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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 10, 1905)
"J' - - - . NEWS AND GOSSIP IN THE MINISTER AS CRITIC Rev. J. W. Brougher Praises National Game. SEES ONLY TWO EVILS Gambling, He Says, Should Xot Be Allowed to Ruin Sport Sun day Desecration Is a Bad Feature. Rev. J. Whltcomb Brougher. pastor af the Flrnt Baptist Church, of Port land, attended the Labor day baseball game, and at the request of of The Oroffonlan has -written his Impressions ef the National game. Baseball is the great American gaifie. It is pre-eminently the most popular out-of-door sport In the United States. I have always enjoyed the game. While in college, I had the honor of being captain of the team and occupied the pitcher's box. Since entering: the ministry I have played on "sev eral occasions, and have never lost my Interest In the sport. The rush of work connected with a large pastorate pre vents attendance upon the professional games very often. Qn Labor day, how ever. It was my priv ilege to witness the game between the Oakland and Port land teams. Van Haltrcn, the captain of the Oakland Club, was well known to me In my college Bcr. J. Whitcoxnb Brougher. days. He Was coisldered a great ball player at that time. He does not seem to have lost any of his cunning, either at the present time. His brother Charles was In the same club with me. A visit with the present captain of the Oakland team only whetted my appetite for the game that followed. It made me feel like getting lnot the game myself. 1 or a little recreation. The Oakland boys, however, did not play championship ball. The pitcher had an "off day." The third base man did not seom to be able to stop any thing that came his way, and the fielders; made several very bad rumbles, as a result Portland came off victorious. 5 to 0. On the whole, however, the game was a good one and a clean one. It was free from rowdyism and the "rooting" jol the "fans" only added amusement to the oc casion. Saw Xo Open Gambling. I believe In clean sport. It Is unfortu nate when our popular games become as sociated with certain evils that tend to degrade them. "Wo need, however, clear ly to distinguish between the amusements and the evils. There was a time when I was inclined to condemn certain popular sports because of the evils closely asso ciated with them. But now I believe It to be the duty of Christian men to re claim some things that are for the good of humanity, that the devil has almost. If not altogether, laid hold of to use for himself. One of the evils associated wjth base ball, as well as other sports, Is gambling. So far as I saw, there was no gambling at the game on Labor day. There might have been a good deal of It going on pri vately, but there was none publicly. Whenever gambling becomes an essential part of amusement, then the gambling must be outlawed or Christian people must give up the amusement. I believe, however, In eliminating the gambling and keeping the sport for the higher develop ment of our boys and young. .men. The desecration of the Lord's day Is another evil that has become connected with some of our National sports. Ball players should have an opportunity to keep one day In seven for the develop ment of their own spiritual life. No sport is accomplishing a real good for human ity that is used to destroy the sanctity of the Lord's day. I know a number of pro fessional ball players In the East and in the South who refuse absolutely to play on Sunday. They have a right to one day of rest as well as any other worklngman. "Six days shalt thou work" and play, but the seventh shalt thou keep holy "unto the Lord thy God." Turn Sunday into a day of sport and revelry and the world must suffer for It. A man cannot sow a desecrated Sunday with out reaping sooner or later a ruined body, a weakened mind and a demoralized soul. Good Outweighs Evil. There are other evils associated with popular sports, but they can bo elimi nated. The good outweighs the evil. We can afford to give up the evil and keep the good. Young; men ought to enter into clean games without hesi tation. It is good for them physically. Of course, some men are not physical ly fitted for Rome games. Let a youpg man consult a-gooil physician and then find some out-of-door sport fitted to his needs. In the great struggle of life a young1 man "will need, the very best possible physical development. One of the frequent comments at the ball game was concerning the splendid physical development of the players. They were prepared for hard work and great endurance. "The glory of a young man Is his physical strength," and the young- men who are going- to meet and solve the problems of the 20th century must be well equipped physically. I do not believe In putting athletics in the first place, but parents are unwise who keep their boys out of popular sports, especially if they are watched and wisely regulated. Again, baseball and popular sports are good for young men mentally. Most games bring Into play the rea sonlng faculties and require