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Show The Great National Game. Each evening now the good wife Fondly greets you at the door, And this query she propoundeth: "Say, John, what's the score?" - And now the noble game of baseball steps into the spot light. The umpire's "Play ball" is the welcoming wel-coming cry. 1 . At this time of the year it is wholesome for youth to be reminded that baseball is the greatest and most valuable recreation yet designed by mortal man. For one thing it is the only game that exercises all the muscles of the body, and at the same time trains the mind, the eye and the character. It does not develop one set of muscles at the expense ex-pense of others, as rowing, bicycling, dumbbells and clubs, and boxing does. It is not a matter of preponderating pre-ponderating brute strength, like football. It calls for a union of physical health and mental alertness; it has intricate and varied situations requiring almost al-most as much foresight and synthetic ability as chess. It absolutely demands judgment that works instantaneously and correctly. And given anything to start with, there is nothing like it for fostering courage. A boy that has ever played for ariy length of time a base position does not need to have the situation sit-uation explained and a map drawn of it for him. He knows he cannot stop to argue with himself whether he shall slam the grounder he is stopping to first base or home. His mind must work like the lightning light-ning flash and unerringly. The center fielder reaching reach-ing to pull down a high fly has no time to weigh relative rel-ative causes and compare advantages. He' must grasp the situation from one swift glance at the field and act upon it. Self-reliance, independent brain action ac-tion and the power to formulate policies are exercised exer-cised by this magnificent game as much as are the muscles of the body. Besides it is the national game of America. It lias helped to a great extent to form the national character. It is a good, clean, democratic ame; it is unlike the sport ,of any other nation. Every boy ought to play it, and every American city ought to provide ample space and room for it. With bright skies, a large attendance and Salt Lake ahead well, it constitutes a scene that will not fade from one's memory soon. |