The Washington times., 1930-06-28
GOOD SPIRITS
PREVAIL OFF
DIAMOND
BY BABE RUTH

NEW YORK CITY, June 2S.
''Why is it," writes fan from
Brooklyn, "that players on rival
clubs, fighting for the pennant,
can hob-nob together when the
two teams meet?"
The answer to that one, so TAR
as am concerned is, why not?"
Don't misun de stand me.
There's plenty of rivalry between
big league ball clubs and out there
on the playing field there are
plenty of harsh things said, plenty
of displays of real temper and feel
ing between the players on the
rival ball clubs.
But when the game is over you'll
frequently see the rival players
leaving the clubhouse together;
you'll see them chatting together
and swapping jokes and one thing
and another. And to my mind
that's the greatest proof OF real
craftsmanship baseball has.
When players can learn to
battle each other to the finish
on the field; when they can
learn to take their wallOpingS
as they come and keep fight
ing; when they can argue and
fight for every point during
the game-and then forget
petty arguments and remain
friends after the game is over
think real SpOrtsmanShip is
proved beyond question.
Naturally there are feudS that
develop between players in base
ball just as there are feudS in
ice hockey, or football, or other
sports. Bob Meusel and Bert
Cole conducted one for several
seasons and so far as I know,
never did re-establish any friend.
ship.
Tony Lazzeri and Howard
Ehmke have had feud on that
dates back to that crucial Ath-
letic- Yankee series in 1928. And
when they meet there is no hand
shaking and no swapping yarns.
But these are rare exceptions. For
the most part the big league ball
players cf today have learned to
take the breaks as they come; to
do their fighting out there where
fighting counts, and then forget
the battles when they're fullShed.
After all there's no reason Why
rival players shouldn't be friends
the same as rivals in other busl-
ness. Just because lawyers are
on opposite sides Of case You
don't expect them to battle every
time they meet. Rival bankers
sit down to lunch together, play
golf together and live in peace
and harmony. Baseball, you know,
is business.
Baseball players are bust
ness men practicing their own
profession and there's no rea-
son why they should be con-
stantly cunning for each
other out Of business hours.
The type Of players has changed
a lot in the last 10 or Is years.
The old rough and ready element
has disappeared from baseball.
and the fellows who play the
game today are high type cltl-
zen. That's partly the college
influence. We laugh about col
legians in baseball but those boys
have left a definite stamp on the
game. They've brought their own
high ideals, into it and they've
given the other fellows a practi-
cal lessen in conduct and be-
havior.
Some oldtimers pine for re-
turn to the old days-but per-
sonally I'm just as well satisfied
with the new game where women
can come to the ball park and
enjoy baseball; the game that is
played fairly and squarely with
out pickering and argument and
hatred. It certainly is d better
game for the kids than it used
to be. There certainly are a
higher. type of people coming out
to the games. Players attitudes
have changed toward the game
and toward each other.
So I'm willing to take it as it
is today and forget the old fight
ing days that the oldtimers write
about. Understand that's just
my personal opinion.
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Golfer Completes ia
HoToo :n 1O HnY1re