Practical English Composition Part 13

(b) a.s.sign work on Sections II and III of this chapter.

_Tuesday_--Program on Section II. Queries.

_Wednesday_--Program on Section III. Oral Composition _Thursday_--Dictation of Models. Written Composition and Reviews.

_Friday_--Dictation of Models. Public Speaking.

VIII. Suggested Reading

Thomas Hughes's _Tom Brown at Rugby_; Homer's _Iliad_, Book XXIII; Virgil's _aeneid_, Book V.

IX. Model II.

NEW YORK, October 9, 1913.--Cornelius McGillicuddy's Murder a.s.sociation, incorporated, convened at the Polo grounds this afternoon, transacted routine business, and adjourned.

On motion of Brother Edward Collins, supported by Brother J.

Franklin Baker, and carried by acclamation, it was voted to resume the task of tearing the hide off the Giants. Messrs.

Collins and Baker were appointed a special committee of two to carry out the work and seven others were a.s.signed to a.s.sist them.

After the meeting refreshments consisting of singles, doubles, triples, and home runs were served; and a good time was had by all, excepting John J. McGraw and his employes and friends numbering upward of 25,000. The latter cla.s.s was unanimous in declaring the Mackmen a bunch of vulgar, common persons who play professional baseball for a living and thus are not ent.i.tled to a.s.sociate with amateurs, such as some of the New York players.

To get to the point of things, Philadelphia had what some of the fans called "one of them afternoons." There is no use trying to describe all the details of this so-called contest, for it is demoralizing to the young to see such things in print. Many criminals have confessed on the scaffold that they got their start watching the Athletics a.s.sault some honest young pitcher who was trying to support his aged mother. They say that, if the Macks can get away with their rough work, anything ought to go.

Eight to two was the score to-day, if anybody cares. We can't just figure out where New York got the two, but it was there on the score board and must have happened. Also there is a well-grounded belief that McGraw has subsidized the scoreboard boy so that he cheats the visitors somewhat. But, anyhow, it is reasonably certain that the Mackmen had plenty, while New York was several shy of the total that would have cheered the heart of Gotham, if indeed Gotham has a heart.

Connie Mack and John J. McGraw each had to do some guessing to-day in the matter of picking a pitcher. Lean Connie picked up the right answer and Fat John did not. There's the whole story.

The Philadelphia boss shook up the names of his young pitchers in a hat, shut his eyes, and drew out the name of Joe Bush.

McGraw, by and with the consent and advice of his entire club, picked Jeff Tesreau. At least it was popularly believed, during and before the game started, that John had given his mound corps a careful slant and chosen Jeff as the best bet. Afterward some of the experts believed that the New York manager, by way of showing a delicate bit of courtesy to a guest, had accorded Connie the privilege of naming New York's gunner. Certainly Tesreau was the best player Philadelphia had and the Athletics were seriously crippled when he retired in the seventh, just after Baker had knocked Doyle's right leg out into the field.

About all that Tesreau had was a fine physique and a mouthful of slippery elm. Almost before the umpires and managers had ceased to chat over the rules, the Macks had lumped three hits, and with a wild heave by Artie Fletcher had scored three runs, which was one more than the Giants got all day. In the next inning some more hammering gave another pair of markers. Then Tesreau settled down and went along fairly well until the seventh. The Athletics had another rush of hits to the outfield in this inning and Otis Crandall came in to finish up the contest, or scandal, whichever you choose to term it. By this time Connie's men were getting hungry for supper, so they made only one tally off Crandall, this coming when Wallie Schang bakered one into the right field stand.

Of course, under such conditions, Joe Bush didn't have a real test. Connie Mack himself, or his crippled batboy, could have pitched the game and won it from the second inning on. Joe just kept slamming them over and, though he had a couple of wild spells that gave the Giants a chance to figure in the game, he always was able to pull himself together before there was any real danger.

n.o.body here had heard much about this Joe Bush previous to to-day. Even the experts, who see all things that are and a lot that aren't, didn't have the dope on him. They had heard of Donie Bush and Anheuser Busch and Bush leaguers, but Joseph was a new one. For the information and guidance of those who may be interested, we furnish the data that he came From the Missoula Club of the Union--or is it Onion--a.s.sociation last fall, and is a right hander.

Bush has the reputation of being almost as speedy as Walter Johnson on his good days and this was one of them. In the early stages of the game he depended almost entirely on his fast ball but later began to unbelt a few curves which had the right sort of a fold to them. Although in a hole with many batters, he pa.s.sed only four and hit one. Great fielding helped him at times, the Macks pulling off a double play in each of three innings in which New York appeared to have something started.

Any child wonder who can come all the way from Missoula to Broadway in one year and win a world's series game is of course ent.i.tled to much credit, but this boy certainly fell into a particularly soft spot. With the Macks' billion dollar infield killing base hits for him and the attack getting him eight runs, he would have had a hard time slipping the game to McGraw if he had sold out before hostilities started. Bush permitted the Giants, who were commonly reported to be moaning for the gore of Mack's youngsters, just five hits. Two of these were bunched in one inning and resulted in one of the runs. The others straggled through.[5]

[5] Reprinted by permission of the author, Mr. G. A. Batchelor, of the _Detroit Free Press_.

