Yet/cc a/at crowd/nn came/vbd out/rp to/to see/vb some/dti fresh/jj kids/nns from/in the/at city/nn try/vb to/to match/vb the/at boys/nns from/in the/at neighboring/vbg farms/nns ;/. ;/.
and/cc buggies/nns and/cc wagons/nns and/cc chugging/vbg Fords/nps kept/vbd gathering/vbg all/abn morning/nn ,/, until/cs the/at edges/nns of/in the/at field/nn were/bed packed/vbn thick/rb and/cc small/jj boys/nns kept/vbd scampering/vbg out/rp on/in the/at playing/vbg field/nn to/to make/vb fun/nn of/in the/at visitors/nns --/-- whose/wp$ pitcher/nn was/bedz a/at formidable/jj looking/vbg young/jj man/nn with/in the/at only/ap baseball/nn cap/nn ./.


	This/dt was/bedz a/at bitterly/rb fought/vbn game/nn ,/, carrying/vbg almost/rb as/ql much/ap grudge/nn as/cs a/at fist/nn fight/nn ,/, with/in no/at friendliness/nn exhibited/vbn between/in the/at teams/nns except/vb the/at formal/jj politeness/nn that/wps accompanied/vbd the/at setting/nn forth/rb of/in ground/nn rules/nns and/cc agreements/nns on/in balls/nns that/wps went/vbd into/in the/at crowd/nn ./.
Every/at pitch/nn in/in the/at game/nn brought/vbd forth/rb a/at howl/nn from/in the/at enraptured/vbn audience/nn and/cc every/at fly/nn ball/nn the/at visitors/nns dropped/vbd (/( and/cc because/cs their/pp$ right/jj fielder/nn was/bedz still/rb a/at little/ql fuzzy/jj from/in drink/nn ,/, they/ppss dropped/vbd many/ap )/) called/vbd forth/rb yelps/nns of/in derision/nn ./.


	At/in one/cd point/nn in/in the/at game/nn when/wrb the/at skinny/jj old/jj man/nn in/in suspenders/nns who/wps was/bedz acting/vbg as/cs umpire/nn got/vbd in/in the/at way/nn of/in a/at thrown/vbn ball/nn and/cc took/vbd it/ppo painfully/rb in/in the/at kidneys/nns ,/, he/pps lay/vbd there/rb unattended/jj while/cs players/nns and/cc spectators/nns wrangled/vbd over/in whether/cs the/at ball/nn was/bedz ``/`` dead/jj ''/'' or/cc the/at base/nn runners/nns were/bed free/jj to/to score/vb ./.


	This/dt was/bedz typical/jj of/in such/jj games/nns ,/, which/wdt were/bed earnestly/rb played/vbn to/to win/vb and/cc practically/ql never/rb wound/vb up/rp in/in an/at expression/nn of/in good/jj fellowship/nn ./.
When/wrb the/at visitors/nns ,/, after/in losing/vbg this/dt game/nn ,/, rode/vbd along/in the/at village/nn streets/nns toward/in home/nr ,/, the/at youngsters/nns who/wps could/md keep/vb abreast/rb of/in them/ppo for/in a/at moment/nn or/cc two/cd screamed/vbd triumphantly/rb ,/, ``/`` You/ppss bunch/nn of/in hay-shakers/nns !/. !/.
G'ahn/vb+rp back/rb home/nr !/. !/.
You/ppss hay-shakers/nns ''/'' !/. !/.


	Baseball/nn was/bedz surely/rb the/at national/jj game/nn in/in those/dts days/nns ,/, even/rb though/cs professional/jj baseball/nn may/md have/hv been/ben merely/rb a/at business/nn ./.
Radio/nn broadcasts/nns had/hvd not/* begun/vbn and/cc most/ap devotees/nns of/in baseball/nn attended/vbd the/at games/nns near/in home/nr ,/, in/in the/at town/nn park/nn or/cc a/at pasture/nn ,/, with/in perhaps/rb two/cd or/cc three/cd trips/nns to/in the/at city/nn each/dt season/nn to/to see/vb the/at Cubs/nps or/cc the/at Pirates/nns-tl or/cc the/at Indians/nps or/cc the/at Red/jj-tl Sox/nps-tl ./.


