Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 81, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1919 — FRENCH PREFER FOOTBALL OR DUELING TO ROUGH AMERICAN GAME OF BASEBALL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FRENCH PREFER FOOTBALL OR DUELING TO ROUGH AMERICAN GAME OF BASEBALL

France, the country that went through the fightingest war In history without batting an eye, will never adopt baseball as a national pastime because the game Is “too rough.” This was learned from no less an authority, than Capt. Christopher Mathewson, who has just arrived from France. Although the Poilus have bravely attempted a few games under American tutelage, “they’re more afraid of a hard-hit liner or grounder than they are of a German 77,” according to Mathewson. x - Rotten Infield Work. y “Their infield work is rotten,” said Christy. “They can run bases all right, but they get little opportunity because they can’t bat. And I don’t believe you could pick up a first-class catcher In all of France. Every time a Frenchman gets behind a bat he wants to retreat about ten paces, erect a barbedwire entanglement, dig himself a dugout and crawl into it. “No, the Frenchman will never take to baseball in a big way. He prefers something more gentle, such as football and dueling.”

Popular Player Who Has Returned From France.