alertness of mind and quickness of Judgment. A baseball pitcher must use his head as well aB his hands. In fact, success upon the ball field depends just as much, If not more, upon the lntellec tual alertness of the men as upon. their physical endurance. The quick ness with which decisions must bo made is a discipline that will provo valuable In every walk of life. Inde clslon is the paralysis of -usefulness. The men who succeed today in every avenue of life are men of good Judg ment, trained to make prompt deci sions. Baseball has this special char acteristlc. that It requires quickness and accuracy in vision and judgment Every faculty must be trained to re spond to the wlIL Many a boy who has not known what discipline was at home has learned It on the ball field. Sports Teach Self-Control. Because of this discipline baseball and other popular sports that ar clean are good for boyjt and youn men morally. They teach self-control. To, play the best' game, a young man must control his temper, .his tongue, his appptlte, his passions. He cannot "boose" and Indulge' In othero well known vices. He must be the abso lute master of himself. In all age athletes have boon trained to exercise self-control. The gladiators were -taught to exercise the greatest self control, even when dying. They ate food to make the blood thick so as not to die quickly. A notod writer says, "In a Roman family the boys, from the time of thoir birth, wero held to a domestic discipline which well pre pared them for a military discipline. They conquered the world in manhood because, as children, they were dls clpllned at home." Athletics are In tended for discipline and training. Games that require team-play culti vate self-restraint, obedience, alert ness of mind and moral decision. A good baseball team ought to be a school of character. The game, woll played, should be a school of discipline. As another has said, "It Is intended to beat the meanness out of a boy," to croate a spirit of rigid discipline in his life, to knit his body into tight compactness and fit for a stern and testing use; to develop in him a hard manliness, to root weak and shirking impulses out of him, and to drill all brave and danger-welcoming impulses Into habits of hard work, and to train the will to accept any task and do it with a whole soul." Best Team Should Win. A young man who goes into popular sports with high ideals will keep both himself and the sports clean. Ha will put down the things that degrade and exalt the good. H will play not mere ly for supremacy, but for the pleasure and the good he can get out of it. Whenever a game is played simply to win, whether it is deserved or not, then the standard of true sport has been lowered. "Sport is spoiled when victory 'and not excellence Is made the end and dominating principle." The best man or the best toam should win and deserves to win. "With proper ideals, therefore, popular sports are a blessing and not a curse. It ought to bo true, the higher & man's principles, the better fitted is he for sports. The supreme la,w of popular sports should be fairness, courtesy and cleanliness. Let the evils that would degrade be eliminated and let us maintain a standard for popular sports that will appeal to th'e best that is in all of us. All dishonesty, trick ery, knavery and crookedness should be absolutely and Irrevocably abol ished from every true manly sport. Play, then, will bo recreative and not destructive. It will develop all that Is best in a young man and without be coming a professional player, he will be the better fitted to be and to do all that God Almighty intended him to be and to do when he created him and placed him in this world. NEW STYLE IX GOGGLES. Foreign Auto Drivers Wear Protec tors of New Sbupo and Size. European racing men, or at least the stars, are said to be wearing a new style of goggles that have been Invented by a Frenchman, Dr. Mlrovltch. They consist of glasses fixed In frames which arc of the same shape a?, and -a little larger than, the eyes. These frames have rubber tubing around the edges, forming a comfortable air-tight contact around the eyes. Two small tubes pro trude from each frame, and are so ar ranged as to keep a constant circulation of air at atmospheric pressure In the eye-pieces. A spring bridge connects the glasses, which are kept in place by an elastic band around the back of the head. The appearance of the goggles 1b neat, some what resembling an ordinary pair of "pince-nez." All three of the Italian rep resentatives, and the winner, Thery him self, wore these goggles In the Bennett race. PERCY F. THE SUNDAY .OREGONIAX, PORTLAND, SEPTEMBER 10, 1905. Popular Player Will Be in Portland Next Year "If Management Wants Him" His Bee- . ord Is' Excellent. One day early last Winter, shortly after he had acquired the reins of management of the 'Portland baseball team, Walter McCrodle came to the determination of securing for his club. the very best men that he could buy, beg, borrow or steal, for the position of shortstop, and In look ing up the "dope" on the