or pingpOng.
For the most part though / don't
think "jockeying" does much good
except to keep the boys popped up
and keep UP interest in the ball
game. It's just part of the game
like batting practice. Players have
been doing it ever since the game
was started. and they always will,
guess.
After all, baseball wouldn't be half
so good a game II players were like
golfers, and went through the game
without ever making q sound or
saying q word to other players
when they were at bat or In the
field.
(COpyriRht. 1879. by the Chrlsty
walsh SymdicAtel
AL Foreman Suspended