davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1945-10-07
BY John Clagett Proctor

1y ooAAAA SiaSCOO lOIOO1
Old st. Mary's Church of the Mother
of God, the German Catholic Church
Of Washington, and one of the out
standing religious institutions of the
Capital City, Is celebrating today its CEN
tennial anniversary at the church edi-
fice on Fifth street between G and H
streets.
Originally devoted almost exclusively
to the worship of the German Catholics
of the District, it received its first i'm
petus when Gen. John P. Van Ness gave
to Rev. Father Chackert a lot at the
Fifth street site measuring 40 feet front
and 176 feet deep, with the condition
that within year a church out of
brick or stone 40 feet in front and not
less than so or 65 feet deep shall be
built upon it, and that divine services
shall be held in it regularly" And Gen.
Van Ness further stipulated that, IF
this condition is not fulfilled the lot
shall revert to him and his heirs"
AS We look back today and see things
as they existed a hundred years ago,
we cannot help but feel that the rev.
erend father took quite a long chance
in accepting this gift with the conditions
prescribed, for at that time there were
but a comparatively few German Cath
olic families residing in the District of
Columbia. But the bargain, which was
at first orally entered into, was soon
afterward formally accepted by both
parties, and Father Chackert even
bought additional ground in the same
square, on Fifth street, to demonstrate
his faith in promoting the church
project.
Sister Gertrude
Gen. Van Ness was not Catholic, for
both he and Mrs. Van Ness were COM
municants of st. Johns Episcopal
Church on Lafayette Square, but both
gave freely to charities and church sites
of various denominations. There was,
however, some indirect connection with
Mrs. Van Ness who died in 1882, and
the Catholic church, for Marcia Burnes
Van Ness cousin, Ann Gertrude Wight.
became a nun in the convent of the
Sisters of Visitation in Georgetown and
was known IS Sister Gertrude.
After the negotiations for the church
site had been concluded the Rev. Ma
thias Alig was appointed by Archbishop
Eecleston as pastor of St. Mary's, and
he Immediately came to Washington to
build the church and Father Chackert
was transferred elsewhere.
At first house on Eighth street be-
tween L and M was rented from Mrs
Eva Rupert, according to the church
record, and the second floor was con-
verted into a chapel.
Wooden benches were put in, side
wall taken out and an altar erected.
But the house was small. 1t had only
two floors. However, in this house or
chapel the Rev. Alig held divine services
from January to October, 1846, when the
Fifth street church was completed The
church with tower and rectory cost close
to $45 600.
Back in 1881, when the writer first
mentioned this church in The Star he
had the pleasure of meeting the late
Rev. Charles J. Trinkaus, a most
Evening star., 1945-10-07
By Lewis F. Atchison.

There was time, not so long ago,
when Griffith Stadium of an autumn
afternoon would be partially filled with
a few thousand dyed-in- wool football
fans indolently watching two inexpert
and usually out of condition sephiprc
football teams shove one another up and
down the field.
Life was pleasant and good Repub-
licans hurled taunts at Democrats fans
heckled the officials-who heckled back;
Rob Roy Mackey local character who
had acquired fame wrestling moth
eaten, toothless brown bear In the
gaslit days of the mat game, billowed
up and down the sideline In his great
coat with fur collar, greeting most of
the spectators by their first names, ex-
planning what allied his team and pre-
dieting dire fate, for the opposition.
In the box Office the two ticket sellers
scratched their balding pates and won-
dered If the gate" would add up to
$500 to 81 500. Ticket sales were apa-
thetic. One always could buy a seat
for the grandstand never filled and
many spectators preferred to sit in
circus bleachers that lined one side of
the field. moving along the l00-yard
stretch of pock-marked turf following
the game play by play. The only
music" was the raucas cry of hot dog
vendors peddling cold wares. There
was no entertainment and ladies were
conspicuous by their absence.
The Scene Shifts
Move the calendar forward few years
and shift the scene to Boston, where a
big, broad-shouldered guy with keen
sense of showmanship and fair for the
unusual found himself struggling with
a losing football team. This starch
shirted citadel of American scholarship,
faced with the choice of taking or leav-
Evening star., 1945-10-07

