Fan-Antics
A brief look at famous and infamous fans.
Bygone baseball by C. Philip Francis – July 15, 2004
Part 1
When you and I visit a ballgame we usually get our drink and hot dog, perhaps a scorecard, find our seat, and then settle in for two or three hours of baseball enjoyment. Rooting for your favorite team is certainly part of the game. Baseball buffs such as actor Bob Hope, actress Tallulah Bankhead, songwriter George M. Cohan, and former presidents U. S. Grant, Herbert Hoover, and Harry Truman.are only a prominent few of the many thousands who have enjoyed the game throughout the years. A few enthusiasts, however, were so overly exuberant they became famous, or should it be infamous, by crossing the line of acceptable stadium behavior.
The dictionary states that a fanatic is one “filled with abnormal enthusiasm”, but in baseball games where does abnormal begin and where does it end? In my opinion any actions that affects the game or bothers other spectators could be called other than normal such as those who run onto the field for a moment of attention, or the streaker who suddenly appeared on the Montreal field when an unusual fog covered the ballpark, and then quickly disappeared into the mist. Or consider the moment when a midget actor named Marco Songini ran out to third base at Boston’s Fenway Park with his glove to take over the position as Ted Williams was walking up to the plate. The Cleveland Indians were playing the Red Sox on August 26, 1946, and whenever Williams was at bat the entire Cleveland infield moved over to the right side of second base It was called the Boudreau Shift, and used only when Williams was batting which left third base and shortstop completely open. As usual Songini was immediately removed from the park.
This happened at Cincinnati’s Crosley Field on July 31, 1935 when the St. Louis Cardinals were playing their first ever night game. An overflowing crowd had not been expected so many fans had to be put behind temporary ropes set up around the playing field. The Cards were leading 2-1 in the last of the eighth when nightclub singer Kitty Burke ducked under the rope, grabbed a bat from the hand of Reds batter Babe Herman, and scurried up the plate to await the next pitch from Paul Dean. Dean tossed it underhand to Miss Burke who bounced the ball back to the pitcher who easily threw her out at first. St. Louis manager Frankie Frisch loudly demanded the putout be counted, but he was overruled and Kitty’s name does not appear in the official baseball records.
While most players have overlooked the occasionally obnoxious loud jeering, a few have fought back. Jose Canseco once attempted to attack a spectator whose insults became too personal. The most well-known incident with ballplayer versus fan took place on May 15, 1912 at Hilltop Park in New York when the Detroit Tigers played the Highlanders who later became the Yankees. Detroit outfielder Ty Cobb jumped into the stands and began to punch out a handicapped spectator who had continually sent a booming flow of vulgarities at Cobb for much of the game. After Cobb was suspended, his teammates went on a one-day strike.
In 1927 Connie Mack, manager and owner of the Philadelphia A’s and one of the more polished gentlemen of baseball, had a fan named Harry Donnelly arrested for causing A’s outfielder Zack Wheat and infielder Sammy Hale’s game to be affected because of Donnelly’s constant verbal abuse. Mack also claimed that fan Donnelly tormented and taunted “Bill Time Bill” Lamar so much that the ballplayer had to be released. Harry was held on $500 bond for disturbing the peace.
Hall of Fame umpire Bill Klem claims to be the first arbiter to ever eject a fan from a game. During a 1911 game in Philadelphia, pitcher Mordecai Brown of the Chicago Cubs was throwing a strong game although one particular Phillies fan had been on Brown’s back throughout. Finally the no-nonsense Klem walked over to the abusive fan and said that he did not buy a ticket to insult the ballplayers. The response was something like, “Shut up you big meathead, go back to the game.” The ump immediately turned to a nearby official and said, “This man is now gone. Throw him out of the park.”
Although she was called “The Bell of Ebbetts Field”, “Queen of the Bleachers”, and “Howling Hilda”, her real name was Hilda Chester who became the head cheerleader of the noisy and raucous Brooklyn Dodgers of the 1940’s and 1950’s. It is not known when and where she was born or died, but became the most well-known baseball fan in the history of baseball. It is believed that she had been a player for the New York Bloomer Girls before developing rheumatism in her arm. Another story says that after two heart attacks her doctor urged her to be absolutely quiet at the game. She began the root for her Dodgers in the 1920’s with an iron frying pan and ladle what were constantly used. Later the Dodger players gave Hilda with a cow bell that became her lifelong signature.
While she happily rang her cow bell in the center field bleachers, music was added by a five-piece band called “The Dodger Sym-Phony” during the game. Named by Brooklyn radio announcer Red Barber, the Dodger Sym-Phony might play “How Dry I Am” when a visiting player would use the water fountain, or when he was about to take a seat on the bench the audience would hear a loud crash on the cymbols.
Hilda would lead her Brooklyn fans in a snake dance through the isles, yell at the opposition, and is the only fan to ever make a player change during the game. She had written out a note and thrown it towards her favorite player, centerfielder Pete Reiser who took it to manager Leo Durocher who thought it had come from team president Larry McPhail. The note said, “Get Casey up. Wyatt’s losing it.” Whit Wyatt had thrown a strong game, but Durocher soon made the pitching change. Reliever Casey was banged around, but the Dodgers did win the game, barely.
Next time: Part 2 more famous and infamous from the world of fandom.