DISTINGUISHED FANS
The day of the second of the big games broke clear and warm. The same
excitement was to be noticed around the old college town as on the day
of the first game at Jefferson. Lowell, however, was not located in so
large a city, and therefore the people who had come to the game were
more noticeable. Special trains from Boston, New York, and other points
began pouring their loads of Lowell and Jefferson rooters into the old
station before nine o’clock in the morning, and the steady stream of
arrivals continued until game time, which was again two o’clock. For
the early arrivals time might have hung heavy on their hands had they
not found a chance to let off some of their steam, by parading the
streets, and singing the old college songs.
A procession of Lowell “rooters” would march up one street singing
“Fair Lowell,” while down another street would come the Jefferson
crowd, though smaller, singing their “Alma Mater.” Whenever they met
there would be a great mingling of college yells, which didn’t sound
nearly as well as when they were separated and which, to anyone without
the college spirit probably sounded as though a lunatic asylum had
been turned loose upon the town. But nobody without this college
enthusiasm could be found that day at Lowell, so the boys and girls
paraded up and down the streets to their hearts’ content, and finally
took up the march in the direction of Lowell field, where the same
scenes took place which had been seen at Jefferson on the day of the
first big game. The band played for the entertainment of the crowd.
Noise clubs led the yells and the songs, the crowd joined in, and thus
they entertained themselves until game time.
Around the public square, and more particularly in front of Lowell
Arms, the most popular hotel in the town, was assembled a great crowd,
and only a championship ball game itself could have kept the guests of
this inn from being the center of the universe on this day, for the
President was to arrive during the morning and the hotel was already
filled with Senators, Representatives, Ambassadors and big politicians,
who are likely to hover around the President on such occasions, to let
some of the reflected glory shine upon them.
Many of them came for the sole purpose of seeing the ball game, but
others, who are playing the political game all the time, hoped to catch
the President’s ear during his visit.
When the President did arrive and was welcomed by such enthusiasm as
the townspeople, students, and visitors could spare from the baseball
game, he turned a deaf ear to anyone who had anything to say on any
subject but baseball and college life. He was bound to be a boy again
whenever he came to Lowell and the annual games were his special
delight.
Out at Lowell field they had arranged a special box for the President
and other distinguished guests, which he occupied for a little while,
but when it came time for practice he said, “It don’t seem quite like
a ball game sitting here. I’m going over there and sit with the boys.”
And he did. They made a place for him in one of the seats in the first
row of the regular grand stand, where the sun could shine on him, and
when he got warm he took off his hat and coat just like any other fan,
and enjoyed himself to the limit.
Lowell field was not as new and substantial a place as the Stadium at
Jefferson, but the stands would hold almost as many people, and the
grounds, being larger, more standing room was found on the field.
By one o’clock every inch of space was occupied and the gates were
locked. Never before had so many come to see a game at Lowell. This
time, however, the Lowell folks outnumbered the Jefferson adherents.
To-day more than two thirds of the people waved green flags and banners
and the balance showed the colors of the rival school. The complexion
of the crowd was reversed. Some who had been at the other game wondered
if this was a sign that the score would be reversed, too. Jefferson
fellows, who were just a little bit superstitious hoped so, while
the Lowell crowd said they didn’t believe in superstitions of any
kind. Finally the teams marched onto the field, the University Band
preceding them, but this time as they reached the plate, it was the
maroon which sat on the bench back of third base, and the green went
back of first.
“We licked them when they had the advantage of being on their own lot,”
said Fred Penny who was sitting in the stand with Johnny King, “and I
guess now we have them on our own lot, we will make it two straight.”
The practice before the game gave the crowd a chance to pay their
particular respects to the individual members of the team, by special
songs and cheers for each of them. The band played “Hail to the Chief”
once for the President and two or three times for Hughie. Then each
member of the team was introduced to the President, and as each member
of the team came up the Noise Club announced:
Here he is--HONUS.
What’s the matter with HONUS?
And then everybody would sing:
For he’s a jolly good player,
For he’s a jolly good player,
For he’s a jolly good player,
Which Jefferson can’t deny.
And they gave a special yell for each of the particular stars of the
first game. It was enough to make any player nervous and anxious and
it’s a wonder it didn’t. What it did do, however, was to make every
one of the boys take a special vow to play the game of his life that
day.
Again the two men in the blue suits and blue caps trotted out on the
field. Again the umpire, who was to work behind the bat (this time it
was M. S. Lee), consulted with Hughie and Church. The gong sounded. The
umpire said, “Play ball.” The Lowell boys trotted out onto the field to
their positions. Again the umpire took off his cap, faced the stands
and said:
“Ladies and gentlemen: The batteries for to-day’s game are Cam,
pitcher; Brest, catcher for Jefferson. Radams, pitcher; Gibbs,
catcher for Lowell. Cam and Brest for Jefferson. Radams and Gibbs for
Lowell--Batter up.”
This time Laird of the Western school stepped quietly to the plate. He
looked at Radams and Radams looked at him. Each was studying the other,
though to-day Radams had a little advantage. He had seen Laird at bat
and Black had gone over the other game carefully with him so he knew
something about each of the batters. At least he was sure he did have a
slight advantage, and so he did not hesitate an instant, but began to
shoot them over. The second big game was on.