The Federal Bridge League got into
full swing for the first time this season
in its team-o of -four series at Wardman
Park Hotel Tuesday evening, with all
of its registered foursomes participating
in four sections. The Jeeps and Vic
tory teams tied, making a pickup of
four and one-half boards. each win
ming II out of "a boards and thereby
forging close to the Smith-Keen four
some, who remain leaders by a narrow
margin. The Jeeps at the end of the
session were only one-half board be-
hind them and the Victory team only
one board
In the second section the Coasters
won 141a out of "a boards. This is
the strong Hamlin- -Athey combination.
In the third section the Eight Spots,
playing for the first time as an or
ganization, captured is out of "a boards
while, in the fourth section, the Sue
cess team, another new foursome, won
1914 out of 20 boards
For the six months ending Septem-
Der 27, the cumulative average of the
Thursday night bridge players at the
Capital City Chess Club shows Mrs. w.
S. Athey in the lead with percentage
of $3.50 and Nine. Marie Boschan Sec
ond with SCOT
For the William S. Sullivan Me-
mortal awards at the end of the third
quarter of 1945, Arthur E. Lanes score
is .5307. while W. r. Garrett is second
with .5291. The Saturday night point
awards for the third quarter ending
September 20 gave James G. Stone II
points and Miller Roberts 611a.
The Women's Auxiliary of the Wash
ington Bridge League recently received
a report from Mrs. Dora Schwartz show
ing that so new decks of cards and a
book on bridge we're purchased and sent
to boys in military service in the Far
East. They were received by DR.. A.
Richwine, former Washington player.
who entertained his comrades by read
ing the volume to them. Another re-
port showed the auxiliary contributed
$25 to the War Community Fund.
After the business session there was a
10-table bridge game in which Mrs
Breckenridge Long and Mrs. Harold
Young tied with Mrs. Jack Bennett
auxiliary president. and Mrs. Rose Rob-
Evening star., 1945-10-07

were gathered at the house of John
George Eichhorn, the father of Rudolph
Eichhorn, half dozen men, the heads
of German Catholic families, who, had
met to devise means for having religious
services of their own. And here it was
decided, II possible, to have a Redemp-
torist father from Baltimore come over
and celebrate mass and preach to the
German Catholics, with view eventual
ly to organize church. Accordingly, a
committee went to Baltimore and secured
a promise from Rev. Father Peters. a
priest of that order, that he would come
over to Washington once a month for
an indefinite period, and for about two
years following mass was said and a
sermon preached in German on the
fourth Sunday of each month in ST.
Peters Church of this city. However,
the use of the German language in st.
Mary's Church was discontinued a
number of years.ago.
In connection with the laying of the
cornerstone OF the present church, which
took place on July 27, 1890, according to
The Evening Star, Bishop A. A. Curtis
officiated and preached the English
sermon, while the sermon in German
was preached by Rev. R. Preiss, and The
Star further states that:
With imposing ceremonies and in the
presence of a great concourSe of people,
the cornerstone of the new church
edifice of st. Mary parish was laid yes
terday afternoon. The location of the
new church building, on Fifth street,
between G and H streets NV, was the
central point about which the people
began to gather long before the hour
assigned for the ceremony covered
platform was erected over the founda-
ton in the front portion of the building,
and this was occupied by the clergy and
laity who had been invited to witness
the ceremonies. At o'clock procession
was formed at Scott Circle of the
Catholic Societies of the city
Under the direction of the chief
marshal. J. H. Buscher, and to the
music of the brass bands, the line of
the parade moved over the route in the
order which has been printed in The
Evening Star, The fine appearance of
the marching columns. which comprised
some 1900 or 1500 men, was commented
upon by the spectators who assembled
along the route to witness the display.
When the procession drew near the
churchsite the clergy, attended by
acolytes, came out from the adjoining
residence of the pastor, Father Glaab,
and proceeded to the platform. The
clergy present were as follows: The Very
Rev. P. Cooney, the Rev. James O'Brien,
the Rev. P. Choevanice, the Rev. F.
Bishop, the Rev. S. T. Ryan. the Rev
O'Connell: the following, assistants to
Continued on Page CD
Evening star., 1945-10-07

German. At st. Mary's Church, the
adjoining school buildings, and some of
the residences of Father Alig's parish
toner's in the neighborhood of the
church were draped in mourning today"
Funeral Services
At the funeral Schmjd's Requiem
Mass" was sung, St. Mary's choir, in
cluding Mr. Neff, director, and Mrs.
Schwakoff, organist being assisted by
the following members of st. Patrick's
choir, Misses Kate Burrows, A. GER,
Kate Nef, Tillie Bauer, L. Smith and
C. Degen, sopranos; Misses Lulu Boone
Evening star., 1945-10-07
Centennial of St. Mary's Catholic Church

passed along Pennsylvania avenue we
noticed
81. The German Band.
%. The German Beneficial Society.
two and two, wearing white rosettes and
bearing handsome banner with a rep
resentation of the Merciful Samaritan.
3. The German Male and Female
Sodality; the males wearing red sashes,
the females dressed in white with
Wreaths of flowers on their heads, pre-
ceded by their pastor, Rev M Alig.
a. The Washington Benevolent So
ciety, two and two, bearing their hand
Evening star., 1945-10-07
We're the Flatbush of Football Now!