_The Score_

PHILADELPHIA AB R H TB BB SH SB PO A E

E. Murphy, r.f. 5 1 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 Oldring, l.f. 5 3 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 Collins, 2b. 5 2 3 5 0 0 1 5 4 0 Baker, 3b. 4 1 2 2 0 0 1 3 1 0 McInnis, 1b. 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 Strunk, c.f. 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Barry, s.s. 4 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 3 0 Schang, c. 4 1 1 4 0 0 0 5 2 1 Bush, p. 4 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 ----------------------------- Total 39 8 12 17 0 0 3 27 11 1

NEW YORK AB R H TB BB SH SB PO A E

Herzog, 3b. 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Doyle, 2b. 4 0 1 1 0 0 0 5 1 0 Fletcher, s.s. 2 0 1 1 1 0 1 2 2 1 Burns, l.f. 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 Shafer, c.f. 3 1 1 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 Murray, r.f. 3 1 1 1 1 0 1 4 0 0 McLean, c. 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 3 1 0 Wilson, c. 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Merkle, 1b. 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 Wiltse, 1b. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Tesreau, p. 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Crandall, p. 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 [A]Cooper 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 ----------------------------- Total 29 2 5 6 4 0 3 27 6 1

[A] Ran for McLean in fifth.

Philadelphia 3 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 0--8 New York 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0--2

Two-base hit--Shafer. Three-base hit--Collins. Home run--Schang.

Struck out--by Tesreau, 3; by Crandall, 1; by Bush, 3. Double plays--Collins-Barry; Bush-Barry-McInnis; Doyle (una.s.sisted); Schang-Collins. Time--2:11. Umpires--Rigler at plate, Connolly on bases, Klem and Egan in field.

X. Exercises

1. In this report we have a good example of baseball reporting as a literary art. The writer, Mr. E. A. Batchelor, of the _Detroit Free Press_, uses metaphor and ant.i.thesis with effect. The framework, as is usual in good comic writing, is excellent.

Observe it:

1. Four W's--Par. 1.

2. Business Meeting--Par. 2.

3. Refreshments--Pars. 3-12, inclusive.

What New York suffered--Par. 3.

What Philadelphia did--Par. 4.

The Score--Par. 5.

The Pitchers--Pars. 6-10.

Their Choice--Par. 6.

What New York's didn't do--Pars. 7-8.

Joe Bush--Pars. 9-12.

2. _Use of Metaphor._ (a) a.n.a.lyze the metaphor in "Murder a.s.sociation." (b) Point out the words in the first three paragraphs that serve to sustain and amplify the comparison.

(c) Explain the metaphors that lurk in "rush of hits to the outfield," "bakered," "unbelt," "in a hole," "straggled through."

3. _Ant.i.thesis._ In Par. 3 the first sentence contains a fine contrast, "A good time was had by all, excepting," etc., "all"

including fewer persons than there are in the group excepted. It is an old but good trick. In the same paragraph note also the contrast between professionals and amateurs. The rest of the story contains at least a half-dozen ant.i.theses in addition to those already mentioned. Find them.

4. _Topics for short expository speeches_: Cornelius McGillicuddy; J. Franklin Baker; the Giants; John J. McGraw; The Spelling of the Word "Athletics"; How Baseball is Played; Gotham; Joe Bush; Jeff Tesreau; Doyle; A Mouthful of Slippery Elm; Otis Crandall; Wallie Schang; Donie Bush; Missoula; Curves; Broadway; The Macks' Billion Dollar Infield.

5. _Translate_: "The fans"; "one of them afternoons"; "if the Macks can get away with their rough work, anything ought to go"; "shy"; "a careful slant"; "his best bet"; "slamming them over"; "pulling off a double play"; "something started"; "slipping the game to McGraw."

6. _Subject for Debate_: Resolved--that the use of slang should be avoided.

7. Make a study of the art of reporting baseball games, following the hints for football already given, and report a school game.

The boys in the cla.s.s can be relied upon to furnish all of the technical information that will be needed.

XI. Memorize

ENDYMION

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever: Its loveliness increases; it will never Pa.s.s into nothingness; but still will keep A bower quiet for us, and a sleep Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

Therefore, on every morrow, we are wreathing A flowery band to bind us to the earth, Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth Of n.o.ble natures, of the gloomy days, Of all the unhealthy and o'er-darkened ways Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all, Some shape of beauty moves away the pall From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon, Trees old and young, sprouting a shady boon For simple sheep; and such are daffodils With the green world they live in; and clear rills That for themselves a cooling covert make 'Gainst the hot season; the mid forest brake, Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms: And such too is the grandeur of the dooms We have imagined for the mighty dead; All lovely tales that we have heard or read: An endless fountain of immortal drink, Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.

JOHN KEATS.