many of the stars at this position in tho various leagues in the country, ho determined to secure a certain player, whose record dur- 'j Ing the short time that ho had worn the spangles demonstrated that ho possessed the qualities that make a suocepsful play er. This man was pone- other than Jake Atz, tho premier shortstop of the Pacific Coast League. At the time McCrcdle determined to .secure his services for Port land, Atz was, and had. been, a member of the New Orleans club of the Southern League for four years. This clever little player was the Idol of the fans of that city, and the local, manager had to use the greatest diplomacy in broaching the subject of busing or trading for this play er. Early in December, the first of the negotiations were entered Into between McCredlo'ond Charles Frank, the New Or leans manager. The Portland magnate first sent an offer of $500 to Frank for the shortstop,' which he later .increased by half, each of which offers were refused. Finally, as another bait, McCredle offered to exchange Erve Beck and Phil Nadeau for Atz and a pitcher, which offer was finally accepted, although the New Or leans magnate held out for a time for an additional cash bonus. In the exchange, as far as the shortstop Is concerned, the local fans are inclined to think that New Orleans got the "bunk, on the deal, for tho player we secured has It on the one they got as far as a stake-horse has It on a soiling plater. The deal Is about even, for the trade of Nadeau for French has not been of material benefit to the local club, while "Whispering Phil" has aided materially in keeping the Southern League leaders at tho top of the percent age column. Now a word about the career of Jake Atz. He was born in the City of Wash ington, D. C, on July 1, 1S79, and first picked up the rudiments of the National game on the back lots of the Capital City. Later, his parents sent hlra to the Fred ericksburg, "Va., College, where he imme diately joined the "varsity nine and was soon elected captain of the club. During the two years he was at that Institution Atz was a great favorite with fellow students, and many were the regrets ex pressed by them upon his leaving to make his own way In tho world. This was in the "year 1900, and the following year he made his first professional debut on the diamond, when ho Joined the Raleigh, N. C. team of the Atlantic League. In July of the same year he was purchased from the Raleigh club by New Orleans, with which club he remained almost con tinuously until secured by Portland last Winter. Ho finished that season 'with a batting average of .305, and led all the. shortstops at fielding. Tho next season. MEGARGEL IS MAKING TRANSCONTINENTAL RUN IN AN AUTOMOBILE TWO ntQTfGICArag OF XIS CAR. Cf WORLD OF SPORT CHARACTERISTIC VIEWS o!f SHORTSTOP ATZ, OF THE PORT LAND TEAM, ONE OF THE BEST AND MOST POPULAR PLAYERS IN THE LEAGUE 1&02, he was played at short, second and third bases, and had the enviable distinc tion of leading the loague in each of those positions, and batted for an average of .2S0. In the reason of 1903-04 he batted .279 .nd .275, respectively, and again held the premiership in tho flekllng averagos at his position. During the four years that he played in the Southern League he' missed only one game, and that was due to an accident Since Joining the Port land club he has been out of but few games, which was due to having been struck on tho nose by a swiftly-batted ball, which accident happened during the latter part of the first, half of the season. The little fellow Is delighted with Port land and the Coast, and states that he will be back here' again next year, "If the management wants him." As to the pro viso he modestly throws In well, we'll leave It to the fans as to whether he Is good enough for Portland orAioL Reckon the verdict in his favor would be an over whelming one, and we can confidently hope to see him In uniform again next season. Atz says that he intends to pay a visit to New Orleans at the close of the present season, for he has many friends in the Southern city whom he wishes to visit, and incidentally tell a few of his fellow-ballplayers, who winter In that lo cality, of the material advantages Vof playing on the Coast. . ' Uncle Henry Harris is out with another tale of having sold Jimmy Whalen to a big league organization, and this time Hank says It is on the square. Last year he successfully covered up the "Whale" when the drafting period approached, by a false sale of the pitcher to the Chicago National League club, and this year it looks very much as though the Seal mag nate has again worked the sale gag on the would-be drafters from the major organizations. WRICK XX W 9MCZMX TO WHKHiAXB. OUT IF THE THE Giants Seem to Have Awak ened From Their Sleep. ARE PLAYING GOOD BALL After tiio Disastrous Week With Itos Angeles, Portland Takes Most Of the Games From San Francisco's Team'. "The disabled Miners are round'ng Into form, but the team Is still in a crippled condition. Vanderhlli, late out of the hospital, had just been back In the game a week when he split a finger. While Baerwald was laid up Bayless was detailed behind the bat. The outfield has been strengthened materially by. the services of Mike Welday, late of the Cotton States League. Welday has been playing ball off and on for the Miners for three years past, and his work in the field Rev.