onrush of family groups that included
grandma Everybody had to see the
Redskins play
Jesse Jones, then head of the powerful
Reconstruction Finance Corp, was
drafted to throw out the first ball each
season. j. Edgar Hoover, chief of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation was
another regular. Congressman were
dime a dozen and to list them all would
require the Congressional Directory.
Truman a Redskin Fan
Since Taft began the custom of tossing
out the first ball inaugurating the base
ball season, Washington has seen sew
eral Presidents who were diamond fans
Of varying enthusiasm But when Foot
ball Commissioner Elmer Layden and
Marshall called on President Truman
and presented him with a season pass
he confessed he had been a Redskin fan
Truman eventually may be listed as the
first White House tenant to follow pro
football regularly.
For all its big business atmosphere
the Redskins Office still operates pretty
much like a crossroads general store
with General Manager Sid Carroll in
the middle. He started as assistant
publicity man. Chief ticket seller, John
Thompson, played cornet in the band
before going behind the counter.
He Carried the Drum
Johns brother Herb, jolly 300
FOUNDER. began going to Redskin games
on the front end of bass drum His
musical ability was limited to whistling
a few offkey chords but he had to see
the Redskins play and so climbed down
off milk wagon and took a good, firm
hold on the drum. Now he is band
president, assistant ticket seller, prop
boy for the halftime show, leading char
Evening star., 1945-10-07

youngsters are awaiting st. Nick's tra-
ditional visit: This is his own idea, not
part of the Redskin script, but he gets
bang out of it.
The Redskin Band
There was a time when the United
States Marine Band was the big noise
in Washington band circles, but the
Redskins 110-piece outfit, colorfully
garbed in glittering Hollywood Indian
suits, now seems to be No l. John De
Andelet, leathery old Marine, took the
remnant OF the original dairy band and
built it into flrst-rate marching out
Mt. The Redskin Band is as much of an
attraction at home as the football
team, and its reputation is increasing
in double time on the road
Another reason for the bands success
could be Marshall's presence at all re-
hearsals. He'll tramp up and down
the field by the hour working out a
new formation, and sportswriters kid
him about being coach of the band as
well as chairman of the coaching board
VI otldtCSy. nc IDS udllCcQ on LQe
field to get over an idea for Barnee's
and will moo into the mike for the
same reason.
It's Big League
Marshall demands perfection in
everything from the execution of an
off-tackle plunge by halfback to the
left face of marching piccolo player
and this insistence has paid of. You'll
hear complaints about the Washington
baseball club from time to time, and
some justified, but in the Redskins the
customers feel they have a real big
league attraction.
And don't any one tell you "the boss"
doesn't know anything about football.
Maybe he didn't when Turk Edwards
brought the first load of material to
Evening star., 1945-10-07

ing pro football suoically left it-quite
alone. The big guy, who more than
once had charged bravely onto the stage
of old Polls Theater armed with
quivering spear and wearing the garb
of a Roman soldier. found himself
brawling with Boston sports writer's
The atmosphere was thick with epithets.
written and spoken.
George Preston Marshall made his
decision in the waning stages of thc
1886 National Football League cham
pionship race. He would bring his
Boston Redskins to Washington, set up
the wigwam at Griffith Stadium and
hope for change in circumstances
Time took it on the lam again. Japan
chewed off hunk of Manchuria it later
found indigestable Hitler and MuSsolini
clanked sabers and gave the world a new
version of the balcony scene. Gable
wires cracked with diplomatic messages
Ambassadors hustled to and fro in fever
ish haste. Labor and capital were re-
matched in another of their endless
series of bouts. Franklin Delano RooSe-
velt was returned to the White House
third time in a history making cleo
ton and prosperity, after a couple of
false starts, turned the corner.
The Going Gets Good
In Washington. diplomatic nerve
center of jittery world, on an autumn
Sunday afternoon turnstiles clattered
merrily as crowds surged into Griffith
Stadium. The circus seats had given
way to portable bleachers. couple of
ticket sellers in the boxoffice monoto-
nously repeated, "All sold out-all sold
out and scratched their bald pates
Every vestige of normalcy in this almost
pastoral political setting seemingly had
vanished. Instead of Republicans and
Democrats the lines were drawn between
ticket holders and those less fortunate
Potomac, the Flatbush of Football
Week days and nights the big guy
marshalled (no pun intended) his forces
for continued assault on the city
Sabbath lethargy. With pencil and
paper he carefully drafted his plans. He
began with winning football team
worlds champions its first year in the
city, nodded around the tall, wiry frame
of Slingin' Sammy Baugh. He found a
dairy company band willing to supply
martial music for the games and arrayed
its members in dull, brown Indian cos
tunes with single feather for head
dress. Then he discovered it wasn't
enough.
Evening star., 1945-10-07
With the Bridge Players
By Frank B. Lord

