St. Louis Post-Dispatch
April 9, 1911

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. NO. 232. ST. LOUIS,

MRS. SCHUYLER BRITTON , “ ———-

“Ownership ofa Major League Baseball Team by a Woman Is Not a Handicap-.- The Contrary Is True.” “! Think 1 Can Actually Aid the Prosperity and Popularity of the Sport by Very Reason of My Sex.” “Woman’s Presence at the Game, as Elsewhere, Has a C izing Effect.” ivil- “My Great Aim Will Be Not to Interfere With, but Rather to Further, the System.of Mr. Bresnahan—We Adore His Sysvem.”

By MARGUERITE MARTYN. NTERVIEWING the new owner of the Car- | dinals, I tried to think of such questions as one would ask any of the big baseball fmagnates. I had intended asking the question uppermost in the mind of perennially hopeful fans, the Cardinals going to finish in the first division this year?” I had intended asking some of the questions trembling on the lips of every Cardinal partisan and expert: “Are you going to keep this player or that?” I had intended asking the ques- tiow of interest to every normal St. Louisan,; be he Cardinal or Brown adherent, “Is there the probability of a pennant coming to St. Louis this year, and what are you going to do to bring it about?” I had even studied up on baseball ‘terms and coached myself in technique and etiquette of the game, fearing the great figure in the sporting world would not care to entrust such vital in- formation to a reporter obviously unskilled in comparison with the experts we always have on the sporting pages. But. 1 don’t ‘think I ever asked any of those few questions. I just couldn’t. “PEMININE? VERY MUCH SO. HE. feminine equation intruded, absorbed, overwhelmed the situation. Indeed, Mrs. oe “Schuyler Britton, successor to the late M. ‘Gianley Robison, is just: about - the’ niost’ femi- nine creature you: Cabiiinakirie.° I found -we understood each other perfectly _— I had met her. (Qh, I had to surmount som perfectly awful barriers, bustling with cial ‘superiority and contempt for: woman’s ignorancé'}s of such serious matters as sport of which I shall tell you in'a moment—before I met her). I found we both spoke the same language, in which there was a dearth of baseball lingo. Indeed, one of the first things you notice about Mrs. Britton is the purity of her diction and the beautiful modu- lation of her voice. It was my good fortune to be sent all the way “Are the roses, softly shaded lamps and luxurious cush- ions and hangings. The music room adjoins, and across the hall, as you enter, is visible a billiard table. From the upstairs region come the laugh- ing voices of children romping. back ‘and forth. I could dwell a long time on these pleasant home-life impressions, and all the time, no doubt, hopes of the fans would be sinking lower and lower. All this domesticity weighs nothing ad all on the right side of the question of the hour: “What will she do for the Cards?” But, wait a moment. CARDINALS NO WHITE ELEPHANT. T: serenity of this home and entire suf- ficiency of its young chatelaine filled me also with misgivings for the professional standing of the team and prompted me first of all to ask: “Don’t you feel as if you had a white elephant on your hands?” Came the response—well, you can judge for yourself whether it is reassuring or not. ‘Indeed, I don’t. I had always known I was the natural heir to my uncle’s baseball property. J was not surprised at the legacy, only, of course; we are still bewildered by the shock and sud-| denness with which it came to me. My uncle; had been ailing for a long time—ever since my father passed on;two and a half years ago, but none of us dreamed the end was’so near. - “You see, I was always my ‘uncle’s. favorite niece. And since my sister and brother..passed ‘on we were much together,’ Being a_ bach- elor, he could spend his affection on me I often accompanied him on his tours witl the team until my duties here at home becanm« so nymerous I found it difficult to be away so often. We were more like father and daughte, or brother and sister than anything else. WANTS MORE WOMEN SPECTATORS. “T KNOW my uncle’s heart was set upo making the Cardinals the greatest team in the League. He was a quiet man, but a man | deep feeling and strong sympathies.

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SAN ENCHANTED "PRIN ‘EUARDED BY A Cc LAN TT ‘4° ‘¢ to Cleveland to meet Mrs. Britton upon her own ground. Her surroundings of home and fantily fit her so charmingly and becomingly, I’m sure “the most accurate account of her is to be got »@g her in her familiar habitation. She lives wi. her husband, her. two children, a boy 8,.a Jark-ringletted, black-eyed cherub of a girl 4 ‘. ar old, whom I met, and her mother, Mrs. + > 1Bigs,, ‘S REEE ms ; : Vice Pr | a TT “SBGaniz +? > “ >-4 > SSS SP tah rte tts ot ae rire Se — sun G@umsate $ Fmt te (tee

