[Ads-l] Naptown

[Jonathan Lighter]

1. _Baseball_. Cleveland, O. _Obs._ [Cleveland's American League team,
formerly the "Bluebirds," was called the "Naps" from 1903 after star
player-manager Napoleon Lajoie.]

1905 _Washington Star_ (Sept. 3) V 1: In the three games in Naptown last
week, "Socks" has slammed out three home runs.

1906 _Greensboro Daily Industrial News_ (Aug. 9) 6: AMERICAN LEAGUE.
Naptown Sadly Mourns.

1910 _Indianapolis Star_ (Oct. 11) 10: NAPTOWN JUSTIFIES FEAT.
...Cleveland, Oct. 10. Sporting writers here...have watched Lajoie at bat
through many seasons.

1911 _Zanesville [O.] Signal_ (Mar. 4) 5: Should Bill Pass Legislature
Naptown Council Will Approve.

1918 _Decatur Herald_ (Aug. 4) 11: NO PROFESSIONAL BALL IN NAPTOWN
...There will be no professional baseball in Cleveland next year.

2. Indianapolis, Ind.

1925 _Pittsburgh Courier_  (Jan. 17) 7: Ball Club Is Promised For Naptown
Indianapolis, Ind., Jan. 15. The baseball situation, so far as Naptown is
concerned, seems to have narrowed down considerably.

(And often since).

JL

"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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