ins for :, North and South,
while Mrs. ~ - Stephan and Mrs. Luz
celle Sloburne were first, East and West.
The Eastern Pennsylvania Contract
Bridge Tournament is concluding its
18th annual meet this afternoon at
Reading. 1t is the first regional bridge
event to be held in Pennsylvania since
the close of the war. Several Washing
ton players are in attendance.
One who signs herself "Edythe," de-
clining to use her full name lest some
of her friends should laugh at her ignor-
ance, writes: Il am a bridge beginner.
otherwise 1 would not be asking this
question. What is the rule of eleven?
Please give an example of its use
The rule of eleven is a mathematical
calculation employed exclusively in
bridge to determine the location of cer-
tain high cards 1t is based upon the
assumption that the opening lead is the
fourth highest of the leaders best suit.
This is the way to work 1t: When
your partner opens spot card. subtract
its denomination from IL. If he is lead
ing his fourth best, the remainder will
be the number of cards higher than his
lead that are held in the three other
hands-the dummy, yours and the de-
clarers. If you can see all of them in
dummy and your own hand, you will
know that the declarer cannot win the
trick with card of the same suit. II
one is missing, you will know that the
declarer holds it and you should play a
card sufficiently high to force him to use
1t if he is to win the trick
Here is an example. The contract Is
no-trump and your partner leads the
six of hearts. The dummy holds queen,
ten and five of the suit and you have the
king, nine and seven. Subtract from
IL; this gives the number of cards of
the suit outside the dealers hand. You
can see two of them in dummy and you
have the three others. Therefore your
partner has three higher than the six
and your seven will hold the trick for
the declarer has none higher. Your
partner has shown that he has led from
the ace, jack, eight and six, the six
being his fourth best.
The rule is especially valuable in no-
trump where the leader Is on the spot.
1t was originated by r. F. Foster who
was also one Of the first players to ad-
vocate contract In place Of auction
bridge.
Evening star., 1945-10-07

and Kate Bishop, altos: Messrs. Fennel,
Bause, Rupert, Jordan and Schwakoff,
tenors, and Messrs. Boswell. Neff,
Treanor, A. Nef and A. Schwakoff,
BASES.
The active pallbearers were N. Happ,
Mr. Menke. Bernard Geier, R. Eichorn,
Philip May and George Bergling.
The interment was in St Mary's Ger
man Catholic Cemetery, near Glenwood
Cemetery, and which formerly had been
located at o street between North Cap
itol and Third streets NV.
An idea as to the enthusiasm of the
Evening star., 1945-10-07

Boston in a rickety old bus from Chi
cago to begin operations, but Marshall
lives, eats and sleeps football and knows
his stuff
Probably the only phase of operation
that hasn't grown up with the club is
the clubhouse staff of Frankie Baxter,
brother Fred Baxter-currently in the
Navy-Maurice Enright and Harry Mil
ler Miller now handles the work Of
looking after Redskin equipment, but
all have had hand in it and all started
with the baseball team.
Green Bay may boast that it Is
strictly a community team and Barnum
and Bailey may have advertised 'the
greatest show on earth.' but Redskin
fans believe their muscular favorites
have them both topped.
Evening star., 1945-10-07

acter in certain skits and still an in
durable fan.
The Sunday preceding the last presi-
Dental election Herb portrayed the
character of "Wintergreen" in a satri-
cal political parade. A model pork
barrel politico. supported by squad OF
''wardheelers" he paraded around the
field in high silk hat, swallowtail coat.
pin-striped trousers, spats and carna-
ton.
Party workers" carried banners pro-
claiming such campaign slogans as
Free Beer" mo Taxes, No Love, No
Nothin'"
At Christmas Herb puts on the whisk-
ers, red fannels and black boots of his
Santa Claus rigging and visits the
homes of all Redskin families where
Evening star., 1945-10-07