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only the financial but the sentimental assets and liabilities. I shall fee] it my duty as well as my pleasure and advantage not to shrink from doing everything in my power to further the interests of the Cardinals. And the team is not for sale.” “Don’t you think being a woman will handicap you/in accomplishing anything in this particular field, so thoroughly monopolized by men?” “On the contrary, I think there are some ways in which I can take a positive stand and actually aid the prosperity and popularity of base- ball by very reason of my sex. My uncle before he died saw the advisability of making conces- sions to attract feminine patronage to the game. He removed the park bar, a great.source of reve- nue, from League Park, for the good of the game generally. Part of his idea was to make the grand stand more pleasant and attractive to women. “The interest in baseball among women has been growing steadily, and why shouldn’t. it? Why shouidn’t the superiority” of our national game over the sports peculiar to other nations be recognized and encouraged by. women? They owe it to the men, their sons and husbands, to encourage them in a diversion so healthful, clean, so stimulating to the heroic in their na- tures. It won’t do women any harm, either, to cultivate in their own ideals of masculinity all those really manly qualities, both physical and mental, of struggle, quickness, alertness, decis- ion, fair play, dexterity, which are brought to the fore in baseball. “On the other hand, woman’s presence at the game, as elsewhere, will have the desired civiliz- ing effect. LIKES MRS. BRESNAHAN VERY MUCH. re HANGES? Plans?” She echoed my C queries. “Well, no; at least they are not to be spoken of until after the meeting of the directors In St. Louis. I suppose the greatest difficulty I shall have to consider is dividing myself between duties so widely sepa- rated. As there is no one to take my place here, and as I already have ample aid and ad- vice in the management of the team, and as I have no intention of surrendering one of my home duties, the. probab‘lities are that I shall apend most of my time, as’ I always have, right -)here at Bratenahl. And my great aim will be poh to interfere with, but rather to further the n already has in effect. We ae. New Owner the sitet oe Home ar SUNDAY MORNING, APRIL 9, 1911. of TELLS MARGQUERITE

GILEVELAND By ; are all so attached to Mr. Bresnahan. We adore kis system. And then he has such a nice wife They. have visited us here and we found her such an attractive woman.” “And what do you think of the other play- ers?” I took occasion here to inquire. “IT don’t know any of them personally and [ haven’t seen them play for ever so long. I Shall have to get acquainted with them,” she replied. “I don’t anticipate any difficulty. You see, [ am used to responsibility. I have relieved my mother. of the home and every other care since my father passed on. I welcome responsi- bility.” Her cheeks glowed with enthusiasm as she said this. HUSBAND AN ATTORNEY. HE is a young woman, 4id I forget to say?—about twenty-six or eight—and a vivid_ brunette. She is small and round and trim, with decided chic. Her mourning cos- tume failed to subdue certain lively touches that indicate a love of life and gayety. Indeed; her coquettish forearms, her throat, which is round and fair, gleamed' the whites and the color, as it came and went, seemed the more brilliant con- trasted with the dull blackness of her raiment. Her eyes dance, ang her attitude is ever alert. “That’s Helene. I know her step. She al- ways moves quickly,” her mother, who had re- ceived me, had said as the daughter ran down the stairs and into the room, and the atmosphere immediately seemed pulsating with energy. Even her husband, who is an attorney and an earnest, rather studious looking young man, seems to | her take the lead, and {t is plain she is entire mistress of the menage at Bratenahl. Although we are told the new owner, being elected vice-president of her club ‘at the recent directors’ meeting, will be but a figurehead so far as activity is concerned, I am saving an inci- dent to relate as the happy ending of this story which will indicate, I think, how, in crises where the decision of the owner of the Cardinals is essential, her supremacy will assert itself, even as it does in domestic affairs. _ PUBLICITY THE WORST BURDEN. ‘6 O 2 COURSE, all this is a new life for me in a way,” Mrs. Britton went on. ah That is, I have had reason to find 2 ~ PRICE FIVE CENTS.

