The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-08-15
'''''''" TodayS "'''''''
Sports Parade
BY HENRY McLEMORE

ny I1EN1tI 1CAEUOhE
Omitted Press STAFF Correspondent
Cleveland, O., Aug. 15.-(UP)-
One week ago in Grant Park, Chi
cago, 1 played my first game of
soft ball. When the miseries get
out Of my back, the kinks and
knots out of my arms, and the
slight sunstroke out Of my head, 1
hope to play again. Not with the
same team, however, for my team
mates, after seeing me bat like
Dazzy Vance in a slump, field like
Oliver Hardy, and run the bases
like Shanty Hogan, asked waivers
on me.
I suppose I did do miserably,
particularly so for one who was so
sure he could murder that fat ball,
and who couldn't possibly visualize
having an object that big go
through his legs at short stop.
When the captain of our team was
arranging the lineup he asked me
in what position I thought I'd bat
best. Having just caught glimpse
of the opposing pitcher warming
up with a gentle underhand mo-
ton, I had confident, optimistic
answer.
"Put me in number four, that
cleanup slot. I'll guarantee a dou-
BILE or better every time up with
that guy pitching that big ball like
that"
With a nice graciousness to-
wards q stranger, my teammates
old seasoned soft ball players, gave
me the Gehrig spot. Perhaps they
did 1t for laugh.
If they did they got four of
them-one for each time I was at
bat.
Casey, himself, with all Mudville
looking on, could have had no
more arrogant confidence than I
the first time I went up to bat. I
waved the outfielders back. shook
my bat menacingly. It was lucky
that did this, as 1t was my one
menacing gesture Of the day. The
pitcher threw three strikes and !
missed those three strikes by
roughly the distance between Fort
Wayne, Ind, and the ancestral
mansion Of the Cabots in Back
Bay, Boston.
The bail which had looked so fat
and luscious at the start of the
pitchers windup came across the
plate resembling the twin brother
to a sifted English pea. In my
four times at bat I only touched
the ball once Constituting, for me,
q batting streak) and earned me
fne round Of applause. It didn't
go anywhere the time I nlcked it,
but spun crafty in the air after
the manner of a chicken whose
neck has been freshly wrung.
My fielding was what is tech
nically known as "gawdawful." I
had four chances and muffed them
all with sterling precision. Around
me, playing with amazing skill,
were my teammates and foes. They
handled the big bail beautifully,
throwing 1t as swiftly and as ac-
curately as a baseball. It became
apparent to me that soft ball which
had scorned with such fine scorn,
was a game which required a lot
Of playing.
After the game I learned that
low-score games such as 81, 10
Sc, are the rule, and that pitch
ers have learned to put enough
stuff on the ball to enable them tc
pitch two and three hit games. and
even no-hitters. Certainly, thous.
ands and thousands are playing It
In 2,500-mile drive through the
midwest I didn't pass a single park
in a single city which didn't have
one or more soft ball games going
on.
It requires little or no equipment
and very little space. It's rough or
pants, though, and some enterpris-
ing manufacturer of two-pants
suits might do worse than go In
for three-pants suits. They would
have a tremendous vogue with soft
ball players.
Copyright 1885 by United Press)