ReD. charles l.. BOehnler,
present pastor OF st. MaryS
Church.
gracious and magnetic man, the kind
that makes a stranger feel perfectly
welcome and at home. From him the
picture of old ST. Msrys and of Father
Alig were obtained, and the writer was
shown some of the church relics, in
cluding the trowel with which the cor
nerstone of the original church was laid
and which was labeled as follows:
This trowel was used
by
The Most Rev. Samuel Eccleston
Archbishop of Baltimore
The cornerstone laying of
The Old st. Mary's German
Catholic Church
: Washington, D. C.
The Feast of the Annunciation
of the
Blessed Virgin Mary
March 25, 1886"
The same trowel was also used on
July 27, 1890, in laying the cornerstone
of the new st. Mary's Church and later,
on November 4, 1907, in laying the cor
nerstone of st. Marys School.
Laying the Cornerstone
The writer felt that the laying of the
cornerstone of the first st. Mary's
Church must have been notable event.
and in this thought he was not mis-
taken, for in the National Intelligencer
of March 26, 1846 he found quite an ac-
count of the ceremonies which said:
THE cornerstone of the new church
intended for the use of the German
Catholics under the pastoral care of the
Rev. M. Alig of this city, was laid yes
terday by the Most Rev. Archbishop Ee-
cleston, with appropriate solemnities in
the presence of an immense body of
people, who witnessed the ceremonies.
A very large procession, accompanied by
the German Band, moved along Penn
sylvania avenue, from st. Matthews
Church, passing into Four-and-a-half
street and thence to the site of the
church of st. Mary Mater Del, which is
situated on Fifth street, between G and
H streets. The procession formed at the
German Chapel on Eighth street and
marched thence to ST. Matthews
Church. When the procession arrived
at ST. Matthews there was consider
iable increase of its numbers. AS II
Evening star., 1945-10-07

years before St. Mary's was erected, and
of the limited number then residing here.
one can well judge by reliable state
ment that at that time there we're only
about Is or 20 families in Washington
But they longed for church of their
own. where they could hear sermons in
their own languarge, and so, on a Sunday
afternoon in the summer of 1888. there
Evening star., 1945-10-07
The First Pastor

Rev. Matthias Alig, who was pastor Of
this church for SO years, was naturally
very popular in his parish and generally
beloved throughout the city. The Star
of June 10. 1882, in speaking of his
DEATH said:
Rev. Matthias Alig, pastor of st.
Mary's (Germsn) Catholic Church,
whose death occurred yesterday at 2:15
pm, will be buried Monday morning
in the new Metropolis German Cath
olic) Cemetery. The funeral ceremonies
will take place Monday morning in St.
Marys Church at $50 o'clock when
solemn requiem mass will be celebrated
by Rev. Father J. A. Walter of ST. Pat
rick's Church, assisted by Rev Dr. Ryan
of Immaculate Conception as deacon
and Rev. Father Sullivan of st. Peters
subdeacon. A funeral sermon will be
preached by Rev. Father Slencher of
ST. Joseph's.
Father Alig had been confined to
his home for several months by indis-
position. He was in his 18th year. and
his long life had been very active in
service to the church. He came here
nearly 40 years ago. soon after arriving
in this country from Germany, and his
early struggle to establish st. Mary's
parish seemed to promise nothing but
failure; but he devoted his time and a
comfortable inheritance, which came to
him at an opportune moment, to the
task, and lived to see it one of the most
prosperous parishes in this diocese. He
was greatly beloved by his parishioners.
In his will be leaves the church and
the remainder of his property to ST,
Marys congregation. with provisio that
the sermons shall always be delivered in
Evening star., 1945-10-07

some green silk banner, and each men,
Der wearing a green badge.
IS. The Rev. Messrs. Flanagan and
Ray of Georgetown and Rev. Messrs.
Donelan of Washington and several of
the Baltimore clergy in their clerical
robes
IS. A numerous body of Germans and
citizens walking two and two
When the procession reached the
site of the intended church a lane was
formed from a house on Fifth street to
the corner stone, where the Most Rev
Archbishop Eccleston, in pontifcals
with his attendants, passed along it.
followed by the clergy, the Mayor and
other gentlemen. The cornerstone was
then laid by the archbishop, after which
sermon was delivered in English by
the Rev. J. P. Donelan and another
sermon in German by the Rev Mr.
Haslinger of Baltimore The services
and ceremonies continued for more than
two hours. We understand that the
archbishop and the clergy dined at Mr..
Millers. on the corner of Ninth and F
streets"