	Young/jj men/nns in/in school/nn could/md look/vb forward/rb to/in playing/vbg ball/nn for/in money/nn in/in a/at dozen/nn different/jj places/nns ,/, even/rb if/cs they/ppss failed/vbd to/to make/vb the/at major/jj leagues/nns ./.
Nearly/rb any/dti lad/nn with/in a/at modicum/nn of/in skill/nn might/md find/vb a/at payday/nn awaiting/vbg him/ppo in/in the/at Three/cd-tl I/nn-tl League/nn-tl ,/, or/cc the/at Pony/nn-tl League/nn-tl ,/, or/cc the/at Coastal/jj-tl Plains/nns-tl League/nn-tl ,/, or/cc the/at fast/jj Eastern/jj-tl League/nn-tl ,/, if/cs not/* indeed/rb in/in one/cd of/in the/at hundreds/nns of/in city/nn leagues/nns that/wps abounded/vbd everywhere/rb ./.
Even/rb a/at city/nn of/in thirty/cd thousand/cd might/md have/hv six/cd baseball/nn teams/nns ,/, sponsored/vbn by/in grocers/nns and/cc hardware/nn merchants/nns or/cc department/nn stores/nns ,/, that/wps played/vbd two/cd or/cc three/cd times/nns a/at week/nn throughout/in the/at summer/nn ,/, usually/rb in/in the/at cool/nn of/in the/at evening/nn ,/, before/in an/at earnest/jj and/cc partisan/jj audience/nn who/wps did/dod not/* begrudge/vb a/at quarter/nn each/dt ,/, or/cc even/ql more/ap ,/, to/to be/be dropped/vbn into/in a/at hat/nn when/wrb the/at game/nn was/bedz half/abn over/rp ./.


	Babe/np Ruth/np ,/, of/in course/nn ,/, was/bedz everyone's/pn$ hero/nn ,/, and/cc everyone/pn knew/vbd him/ppo ,/, even/rb though/cs relatively/ql few/ap ever/rb saw/vbd him/ppo play/vb ball/nn ./.
His/pp$ face/nn was/bedz always/rb in/in the/at newspapers/nns ,/, sometimes/rb in/in cartoons/nns that/wps seemed/vbd nearly/rb as/ql large/jj as/cs life/nn ./.
As/cs the/at twenties/nns grew/vbd older/jjr ,/, and/cc as/cs radio/nn broadcasts/nns of/in baseball/nn games/nns began/vbd to/to involve/vb more/ap and/cc more/ap people/nns daily/rb in/in the/at doings/nns of/in the/at professionals/nns ,/, the/at great/jj hitters/nns (/( always/rb led/vbn by/in Babe/np Ruth/np )/) overshadowed/vbd the/at game/nn so/cs that/cs pitchers/nns were/bed nearly/rb of/in no/at account/nn ./.
Boys/nns no/ql longer/rbr bothered/vbd learning/vbg to/to bunt/vb and/cc even/rb school/nn kids/nns scorned/vbd to/to ``/`` choke/vb up/rp ''/'' on/in a/at bat/nn as/cs Willie/np Keeler/np and/cc the/at famous/jj hitters/nns of/in another/dt day/nn had/hvd done/vbn ./.