“T SHALL HAVE To GET ACQUAINTED WITH_THES? Vand outs of it, the executive end of it and all the maneuvers and activities of the biggest seasons. J have grown up with it, and heard it discussed constantly in my home. But_with my new pos- sessions I find one situation I was hardly: pre- pared for and shall probably have the greatest difficuity in meeting. It is the object of public curiosity I have suddenly become. | “Of course, I know I am in an unique position— and it isn’t that I am not glad to meet those who support the Cardinals—sometimes so ardently, with all the enthusiasm of their being, more than half way. But I have been approached by rep- resentatives of the press from one end of the country to the other, and in every sort of way. The idea that I, who have always shrunk from the least bit of publicity, should have to submit to so much of it! Ugh! Oh, yes, I know there are women who like it, but I can’t understand that.” * GUARD TO SHOO INTRUDERS AWAY. HAD just been through the most trying or- | deal.in order to obtain this slight glimpse of the person to whom a legion of Cardinal fans will undoubtedly cleave their allegiance and concerning whom their curiosity is surely par- donable. I was recalling how well her outspoken prejudices against newspaper attention had been protected by what I had thought a most unreason- ing guardsman outside. But Mrs. Britton’s almost tearful expression made me forget my own injuries and grievances and ask hurriedly: “Has it really been a painful operation, receiving me?” “Oh, no, not now,” she responded, surprisedly. “But then you are the first newspaper woman I had met.” It was easy for me to appreciate why and how she had not met others. Arriving at the Schuyler Britton residence, from afar off you can see what appears to be a sentry patrolling the approach. On closer observation you are more and more impressed with the stride and swagger of the guardsman. Approaching, however cautiously, you find yourself challenged. ABERCROMBIE SEES HIS DUTY. 6 Win ho, without! Who comes there? This castle represents the seat of power in that most solemn and im- portant realm, the World of Sport. Matters of great moment are transpiring within. The ut- most secrecy and caution must be observed. I am here to defend the fair chatelaine of these do- mains from the notoriously inquisitive populace. And, by my faith, or by my right arm if need be. You will keep your distance!” Or words to that effect. Anyway, it was very fine language and accom- panied by great gusto, not to say anything of the gusts of. wind and rain and sleet that came sweep- ing up the hill from Lake Erte, calculated to strike chill and terror to the heart. of a lone ‘fe- male. Tremblingly, I- managed to inquire, you?” “Tl am Abercrombie. but spare the lady.” The mere name was not enlightening. Would he do? No. My story about the first woman baseball owner was not to degenerate into an interview with a mere man. One can get those any day. NOT EVEN BY TELEPHONE. A verti ne Ce have made us familiar with—all brawn ‘and bone and floridness—defending his “Who are Interview me if you like, a needed not his Caledonian name to identify room presented modern and LONE on the hilltop with this person who} ’ this was about the draftiest place I known. Retreat was inevitable. The taxicab in which I had just wended #1 luxurious journey; the’ telephone in my 4 more means of outgeneraling medieval mé the giant was familiar with such it seemed, Telephone calls to the Sch ton residence brought only a stern, ei ay.3 with a Scotch accent in response. Letter dressed to the lady of the house and sent by ous messengers were always anticips pulsed as ignominously. GETTING ACQUAINTED aT 1 WAS F INALLY—well, one does not give 8 secrets of one’s craft, but after a night of nervousness on my rt, called up one of the cléarest, cheeriest ; " voices that has ever reached me through ¢! « phone: “This is Mrs. Schuyler Britton. Come ¢ see me,” it said. " Of course, I poured out a long recital « was what I’d been trying to do for 24 I “Well! Well! I have been busy vith: d makers and packing and I had not the s idea there was anything unusual going 0 | } out my front door. Of course, at first it wa a sary to make sure of seclusion in our sorr bam Abercrombie is an old friend of the 4 always a high executive for my uncle, he took his stand with the mast gultent tall iu the world. And it may be at fi ‘: i know I had to be careful what I said f cation. But I don’t know why we shot so seriously. Come out and get So I went. The faithful guard menacingly in the background. But ¢ knew him to be a most dignified and te factor of the Cardinals, I felt safe with M ton’s protection. I kmew she had “Lie down, Fido,” or something ifke tt Her “Why be so serious about it! . confidence in her superior ys aay tom rroblem that may arise for her ¢ jal world of sport. FACTS YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT MEN YOU K Charles Nagel, Secretary ot le Labor in the Taft administration; presses admiration for the ability of to grasp involved subjects and 7“ about them. wae Gov. Herbert 8. Hadley given an killing on his farm near Jefferson vites the other‘state officers and me 4 Court justices help him. ae ay Ex-Speaker Joseph G, Cannon has fh Danville covered with the original cartoons of himself and his camove. ap cigar. — Gov. Augustus E. Willson is the of hams in Kentucky. — Dr. Cyrus A. Peterson, the of St. Louis, wants to have it his friends what his last words will be no controversy on this death. jb hides caer fi St. Louls, He is a city hall an « man for a German newspaper. — “Private John” — of Mississi P. & e

lente eh obaphertpenpe ne <a stronghold so ardently, one might easily in con . been inspired with the spirit of adventure. | tainly it was mystifying. 1 thought ties it so the; “gt few days. Thad thought 1 was fe- orien I had. reed of enchanted. ps mene: * ep tabsball, with the, gant,