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BOSTON- SUNDAY POST, JULY11JL JL f1915’BASEBALLElizabeth Murphy Plays on Men’s Team in Warren, R. I., and Makes Good at First BaseShe*sSome Pitcher,fTTI1 ooI Mmfry/vs.V Aft VA . ’tfy/d-vy.:.'Ar*-V,T/77f * » * «■■• lt;• r* *I’ :C$**fsV-X- -i?•:,v. ■ .% v .'m X y ’ $• Sv i.vv i;1When the Newark Woman Suffrage team reaches Fenway Park the suffragecause is bound to get a boost in Boston.MM**Am I shy on speed pitching? I . just dote on speed. The faster they |Play baseball man.”Just as good as anycome the harder they go back.Imagine this from a demure young miss just out of her teens. Then: I’d rather play baseball than eat. There’s no fun for me in watching the men play unless I'm in the game myself.Elizabeth Murphy of Warren, R. I., does get out and play baseball with the men. She asks no favors for her sex, either, and has her home town W'ild with excitement every time she dons a man’s uniform and plays in the regularly scheduled game of the War-ren Athletic Club.*Easily the best girl ball player 1n the country Is the rating given Miss Murphy by keen observerg who have seen this phenomenon of the diamond in action at Providence, Nowport and in other places In Rhode Island.They came to make fun of me,’1said Miss Murphy to the Sunday Postreporter with all the assurance of a Ty Cobb, but I showed them that I canHow this spirit of confidence In herself works out is seen in the last game the Warren Shoe Company nine played with the fast Naval Training /Station team at Newport with Miss Murphy at first base.The Warren nine lost, but the girt at first accepted 15 chances without an error, made a sensational stop of a line drive with her gloved hand and caught it with her bare hand as It bounded away, and figured in a sen. Rational double play. A hit, a pass and a sacrifice waa her batting card.‘7 guess the baseball craze was born in me,” continued the young wonder. ”1 played catch with ‘Dad’ when I was a mere tot; then in scrub games with the bo|s and for the last six or seven years with the amateur nines around Warren.” *An All-Round AthleteMiss Murphy’s prowess as an athlete, however, is not confined to baseball by any means. She is an ardent ice hockeyist, captaining the East Warren Ice hockey five and holding her own in this strenuous game with the boys.“Do I mind the roughness of baseball and hockey? Not a bit. Lots of people mistake fast, aggressive playing for roughness and tn my opinion a checker game is just as good a spectacle as a ball game that isn’t chock full of pepperlsh playing.AM•A .*AN lt;• *yi| 4} atSISWarming up like a big leaguer. This is Lulu Wilson of the Newark Woman Suffrage baseball team. She is a pitcher with plenty ofspeed and curves“The girl nonpareil of baseball,” say the fans about Miss Elizabeth Murphy, the Warren, R. I., phenomenon of the diamond, who playsamateur teams_^^IH^Hwith theIsland.crackof Rhode*+A*.;.v.v*y*V'V'»* • »v»A • • , - » YAMft.v.%-V.y* v v v ' • ♦» wjf,,'A*AVE* •«.“ * * v » f.r« * * * i t*'» ». *vJv******* W,V|* *jk * *{■ lt;a • iWA/X A*T.■* J ■* J** * # * + A t * f 4 r • f J ^ Am r rw a4 a m Jf. 4 jT + M jf f •,•//% ' vv / /Sts/jl* ^v.v///.v-V• mjTjrw jfTjkZw J* * • JLi/Mxt* * .lt;■ *v »*«■Slt;vV ' *'vC%y« j.•y * » c + I• Oj j* « •■V.* I » »•# •v/.%Vjaf8V* -j V.V. V. lt;*.lt;♦!»« « W.v.*. »y»V. • ■%V«vv.».« •*■ • .'.t.V/.* » » •V.’.v,'. , /vV4.‘V- * - - * - * ‘ v «*Shapes up like our own Tris Speaker does Miss Wilson when she steps up to the plate and takes a free and easyswing at the ball.A ' ■■'■-----II' '■ Ill . .1-11 --1-'.. ■ I.—.. I— I .III ,■ M.I u w~ I II .III —.......—------- I. !■■■■ 1.1' —..........................I * .1.1, II 1—1feel as myselfthoughandI were one of themwere pitching theyknow I’d put every ounce of my strength on the ball.”Miss Murphy, incidentally, can pitch. Tn fact she can play any position on the team. First base, however, seems to be her most natural position and it is a baseball treat to see her field the position with remarkable grace and frequently better than her opponent.Rather Play Than Eat!of Rhodeanda pass, a hit, aBristol where much playingTt’s simply great the way the boys, They extend me every courtesy fm- j ing when I’m at bat. But, I don't treat me when I play against them, i aginable and are very careful in pitch- I want them to favor me so much for I———mmmmtmmmmmaaamw—■—mm—---------------------------- _...... ------------------------------------ - ---------I’ve been a tom-boy all my life and that's as much of a reason as any for my playing with the men’s teams today,” averred Miss Murphy. “Mother has pleaded with me not to play hall on Sundays but I’ve had to refuse her request for Sunday is the only full day a week that 1 have for the game.”Mv hours at the rubber factory inI work do not permit but when lunch hour comes you can always find yours truly out practising with the boys. I'd rather play baseball than eat.”1 see the International league games occasionally at Providence and you can bet whenever I see a new bit of inside baseball pulled off I put it right down in my memory and it stays there ready for use when needed. But there’s no fun for me in watching the men play unless I’m in the game ray-i self.In the seven games that Miss Murphy played with the Warren A.other crack amateur nines Island last year she made only one error. She averaged a hit a game and was among the leading base stealers of her team.This year cold weather has discouraged baseball in Warren and she has played In only one game. This was on Decoration Day last. Miss Murphy’s fielding was errorless her batting record, sacrifice bunt and a strike-out.Advertising the girl champion’s appearance means a big attendance when the games of her team are played. As many as 2000 have gathered and applauded her in action.Miss Murphy Is ambi-dextrous, bat-and throwing with either hand, and there is nothing girlish about the way In which she whips the ball around the diamond.Unless Miss Murphy removes her cap while playing, It is difficult for the stranger to become aware of the fact that it is a girl who is so cleverly and ably handling herselfheld.tingon the playingThe girl ball player ts 5 feet 5 Inches in height and. of slim physique, but her 128 pounds are well hardened by constant exercise, but with a roundness of flesh that all her years of baseball playing have not eliminated. _I guess I should have been a boy,” said she, for those sports that girls usually go In for have never held any appeal for me.- I’ve tried to organize a girls’ ball team In Warren, but the girls won’t come out, bo unless I sign with some one of those girls’ clubs that travel around the country I’m doomed to play witty, the boys aJl my life.Even Plays Football“To play on one of those girls’ teams, which they tell me are composed of wonderful ball players, is my ambition. Just give me the one opportunity and I’ll make good.”Just to show Murphy, duringher versatility Miss the football season,dons the moleskins and practises with the boys. She'balks at actually playing in a regular game, however.engagedstrange to saywonder hassports, andThe girl also In trackher favorite distance Is two miles.baseball,” con-”If there were“It’s a great game, eluded Miss Murphy, more boys playing it there would be better men. And if girls played the game, and they certainly can if they want to, there would be better women, for there’s nothing more conducive to broadening one into clean thinking and dealing than baseball.“And the girls need those virtues more than the men.”
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