	Other/ap hitters/nns bloomed/vbd with/in more/ap or/cc less/ap vigor/nn in/in the/at news/nn and/cc a/at few/ap even/rb dared/vbd to/to dream/vb of/in matching/vbg Ruth/np ,/, who/wps was/bedz still/rb called/vbn Jidge/np by/in all/abn his/pp$ friends/nns ,/, or/cc Leo/np or/cc Two-Head/np by/in those/dts who/wps dared/vbd to/to taunt/vb him/ppo (/( Leo/np was/bedz the/at name/nn of/in the/at ball/nn player/nn he/pps liked/vbd the/at least/ap )/) and/cc who/wps called/vbd most/ap of/in the/at world/nn ``/`` Kid/nn-tl ''/'' ./.
Lou/np Gehrig/np was/bedz given/vbn the/at nickname/nn Buster/np ,/, and/cc he/pps ran/vbd Ruth/np a/at close/jj race/nn in/in home/nn runs/nns ./.
But/cc the/at nickname/nn never/rb stuck/vbd and/cc Gehrig/np was/bedz no/at match/nn for/in Ruth/np in/in ``/`` color/nn ''/'' --/-- which/wdt is/bez sometimes/rb a/at polite/jj word/nn for/in delinquent/jj behavior/nn on/in and/cc off/in the/at field/nn ./.
Ruth/np was/bedz a/at delinquent/jj boy/nn still/rb ,/, but/cc he/pps was/bedz in/in every/at way/nn a/at great/jj ball/nn player/nn who/wps was/bedz out/rp to/to win/vb the/at game/nn and/cc occasionally/rb risked/vbd a/at cracked/vbn bone/nn to/to do/do it/ppo ./.


	A/at few/ap professional/jj baseball/nn players/nns cultivated/vbd eccentricities/nns ,/, with/in the/at encouragement/nn of/in the/at press/nn ,/, so/cs that/cs they/ppss might/md see/vb their/pp$ names/nns in/in big/jj black/jj print/nn ,/, along/rb with/in Daddy/nn-tl Browning's/np$ ,/, Al/np Capone's/np$ ,/, Earl/np Sande's/np$ ,/, and/cc the/at Prince/nn-tl of/in-tl Wales'/np$ ./.
One/cd who/wps ,/, for/in a/at time/nn ,/, succeeded/vbd best/rbt and/cc was/bedz still/rb the/at sorriest/jjt of/in all/abn was/bedz Charles/np Arthur/np Shires/np ,/, who/wps called/vbd himself/ppl ,/, in/in the/at newspapers/nns ,/, Art/np-tl the/at-tl Great/jj-tl ,/, or/cc The/at-tl Great/jj-tl Shires/np-tl ./.
It/pps was/bedz his/pp$ brag/nn that/cs he/pps could/md beat/vb everybody/pn at/in anything/pn ,/, but/cc especially/rb at/in fighting/vbg ,/, and/cc he/pps once/rb took/vbd on/rp the/at manager/nn of/in his/pp$ club/nn and/cc worked/vbd him/ppo over/rp thoroughly/rb with/in his/pp$ fists/nns ./.
He/pps was/bedz given/vbn to/in public/jj carousing/nn and/cc to/in acting/vbg the/at clown/nn on/in the/at diamond/nn ;/. ;/.
and/cc a/at policeman/nn asserted/vbd he/pps had/hvd found/vbn a/at pair/nn of/in brass/nn knuckles/nns in/in Art's/np$ pocket/nn once/rb when/wrb he/pps had/hvd occasion/nn to/to collar/vb the/at Great/jj-tl First/od-tl Baseman/nn-tl for/in some/dti forgotten/vbn reason/nn ./.
(/( This/dt made/vbd a/at sportswriter/nn named/vbn Pegler/np wonder/vb in/in print/nn if/cs Art/np had/hvd worn/vbn this/dt armament/nn when/wrb he/pps defeated/vbd his/pp$ manager/nn ./.
)/) The/at sorry/jj fact/nn about/in this/dt young/jj man/nn ,/, who/wps was/bedz barely/rb of/in age/nn when/wrb he/pps broke/vbd into/in major-league/nn baseball/nn ,/, was/bedz that/cs he/pps really/rb was/bedz a/at better/jjr ball/nn player/nn than/cs he/pps was/bedz given/vbn credit/nn for/in being/beg --/-- never/rb so/ql good/jj as/cs he/pps claimed/vbd ,/, and/cc always/rb an/at irritant/nn to/in his/pp$ associates/nns ,/, but/cc a/at good/jj steady/jj performer/nn when/wrb he/pps could/md fight/vb down/rp the/at temptation/nn to/to orate/vb on/in his/pp$ skills/nns or/cc cut/vb up/rp in/in public/jj ./.


