Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune Syndicate
Chicago Tribune, May 5, 1917
PRESS AGENT STUFF.
Chapter 1.
Mr. Wisner of the Herald Art Department called up Mr. Lavin of The Tribune Art Department and said his department could beat Mr. Lavin’s playing ball. Mr. Lavin was going to sue for libel, but as he was about to consult an attorney he happened to think that Mr. Wisner was an artist by trade and it might be impossible to collect a judgment.
“But I hate to let him get away with a ridiculous assertion like that,” said Mr. Lavin. “I wish there were some way of making him retract it.”
“Accept his implied challenge,” advised somebody.
“I would,” replied Mr. Lavin, “If I could show some worthier motive than a desire for revenge.”
Then he bethought him of the Red Cross, which covers a multitude of unworthy motives.
Chapter 2.
The game will take place late this month at the Cubs’ Park, W. W., which means Weeghman Willing. The proceeds will be given to the Red Cross, after deductions for hospital expenses.
“You won’t take in much money,” suggested a pessimist.
“Don’t be too sure!” replied Mr. Lavin. “Even though the players are newspaper artists they ought to draw.”
“Besides,” added somebody else, “the public is morbidly curious. Prohibitory rules are all that prevent thousands of people from visiting insane asylums.”
“Furthermore,” added somebody else, “consider the benefit to the men themselves. After the game most of them will be finished artists.”
Chapter 3.
The Herald has not supplied us with its list of eligibles. The Tribune team will be made up of Sisley and Blake, unless they are in the trenches; Mr. Stoops, who has the honor of illustrating this stuff; Mr. Smith, the mouse fancier; Mr. McCutcheon of the first page; the rectangular Mr. King; the teenie weenie Mr. Donahey; the tiny Mr. Orr; Mr. Lundberg, a camera man; Mr. Lardner, whose illustrations in the Sunday paper have knocked ’em dead, and Manager Lavin.
The Tribune batteries will be Orr or Blake and Lundberg.
Lack of space prevents naming the pitchers for the Herald team.
A keg will be placed on third base to encourage hitting.
- Promotional broadside for the Newspaper Artists Benefit Baseball Game by Frank King, creator of Gasoline Alley.
Chicago Tribune, May 28, 1917
Artists Suffer for Red Cross;
‘Tribunes’ Defeat Heralds, 19-3
Those Herald artists will need Red Cross assistance today. They played baseball against The Tribune artists at Weeghman park yesterday for the benefit of the Red Cross fund. Some genius at statistics figured the result as 19 to 3. It would have been more, but Mr. Sam Hall, who was umpire, refused to continue after seven innings. Mr. Hall specializes in writing of prize fights. In that sport, the referee often stops a bout to save the loser useless punishment. Mr. Hall announced he was calling quits to save lives.
While nurshing aching limbs today, the combatants will have the consoling thought that their efforts netted about $2,500 for the Red Cross. That was the sum realized by sale of tickets, programs, and program advertising. The sum would have been greater but for the icy weather. Miss Fanny Butcher of The Tribune staff made a record of $10 selling programs.
Segar’s Light Goes Out.
Mr. Segar pitched for the Herald. He was chief sufferer. His light burned out entirely in the sixth inning. Everybody on The Tribune side hit the ball all over the lot. Our boys made twelve runs before the inning was over. Mr. Segar was a butt for The Tribune boys again in the seventh, and three more runs were scored. Then the referee decided the Herald artists had drawn enough punishment.
Up to the time Mr. Segar exploded it almost looked like a ball game. “Tiny Tribune” Orr was pitching almost as well as he draws. He didn’t let the Herald score until the fifth, and The Tribune had four runs then. The Herald made all its tallies in the fifth. That made the game stand 4 to 3.
Lundy Uses Straight Arm.
Credit belongs to Mr. Oscar Lundberg, who caught Mr. Orr’s swell pitching. Mr. Segar, the enemy gunner, tried to score in the fifth. Oscar had the ball waiting for him. Mr. Segar didn’t slide. Instead he ran squarely into a stiff right arm the hand of which inclosed the ball. The ramrod met Mr. Segar just amidships. It was almost a knockout, but he resumed as soon as he recovered his wind.
Mr. Lardner contributed to the success of The Tribune nine by kicking himself out of the game early in the proceedings. Mr. Wake-of-the-News took exception to a ruling by the referee and tried to say something funny. Mr. Hall promptly disqualified him. Thereafter Mr. Lardner stood on the coaching lines.
McCutcheon a Demon Slugger.
A glance at the box score, which is right in some respects, will reveal a few high lights. Mr. McCutcheon qualified as a hero by hitting a two bagger. (Treasure Island Tribune, please copy.) So did Mr. Koropp. Mr. Orr drew three hits, only one more than he gave the entire opposition. One of his efforts was a triple.
Cartoons Magazine, July, 1917
CARTOONISTS PLAY BALL
Hurry calls for ambulances were many on May 27 when Chicago newspaper artists from the two rival morning papers opposed each other on the diamond at Weeghman Park. Their efforts, however, netted $2,500 for the Red Cross, so they did not suffer for nothing. The Tribune team, of which John T. McCutcheon, Sid Smith, Frank King, William Donahey, Carey Orr, and Ring W. Lardner were the stars, claimed a victory by a score of 19 to 3. Will De Beck, who played shortstop for the opponents, made a record of one run and two hits. Orr pitched for the Tribune crowd. and performed almost as well as he draws. McCutcheon qualified as a hero by hitting a two-bagger, while Lardner contributed to the success of his team by kicking himself out of the game early in the proceedings. This rising young artist took exception to a ruling of the umpire, and was obliged to spend the remainder of his time on the coaching lines. Frank King’s record, as shown by the box score, was a succession of zeros. Sid Smith made two runs and three hits.
The Tribune score would have been larger, it is said, except for the fact that the umpire rather humanely called the game so as to save the losers further punishment.
- Sketches Made by Frank King for Cartoons Magazine of the Newspaper Artists’ Ball Game.
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