Central High School - Almanac Yearbook (Toledo, OH)

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Tl-lE1911AI.MANAC The originality of the plan seized the fancy of the citizens. The newspapers took it up and boosted it in a half-laughing fashion, and the idea soon became so popular that it was adopted, perforce, by the Council. Speeding over a long and dry delay in choosing the teams, let us at once proceed to the place and day of the game. Swayne Field was packed, crowded and jammed with people. The two teams were composed entirely of members of the Class of 1911. At first thought this might seem like an unbelievable coincidence, but mature cogitation will convince you that nowhere could eighteen finer young men and women be found than in the ranks of our old class! The line-up was as follows: Tom Almroth . . . . , . , Gertrude Sampson . ,,...,. s.s s.e'. Elizabeth Stem . , . ,.., c.f Tom Merrell . . . . . . .3.b. Emmy Seubert . . , . ,.., r.f 1Yade 1'tley . . .... . . . l.b. Dorothy Seagrave . . . .... 1.b Howard Yvarwick . . . . . .r.f. Zelma Smith . . .... .,.. Q .b Herbert Tigges . c.f. Geneva Reinhart . . .... 3.b Carl Kelley . . .. L. 2.11. Hemfetta Hannan ,.., . , ,l.f George Stockton . .p. Alice Gavin . . ....,...,.... c Lawrence Teeple . . , . . . . .c. Blarjorie Sutherland . . ,..... p Russell Rabbit . . . . . ,l.f. Cmpire, Bliss Ritchie A small, weak voice cried out. Play ball! and the game was on. Not to waste your patience or n1y pencil. it will be enough to say that for eight innings neither side scored a run. It was an even battle and fiercely fought. The ninth inning opened with the girls at bat. Gertrude Sampson selected a gigantic bat. worthy of the Sampson of old. and walked up to the plate. There she stood, bravely striving to hold up the eno1'mous weapon. There was a large crowd of women in the grand stand who repre- sented the Shakespeare Club. They had noticed that many of the phrases in Shakespeare's plays applied. in the 20th Century. to the slang of baseball. To show men their knowledge not only of Shakes- peare. but of baseball. they had decided to converse about the game only in sentences quoted from his plays. Accordingly. at this junc- ture, one of them cried, Look! He's winding up: bye and bye she'll strike. It was true, Stockton tied himself in various kinds of knots. tbeau-knots. no doubtl then let loose the ball. In her fright at its speed poor little Gertrude tried to duck. But the ball hit her bat. She stood stupefied. Run ! yelled En1n1y Seubert who was coaching at first. She did. The ball bounded out to third. hlerrell was just cracking a joke with a hard shell and was not ready to meet it. He foozled it and Gertrude was safe at first. 75

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Ti-1E1911ALMANAc T13 9 If ,f jf ,GSL wif ' 1 1 QL: N - L 'Uutzs for women By EDWIN J. TIPP1-:1:'r LTHOUGH everyone accepted the question of woman sufifrage as settled after the debate between our two girls' literary societies in 1911, it so happened that our recreant legislators failed to act upon the proven resolution. That women should be granted equal suffrage with men. The reason for their brazen defiance of the decision is not evident: it only appears that they refused to act. In the city of' Toledo feminine sentiment grew stronger and stronger for equal suffrage with men. Fathers. brothers. lovers and husbands were urged. threatened or coaxed. as the case might be. to vote for equality at the ballot-box. 1Yhen they could no longer endure being pestered, the city council appointed a committee to consider the matter. By chance, the chairman of this committee was also the owner of' the baseball team. 1Vhen he was called upon for his report, the chairman presented the following plan for settling the irksome question: Nine of' the finest young women in the city. physically and mentally, were to be chosen. Nine similar young men were also to be picked. Then they should clash in a baseball game at Swayne Field, If the boys won. the women must accept their inferiority and do without the ballot. Un the other hand, if the girls were victorious, every 111ale voter would be constrained by his sense of honor to vote in favor ofa constitutional amendment for equal suffrage. s T4

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TI-lE1911AI.IVlANAC Merrell turned to Almroth. IYhy didn't you take that chance? he demanded. It was yours. replied the short-stop. Aren't you the 'Sense- less Taker? The next batter was Elizabeth Stem-our class poet. She addressed the pitcher: IYoodman. woodman. spare this stem. D' yuh mean I'm a l1IocH1c'ml? grinned Stockton. Nay, nay. fair sir: 'twas only play. quoted our poet. The pitcher then pitched the ball. Bliss Stem swung sturdily. Sfr1'kf.'ffor your altars and your fires, quoth she. as she missed. Again came the ball. Fried she, Strike!'for the green graves of your siresufand did so. The third ball sailed up to the plate. Elizabeth gave the last line- God and your native land. Then she landed on it. ,It flew far and high. Tigges sprinted back. One of the club women exclaimed peevishly. He'll catch it ere it come to ground. And Herbert did. IYhereupon her neighbor exclaimed. He has killed a fly! A third jealously sneered. He Fllllldllif miss it! Emmy Seubert strode up to the plate. Put one over. bo. ll'lieve me, kiddo. I'll kill it ! she sang out. Swish! came the ball. C'rack! went the bat. Double! Double! shrieked the Shakespeare Club in joyous unison. It was. and this put Gertrude Sampson on third and Emmy on second. Uh, joy! was the latter's only comment. One of the club-women happily exulted. Tlzerefv but one rlou'11. Dorothy Seagrave was next at bat. As she walked to tl1e ho111e plate. our Class Poet teasingly quoted the old jingle. There once was a Miller. who lived by the mill. Dorothy blushed prettily-you all know how she does it. She missed tl1e first ball. Strike! exclaimed Miss Ritchie. A feminine Shakespeare lover in the grand stand started to ad- vise l1er. I would sacrificefu she began. Not being made for a martyress. Dorothy ignored the advice. Swinging strongly she met the sphere squarely a11d drove it to right field, where Wiarwick was delivering a splendid oration to no one in particular. forgetful of the fact that he was playing ball. So Dorothy made a hit with the boys but she remained single. The hit placed her on first. Emmy on third. and scored Gertrude with the first run of the game. The next batter was Zelma Smith. She hit. The ball naturally went straight to Kelly. Varl was so surprised that before he had time to think. he inadvertently stopped it and threw it to l'tley. who tossed it to Teeple. Lawrence put out Emmy Seubert as she slid for home. and thus completed a brilliant double play. Uut at first! Out at home! decided the umpire. I wasn't out. Miss Ritchie. I was safe! I don't care. that isn't fair! I think you're mean-IYade l'tley-you horrid old thing! T6