	In/in his/pp$ minor/jj way/nn Charles/np Arthur/np Shires/np was/bedz perhaps/rb more/ql typical/jj of/in his/pp$ era/nn than/cs Ruth/np was/bedz ,/, for/cs he/pps was/bedz but/rb one/cd of/in many/ap young/jj men/nns who/wps laid/vbd waste/nn their/pp$ talents/nns in/in these/dts Scott/np Fitzgerald/np days/nns for/in the/at sake/nn of/in earning/vbg space/nn in/in the/at newspapers/nns ./.
There/ex were/bed others/nns who/wps climbed/vbd flagpoles/nns and/cc refused/vbd to/to come/vb down/rp ;/. ;/.
or/cc who/wps ingested/vbd strange/jj objects/nns ,/, like/cs live/jj fish/nn ;/. ;/.
or/cc who/wps undertook/vbd to/to set/vb records/nns for/in remaining/vbg erect/jj on/in a/at dance/nn floor/nn ,/, with/in or/cc without/in a/at partner/nn ;/. ;/.
or/cc who/wps essayed/vbd to/to down/vb full/jj bottles/nns of/in illicit/jj gin/nn without/in pausing/vbg for/in breath/nn ./.
One/cd young/jj man/nn ,/, exhilarated/vbn to/in the/at point/nn of/in insanity/nn by/in liquor/nn and/cc the/at excitement/nn of/in the/at moment/nn ,/, performed/vbd a/at perfect/jj swan/nn dive/nn out/in of/in the/at stands/nns at/in the/at Yale/np-tl Bowl/nn-tl during/in the/at Yale-Army/np football/nn game/nn ,/, landed/vbd squarely/rb on/in his/pp$ head/nn on/in the/at concrete/nn ramp/nn below/rb ,/, and/cc died/vbd at/in once/cs ./.


	But/cc the/at twenties/nns were/bed not/* all/abn insanity/nn and/cc a/at striving/nn after/in recognition/nn ./.
The/at business/nn of/in baseball/nn began/vbd to/to prosper/vb along/rb with/in other/ap entertainments/nns ,/, and/cc performers/nns --/-- thanks/nns partly/rb to/in George/np Herman/np Ruth's/np$ spectacular/jj efforts/nns each/dt season/nn to/to run/vb his/pp$ salary/nn higher/jjr and/cc higher/jjr --/-- prospered/vbd too/rb ./.
While/cs fifty/cd years/nns before/rb ,/, Albert/np Goodwill/np Spalding/np ,/, secretary/nn of/in the/at Chicago/np-tl Ball/nn-tl Club/nn-tl of/in the/at National/jj-tl League/nn-tl ,/, could/md write/vb earnestly/rb to/in the/at manager/nn of/in the/at Buffalo/np club/nn and/cc request/vb a/at guarantee/nn of/in one/cd hundred/cd dollars/nns for/in a/at baseball/nn game/nn in/in August/np ,/, in/in this/dt Golden/jj-tl Era/nn-tl a/at game/nn at/in the/at Yankee/jj-tl Stadium/nn-tl might/md bring/vb in/rp nearly/rb a/at hundred/cd thousand/cd dollars/nns at/in the/at gate/nn ./.
And/cc while/cs less/ap than/in ten/cd years/nns earlier/rbr the/at wayward/jj Black/jj-tl Sox/nps-tl --/-- all/abn of/in them/ppo top/jjs performers/nns in/in their/pp$ positions/nns --/-- had/hvd toiled/vbn for/in stingy/jj Charles/np Comiskey/np at/in salaries/nns ranging/vbg from/in twenty-five/cd hundred/cd dollars/nns to/in forty-five/cd hundred/cd dollars/nns a/at year/nn ,/, stars/nns now/rb were/bed asking/vbg ten/cd thousand/cd dollars/nns ,/, twenty/cd thousand/cd dollars/nns ,/, yes/rb ,/, even/rb fifty/cd thousand/cd dollars/nns a/at season/nn ./.


