National Affairs: Great Sensation

Nominee Hoover took an afternoon off and went to a ball game. It was the New York “Yankees,” American League leaders, visiting the Washington “Senators.” The Nominee sat himself down in Club-President Clark Griffith’s box—the box where Presidents sit at Washington ball games. He was scarcely conscious of an event which feature-writers made into the sensation of the day.

Cameramen had obtained the Nominee’s consent to pose with George Herman (“Babe”) Ruth, famed rightfielder of the New York team. But when the cameramen went to fetch Fielder Ruth, he declined. “It’s a matter of politics,” he was reported to have said.

Club-President Griffith was shocked.

“I am at a loss to explain such conduct,” he said. Ruth’s manager, Miller Huggins, tried to explain that the game had begun just as Ruth was sent for. But the feature-writers feature-wrote just the same.

It was news almost as ideal as the traditional man-bites-dog story, because Nominee Hoover is customarily camera-shy and posing with other celebrities has been Fielder Ruth’s routine for years. What no writer ventured to mention as a possible explanation, aside from professional jealousy and personal politics, was that the man who, as owner of the Yankees, contracts for Fielder Ruth’s services, is Col. Jacob Ruppert, onetime beer-brewer. “If Babe Ruth ever posed with any Dry,” said a fan, “Jake Ruppert’d slap a fine on him quicker’n you can say ‘three strikes.’ ”

The episode assumed such proportions that it was thought necessary for Fielder Ruth to issue a statement:

“When a photographer asked me to go to Mr. Hoover’s box yesterday, I labored under a misunderstanding and deeply regret that I did not avail myself of the opportunity of meeting him. I hope Mr. Hoover will be gracious enough at some future time to permit me to present myself to him.”

Then Nominee Hoover issued a statement saying: “I learned of the incident only from the papers. I certainly can sympathize with Babe Ruth for not wanting to hold up the game for more photographs.

“As an earnest baseball devotee I long have admired Babe Ruth’s batting ability and I look forward with pleasure to meeting him.”

Nominee Hoover’s next campaign speech was announced for September 14, in a Newark, N. J., armory. Subject: Labor.