Page Tivelve 



THE I. A. A. RECORD 



Chan. S. Black 



AMATEUR baseball is suffering to- 

 day from the competition of 

 countless sports, activities and amuse- 

 ments which were unknown or little 

 developed 2 5 years 

 ago, Carl Lundgren, 

 baseball coach at the 

 University of Illi- 

 nois and member of 

 the famous Chicago 

 Cubs world's cham- 

 pionship team from 

 1902-09, told nearly 

 1 00 farm Bureau 

 baseball officials, 

 players, managers 

 and fans at a ban- 

 quet in Jacksonville 

 November 8. 



Lack of sportsmanship, gambling on 

 games and the employment of profes- 

 sional players, he gave as other reasons 

 for the discontinuance of many town 

 baseball teams which in the beginning 

 were made up purely of local talent. 

 Amateur baseball has been harmed be- 

 cause of too many sports and not 

 enough sportsmen, he said. 



"But I still believe baseball is our 

 greatest national sport and should re- 

 ceive more encouragement from organi- 

 zations such as the Farm Bureau, 

 Chambers of Commerce, luncheon 

 clubs, etc.," continued Mr. Lundgren. 

 "There is evidence that the tide is 

 swinging back to baseball again. Sport- 

 ing goods houses last year reported an 

 , increase of 40 per cent in sales of base- 

 ball equipment. This is a good sign 

 and I hope it continues, for the game 

 is a clean, wholesome sport when prop- 

 erly conducted." 



Practical Baseball Talk 



Coach Lundgren gave an interesting 

 and practical talk on the fine points of 

 the game. He explained the much mis- 

 understood "forced play" ^nd the "balk 

 rule." "The purpose of the balk rule is 

 to increase base running," said the 

 speaker. "If there is doubt about the 

 pitcher making a balk the base runner 

 should be favored." 



Mr. Lundgren pleaded for observance 

 of the Golden Rule in all sports. "A 

 proper interpretation of this rule," he 

 said, "is for each team to allow the 

 other to play the game the best way it 

 knows how, and for each team to play 

 that way itself. No man in the world 

 of sports has fought harder and longer 

 for sportsmanship than George A. Huff, 



director of athletics at the University 

 of Illinois," said Lundgren. "He has 

 been a pioneer in placing college sports 

 on a high plane. 



Uphold the Umpire 



"Abide by the decision of the um- 

 pire," said Lundgren. "Remember, you 

 employed him to officiate, so back him 

 up. The wise coach seldom protests, 

 but when he does he will secure the 

 respectful attention of the umpire. An 

 umpire soon learns if a coach or player 

 is honest or if he protests merely for 

 the effect on the audience. When mak- 

 ing a protest be gentlemanly." 



Spectatos are more often guilty of 

 unsportsmanlike conduct that the play- 

 ers, according to Lundgren, but not in- 

 frequently the action of the players out 

 on the field gives the audience its que 

 for heaping insult and injury on the 

 umpire. 



Earl Smith Speaks 



President Earl C. Smith of the I. A. 

 A. gave a very interesting account of 

 his early experiences in baseball as a 

 player and later as an umpire. He told 

 of a memorable experience in umpiring 

 a game, witnessed by 17,000 people, 

 between rival teams from Pittsfield and 

 New Canton in which he reversed the 

 decision of the base umpire that decided 

 the game against the home team at 

 New Canton. "Rivalry and enmity was 

 so intense between the two teams that 

 but for the action of two men on the 

 New Canton team I probably would 

 not be here tonight," he said. Later he 

 received a statement containing the sig- 

 nature of each player on the losing 

 team, upholding his decision. 



Mr. Smith pledged the support of the 

 Illinois Agricultural Association to or- 

 ganized Farm Bureau baseball. "I hope 

 to see the day when at least three- 

 fourths of our counties will have 

 teams," he said. "The older heads must 

 take an interest in the sport and help 

 develop it. We must learn to forget 

 the dollar long enough to help build 

 character and sportsmanship in our 

 youth. 



"I have never been in favor of Sun- 

 day baseball," he said, "and I firmly 

 believe that as much real farm work 

 can be done in five and one-half days 

 with a half holiday for sport and recre- 

 ation on Saturday afternoon, as in six 

 days of labor." 



Teaches Baseball Lesson 



George Thiem, secretary-treasurer of 

 the state league, discussed its develop- 

 ment fncm the beginning through the 

 current season when 31 county teams 

 participated in organized play. "Base- 

 ball teaches team play, a valuable les- 

 son in organization, and in playing the 

 game of life," he said, "llie success- 



800 Attend Farmers' 



; C i , ^: Frolic at Polo 



THE annual Farmers' Frolic, for 

 farmers, business men and their 

 families in and about Polo in Ogle 

 county was held the night of Oct. 3 1 

 at the Community High School, Polo. 

 Approximately 800 attended. 



As in past years, the gathering was 

 managed by C. E. Bamborough, I. A. A. 

 director from the 

 thirteenth district. A 

 splendid dinner, 

 speeches and enter- 

 tainment, including 

 dancing, have given 

 the Annual Frolic a 

 reputation as the 

 most popular com- 

 munity affair of the 

 year in western Ogle 

 county. 



The speaker of the c. e. Bamborongh 

 evening was Earl C. 

 Smith, president of the Illinois Agricul- 

 tural Association, who discussed the 

 revenue amendment, subsequently de- 

 feated at the November 4th election. 



Every Farm Bureau family in the 

 townships adjoining Polo is asked to in- 

 vite at least one non-member family. 

 The social is an open affair to which all 

 are invited. 



Mr. Bamborough is a firm believer in 

 building good will between town and 

 country Farm Bureau member and 

 non-member, through such meetings in 

 which the major part of the evening 

 is devoted to having a good time. The 

 fact that these gatherings are increas- 

 ing in size and popularity year by year 

 indicates the possibilities for holding 

 similar events throughout the state. 



ful team invariably is the one in which 

 each player does his best without 

 thought of personal credit. We need 

 leaders, followers, pitchers, catchers and 

 shortstops to succeed in solving farm 

 problems through organization. And 

 those who sit on the bench waiting 

 their turn are important cogs in the 

 machine — just as essential as those in 

 the limelight out on the field." 

 Charlie Black Precides 

 Charles S. Black, vice-president of 

 the state league, performed as master 

 of ceremonies. He told how he and 

 his boys would unhitch Saturday noon 

 to go to the baseball game. "Organ- 

 ized Farm Bureau baseball is having a 

 fine influence in rural communities 

 where the game is played," said Mr. 

 Black. "We need more dads who will 

 spend some time with their boys, inter- 

 esting them in wholesome recreation 

 like baseball." 



{Conlinuei on page 13, col. i) 



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