-J. W. Brougher Writes of the National Game. Career-of Atz, Portland's Popular Shortstop. and at bat, which was always good, has improved in a style that is pleas ing to patrons. In Sammy Morris. Joplln has a pitch er of whom they Justly feel proud. He Is a full-blood Nez Perce Indian; was born in Washington, near the Colum bia River, and removed to the Nes Perce Reservation, in Idaho, whence MorrlH was sent to school at Salem. In 1902 he pitched his first profession al ball In the Oregon State League, and 1903 with the Pacific Coast League. Early in tho Spring of J.904 he was sent for by the Chllocco Indians to pitch in a series of games played by the colleger team. It was while he pitched for this team against Joplln that Ftllman landed him. His record for last season was 20 won against nine lost. "When the Chicago White Sox played hero this Spring he let them down with one hit, a three-bagger by Nick Altroclc" Ruelbach, the Notre Dame pitcher, now with tho Chicago Nationals, uses a slow, swinging delivery which seems to generate perfect control. He Is a right-hander.' and Is inclined to the use of the cross-fire delivery, though he does not step so far out of tho slab as some twlrlers. Ruelbach would be taken for a college student, as he smokes a sort of bulldog pipe constant ly and dresses tho part. Personally, he Is a quiet, reserved young fellow with an open countenance, and Is well liked among the players. -x "Dummy" Taylor was the central figure in a light comedy enacted In front of the Southern Hotel In St. Louis the other night. The proprietor of tho hack line whloh. the Giants pat ronized seated himself beside Taylor and opened up a fine line of baseball talk. Mike Donlln and some of the other players did some rapid signalling, and "Dummy" pretended to listen intently. At intervals he would nod and smile. Finally the other man began quizzing Taylor, but of course met with no re sponse. After putting a few pointed questions he got very red in the face, tun:ed away and went into the hotel. "Some ball players are so conceited that they think it a waste of breath to talk to other people," he said, as he passed the other players. , "You ask them civil questions and they give you a short answer or none at all." The next day somebody explained things, and the old gentleman bought the cigars. The record made by the Portland team during tho past week has been exceed ingly gratifying to the fans, for Mc Credlo's men certainly come out of the trance that affected them during the last series with. Los Angeles, and played gilt edged ball. Tho addition of Bill Sweeney to that infield has had a great deal to do with tho increased Interest In the game displayed by the locals, for that worthy by his gingery tactics has Imbued some of that spirit Into the rest of the team, and a noticeable Increase in liveliness is in evidence among the local nine1. It xs particularly unfortunate that the team .should lose the services of Virgil Garvin at thl3 time for the lengthy Texan was the winning pitcher of the club, and could always be depended upon to win a majority of hl3 games. He seemed to have certain clubs In ths league buffaloed whenever he went on the slab, and should tho home guard get a run or two to the good right off the reel It was curtains for the visitors. In spite, of the fact that the two mainstays, Garvin and McLean, were out of the game at the same time, the locals played brilliant ball and deserved all the praise that was thrown their way during the week. Let us hope they will keep up the goad work when they hit the road, . fliOTJUNEf Percy F. Megargel Well on His Way Here. CROSS. - CONTINENT RUN He Sohuld Be Xear Cheyenne, Wyo., Today, and Expects to Reach. Portland Towards Last of the Month. Percy F. Megargel. athlete, cyclist, magazine writer and automobile enthusi ast. Is now well on his way to this city on his second tour of the continent this Sum mer. According to his schedule', he should be somewhere In the neighborhood of Cheyenne, Wyo., today; so it may readily be seen that he has traveled a con siderable portion of the distance between the metropolis and the World's Fair City. He expects to arrive In Portland about the latter part of the present month, but. owing to the poor conditions of the West ern roads, his arrival may be somewhat delayed. Megargel's car, which Is known as the "Reo Mountaineer" is making this tour of the continent for a purpose, and that Is nothing more nor less than a double transcontinental tour of discovery, sent out by the American Motor League. In order to learn more of the roads connect ing tho Atlantic with the Pacific, the height of the various mountain ranges necessary to cross, the extent of the vast sand areas that comprise the