	The/at greatest/jjt team/nn of/in this/dt period/nn was/bedz unquestionably/rb the/at New/jj-tl York/np-tl Yankees/nps-tl ,/, bought/vbn by/in brewery/nn millions/nns and/cc made/vbn into/in a/at ball/nn club/nn by/in men/nns named/vbn Ed/np Barrow/np and/cc Miller/np Huggins/np ./.
Boston/np fans/nns sometimes/rb liked/vbd to/to wring/vb some/dti wry/jj satisfaction/nn out/in of/in the/at fact/nn that/cs most/ap of/in the/at great/jj 1923-27/cd crew/nn were/bed graduates/nns of/in the/at Red/jj-tl Sox/nps-tl --/-- sold/vbn to/in millionaires/nns Huston/np and/cc Ruppert/np by/in a/at man/nn who/wps could/md not/* deny/vb them/ppo their/pp$ most/ql trifling/vbg desire/nn ./.
Ruth/np himself/ppl ,/, still/rb owning/vbg his/pp$ farm/nn in/in Massachusetts/np and/cc an/at interest/nn in/in the/at Massachusetts/np cigar/nn business/nn that/wps printed/vbd his/pp$ round/jj boyish/jj face/nn on/in the/at wrappers/nns ,/, had/hvd led/vbn the/at parade/nn down/rp from/in Fenway/np-tl Park/nn-tl ,/, followed/vbn by/rb pitchers/nns Carl/np Mays/np ,/, Leslie/np ``/`` Joe/np ''/'' Bush/np ,/, Waite/np Hoyt/np ,/, Herb/np Pennock/np ,/, and/cc Sam/np Jones/np ,/, catcher/nn Wally/np Schang/np ,/, third/od baseman/nn Joe/np Dugan/np (/( who/wps completed/vbd the/at ``/`` playboy/nn trio/nn ''/'' of/in Ruth/np ,/, Dugan/np ,/, and/cc Hoyt/np )/) ,/, and/cc shortstop/nn Everett/np Scott/np ./.
By/in 1926/cd ,/, when/wrb the/at mighty/jj Yanks/nps were/bed at/in their/pp$ mightiest/jjt ,/, only/rb a/at few/ap of/in these/dts were/bed left/vbn but/cc they/ppss still/rb shone/vbd brightest/rbt ,/, even/rb beside/in able/jj and/cc agile/jj rookies/nns like/cs Tony/np Lazzeri/np (/( who/wps managed/vbd never/rb to/to have/hv one/cd of/in his/pp$ epileptic/jj fits/nns on/in the/at field/nn )/) ,/, Mark/np Koenig/np ,/, Lou/np Gehrig/np ,/, George/np Pipgras/np ,/, and/cc gray-thatched/jj Earl/np Combs/np ./.
The/at deeds/nns of/in this/dt team/nn ,/, through/in two/cd seasons/nns and/cc in/in the/at two/cd World's/nn$-tl Series/nns-tl that/wps followed/vbd ,/, have/hv been/ben written/vbn and/cc talked/vbn about/rb until/cs hardly/rb a/at word/nn is/bez left/vbn to/to be/be said/vbn ./.
But/cc there/ex is/bez one/cd small/jj episode/nn that/wpo a/at few/ap New/jj-tl York/np-tl fans/nns who/wps happened/vbd to/to sit/vb in/in the/at cheap/jj seats/nns for/in one/cd World's/nn$-tl Series/nn-tl game/nn in/in 1926/cd like/vb best/rbt to/to recall/vb ./.
Babe/np Ruth/np ,/, as/cs he/pps always/rb did/dod in/in the/at Stadium/nn-tl ,/, played/vbd right/jj field/nn to/to avoid/vb having/hvg the/at sun/nn in/in his/pp$ eyes/nns ,/, and/cc Tommy/np Thevenow/np ,/, a/at rather/ql mediocre/jj hitter/nn who/wps played/vbd shortstop/nn for/in the/at St./np-tl Louis/np-tl Cardinals/nns-tl ,/, knocked/vbd a/at ball/nn with/in all/abn his/pp$ might/nn into/in the/at sharp/jj angle/nn formed/vbn by/in the/at permanent/jj stands/nns and/cc the/at wooden/jj bleachers/nns ,/, where/wrb Ruth/np could/md not/* reach/vb it/ppo ./.
The/at ball/nn lay/vbd there/rb ,/, shining/vbg white/jj on/in the/at grass/nn in/in view/nn of/in nearly/ql every/at fan/nn in/in the/at park/nn while/cs Ruth/np ,/, red-necked/jj with/in frustration/nn ,/, charged/vbd about/in the/at small/jj patch/nn of/in ground/nn screaming/vbg ,/, ``/`` Where's/wrb+bez the/at --/-- -ing/vbg ball/nn ''/'' ?/. ?/.
But/cc ,/, as/cs he/pps snarled/vbd unhappily/rb when/wrb the/at inning/nn was/bedz over/rp ,/, ``/`` not/* a/at sonofabitch/nn in/in the/at place/nn would/md tell/vb me/ppo ''/'' ,/, so/rb little/jj Tommy/np ran/vbd all/abn the/at way/nn home/nr ./.


