Evening star., 1933-04-26
Boxing, Wrestling and Other Games

OUAluS, WIcSIlluS anu OtHcI OdmcS
The high officials of organized base
ball will probably not Concern them
selves with anything, in connection with
yesterdays enjoyable fracas at the ball
park, except fixing the strict penalties
for those guilty of breach of discipline
on the playing field. While the spec
tators relish occasional boxing, kicking,
hair-pulling and wrestling among the
players, such incidents relieving the
tedium of existence in an effete civiliza-
tion, these departures from routine. OF
course, cannot be condoned by the i'm
portant gentlemen who rule the world
of organized base ball. Poor Mr.. Buddy
Myer and poor Mr.. Ben Chapman are
in for it and no doubt will rue the day
they allowed themselves to 60 native,
transmitting primeval instincts to half
a hundred other players and several
hundred impassioned spectators.
The events leading up to the tragedy,
however, are easily explainable. The
paths of glory lead past second base
to third and on toward home. 1t has
been Mr. Chapman's privilege to tread
those paths with amazing frequency
and speed and to become one Of the
best base stealers in the business. 1t
has also been Mr.. Myers responsibility
to prevent Mr.. Chapman from treading
those paths past second base. Several
times in the past Mr.. Myers faithful
performance of civic duty and profess
sional tasks has been interrupted by
the hurtling figure of Mr.. Chapman.
It began to appear, to MIR. Myer, that
every time he was poised for a quick
throw to first base to complete double
play that Chapman fellow would come
sliding along and break it up with his
spikes, his legs and his arms. The
thing got to point where it was more
than Mr.. Myers nerves could stand. In
the fourth inning of yesterdays game
the breaking point came. One of the
most human and natural reactions to
stress and strain publicly demonstrated
for many long day was Mr.. Myers
swift kicking at the PROSTATE form of
Mr.. Ben Chapman yesterday, after Mr..
Chapman's successful interference with
Mr.. Myers throw to first.
The duty of base runner is to in
terfere with the throw Of a second base
man and avert double play. But there
are legal and illegal ways of interfer-
ence. The umpire on the bases yester-
day, Mr.. Geisel. unfortunately, turned
toward first when Mr.. Chapman upset
Mr.. Myer. He could not have seen
whether the interference was legal or
illegal. That matter will doubtless be
disputed for generations to come. Mr.
Myer will be something of hero in
Washington, Mr.. Chapman will be
something Of a hero in New York, and
the next meeting Of the teams will be
marked by large attendance For the
good of the game, it is hoped that the
last of the bad blood" between the
Senators and the Yankees has been
spilled.
AS for the aftermath of the encounter
between Messrs. Myer and Chapman
yesterday, in which several players of
the two teams became engaged in
battle royal with lively participation
by spectators and police, no such melee
should ever again disgrace the playing
field of the national sport here or else
where. As extra added attraction"
as was once the phrase in vaudeville, it
was highly diverting. but it was not
base ball, and after all the public sup
ports the game for the sake of the
sport itself and not for the spectacle of
bloodshed.