Bitter Creek and Great American deserts, the facilities for securing gasoline along the line, the depth of- the various streams that have to be forded, and the hundred and one other little bits of Information of similar import to the automoblllst who contemplates a cross-country tour. Trans continental tours have been made before, but this Is the first excursion that Is to make continuous Journey by returning to the starting point, for Megargel will remain In Portland about three or four days, after which he will start on the return trip,- going via the southern route, down the coast to San Francisco, which Is said to be the first time this SOO-mlle Journey has been attempted In this man ner. This Is also said to be an impossi ble Journey for an automobile, but Me gargel Intends to find a route. Well Equipped for Trip. Megargel Is accompanied by David Fas sett, one of the most skilled mechanics of the Reo factory, and they have been equipped with everything In the imple ment line necessary 'to secure the re quired measurements. They will furnish the Motor League with maps of the dif ferent fords, streams, bridges and moun tains passes that arc on their route, con ditions, and facilities for securing oil. water arid provisions along the route. They have also been equipped with a camera, and will take photographs of the different localities through which they travel, and books on the subject will be Issued by the backers of the trip. The car In which these men are mak ing the tour Is a stock Reo, but the ton neau has been so constructed that It can be turned Into a baby Pullman sleeper at night, and has been fitted with ap pliances for the measuring of speed, dis tances, altitude, etc. The tourists are undertaking the run with the expectation of arriving at Phil adelphia on the return trip some time next June. Magargel recently participated in the Oldsmoblle contest, driving "Old Steady" from New York to Portland In competi tion with "Old Scout." The only other autolsts who have made transcontinental trips are Dwlght Huss, who piloted "Old Scout"; Dr. Jackson, Tom Fitch and Whitman. Recent ad vices from Megargel "and Fassett state that they are finding the roads In muddy condition, but are keeping surprisingly close on schedule time, and are enjoying the trip Immensely. Schedule and Boutc. Their schedule and route follow: New York City. Reo Car Company, 13S West Thirty-eighth street, August 13: Al bany, Ten Eyck Hotel. August 20; Syra cuse, Yates Hotel, August 21: Buffalo. Iro quois Hotel. August 22; Erie, Pa.. Reed House, August 23; Cleveland, Hollenden Hotel, August 24; South Bend, Oliver Ho tel, August 23; Chicago, Reo Car Com pany, 1323 Michigan avenue, August 2S, 27. 28; Mendota, III., general delivery, August 29: Davenport, la., general delivery, Au gust SO; Des Moines, la., care I. R. Camp boll, Reo agent. August 31; Omaha, Neb.. Murray Hotel, September 1; Columbus. Neb., care Union Pacific agent. Septem ber 2; Grand Island, Neb.. Palmer House, September 3; Kearney, Neb., Union Pa cific agent, September 4; North Platte, Neb., Union Pacific Hotel, September 5; Cheyenne. Wyo., Inter Ocean Hotel, Sep tember 6; Laramie, Wyo., Thornburg Ho tel; September. 7; Rawlins, Wyo., Ferris Hotel. September 8; Rock Springs, Wyo.. Union Pacific agent, September 9; Green River. Wyo., Union Pacific Hotel. Sep tember 10: Soda Springs, Idaho, Williams Hotel. September 11; McCammon, Idaho, Union Pacific agent. September 12; Poca tello, Idaho, New Bannock Hotel- Sep tember 13; Boise, Idaho, care Manvllle Taylor Company, September 13-14; On tario, Or., care Malheur-Mercantlle Com pany, September 16; Burns, Or., general delivery, September 1"; Prlneville. Or., general delivery, September IS; Salem, Or., Hotel Willamette. September 19: Portland, Or., Hotel Oregon, September 20, 21. 22. The foregoing schedule Is a very rapid one, and the chances are that the Reo Mountaineer will fall from one to two weeks behind before Portland Is reachedv This all depends upon the weather, as a single day's rain In the mountains would cause, a delay in some cases of a full week; The Florida tournament this year will probably be held from January 22 to 27. This Is the week following the New York automobile shows. W. J. Morgan will handle the Florida affair again. Alexan der Schwalbach will assist him. John B. Parkinson, of Daytona, Fla., one of the founders of the" Florida East Coast Au tomobile Association, will be the secretary again. The Automobile Club de France has re ceived from the Due do Valencay the sum of 500 francs (H00) to be given, as a prize to the -manufacturer who produces the best device for the protection of chauf feurs eyes from the rain. Models will be received by theclub until September 29, and the examination will take place in October. George T. Odell recently made a Ed8-ralle trip around. Salt Lake through the, sugar-beet district, in record time. The trip entailed an expenditure of only 2 cents a mile. Between Gsxland and Lo gran, 29 miles of mountainous country Was iraverssd In 1 hour anC 36 minute. r:.