	The/at ordinary/jj man/nn and/cc woman/nn ,/, however/rb ,/, saw/vbd little/ap of/in the/at great/jj professional/jj games/nns of/in those/dts Golden/jj-tl Days/nns-tl ,/, or/cc of/in any/dti other/ap sporting/vbg event/nn for/in that/dt matter/vb ./.
Promoters/nns always/rb hastened/vbn to/to place/vb their/pp$ choice/jj tickets/nns in/in the/at hands/nns of/in the/at wealthy/jj speculators/nns ,/, and/cc only/rb the/at man/nn who/wps knew/vbd the/at man/nn who/wps knew/vbd the/at fellow/nn who/wps had/hvd an/at in/nn with/in the/at guy/nn at/in the/at box/nn office/nn ever/rb came/vbd up/rp with/in a/at good/jj seat/nn for/in a/at contest/nn of/in any/dti importance/nn ./.
Radio/nn broadcasts/nns ,/, however/rb --/-- now/rb that/cs even/ql plain/jj people/nns could/md afford/vb ``/`` loud/jj speakers/nns ''/'' on/in their/pp$ sets/nns --/-- held/vbd old/jj fans/nns to/in the/at major-league/nn races/nns and/cc attracted/vbd new/jj ones/nns ,/, chiefly/rb women/nns ,/, who/wps through/in what/wdt the/at philosopher/nn called/vbd the/at ineluctable/jj modality/nn of/in audition/nn ,/, became/vbd first/rb inured/vbn ,/, then/rb attracted/vbn ,/, then/rb addicted/vbn to/in the/at long/jj afternoon/nn recitals/nns of/in the/at doings/nns in/in some/dti distant/jj baseball/nn park/nn ./.


	In/in some/dti cities/nns games/nns were/bed broadcast/vbn throughout/in the/at week/nn and/cc then/rb on/in weekends/nns the/at announcer/nn was/bedz silenced/vbn ,/, and/cc fans/nns must/md needs/vbz drive/vb to/in the/at city/nn from/in all/abn the/at broadcast/nn area/nn to/to discover/vb how/wrb their/pp$ heroes/nns were/bed faring/vbg ./.
This/dt had/hvd a/at pleasant/jj effect/nn upon/in the/at Sunday/nr gate/nn receipts/nns as/ql well/rb as/cs upon/in the/at intake/nn of/in the/at rail/nn and/cc bus/nn companies/nns ,/, some/dti of/in which/wdt began/vbd to/to offer/vb special/jj excursion/nn rates/nns ,/, including/in seats/nns at/in the/at park/nn ,/, just/rb as/cs the/at trolley/nn and/cc ferry/nn companies/nns had/hvd when/wrb baseball/nn was/bedz new/jj ./.


	While/cs women/nns had/hvd always/rb attended/vbn ball/nn games/nns in/in small/jj numbers/nns (/( it/pps was/bedz the/at part/nn of/in a/at ``/`` dead/jj game/nn sport/nn ''/'' in/in the/at early/jj years/nns of/in the/at twentieth/od century/nn to/to be/be taken/vbn out/rp to/in the/at ball/nn park/nn and/cc to/to root/vb ,/, root/vb ,/, root/vb for/in the/at home/nn team/nn )/) ,/, they/ppss had/hvd often/rb sat/vbn in/in patient/jj martyrdom/nn ,/, unable/jj even/rb to/to read/vb the/at scoreboard/nn ,/, which/wdt sometimes/rb seemed/vbd to/to indicate/vb that/cs one/cd team/nn led/vbd another/dt by/in a/at score/nn of/in three/cd hundred/cd and/cc eighty/cd to/in one/cd hundred/cd and/cc fifty-one/cd ./.
The/at questions/nns women/nns asked/vbd at/in baseball/nn games/nns were/bed standard/jj grist/nn for/in amateur/jj comedy/nn ,/, as/cs were/bed the/at doings/nns of/in women/nns automobile/nn drivers/nns ;/. ;/.
for/cs every/at grown/vbn man/nn (/( except/in a/at few/ap who/wps were/bed always/rb suspected/vbn of/in being/beg shy/jj on/in virility/nn )/) knew/vbd at/in least/ap the/at fundamentals/nns of/in baseball/nn ,/, just/rb as/cs every/at male/nn American/np in/in this/dt era/nn liked/vbd to/to imagine/vb (/( or/cc pretend/vb )/) that/cs he/pps could/md fight/vb with/in his/pp$ fists/nns ./.
And/cc women/nns were/bed not/* expected/vbn to/to know/vb that/cs the/at pitcher/nn was/bedz trying/vbg not/* to/to let/vb the/at batter/nn hit/vb the/at ball/nn ./.


	Radio/nn ,/, however/rb ,/, so/ql increased/vbn the/at interest/nn of/in women/nns in/in the/at game/nn that/cs it/pps was/bedz hardly/ql necessary/jj even/rb to/to have/hv ``/`` Ladies'/nns$-tl Days/nns-tl ''/'' any/dti longer/rbr to/to enable/vb men/nns to/to get/vb to/in the/at ball/nn park/nn without/in interference/nn at/in home/nr ./.
Women/nns actually/rb began/vbd to/to appear/vb unaccompanied/jj in/in the/at stands/nns ,/, where/wrb they/ppss still/rb occasionally/rb ran/vbd the/at risk/nn of/in coming/vbg home/nr with/in a/at tobacco-juice/nn stain/nn on/in a/at clean/jj skirt/nn or/cc a/at new/jj curse/nn word/nn tingling/vbg their/pp$ ears/nns ./.


	The/at radio/nn broadcasts/nns themselves/ppls were/bed often/rb so/ql patiently/rb informative/jj ,/, despite/in the/at baseball/nn jargon/nn ,/, that/cs girls/nns and/cc women/nns could/md begin/vb to/to store/vb up/rp in/in their/pp$ minds/nns the/at same/ap sort/nn of/in random/jj and/cc meaningless/jj statistics/nns that/wps small/jj boys/nns had/hvd long/rb learned/vbn better/rbr than/cs they/ppss ever/rb did/dod their/pp$ lessons/nns in/in school/nn ./.