# XV: Sport Writer on The Rabies explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Ring Lardner.

## What happens

In this chapter, the narrator recounts his early career as a sport writer for the tabloid newspaper The Rabies in 1900. He describes his eccentric boss, 'Oatmeal Haney' Thwack, who has an obsession with oatmeal, and his assignments, including a humorous interview with a young Bobby Jones and an interview with artist Neysa McMein. The chapter ends with the narrator being transferred to the city desk after exceeding the weight limit for the sporting department.

## Themes in this chapter

### Satire of Media and Business

The chapter satirizes tabloid journalism, with absurd assignments like interviewing a one-year-old golf prodigy and the arbitrary weight rule for sport writers.

## Character check-ins

### Mr. Grant

The narrator, referred to as 'Lardner' in the chapter, works as a sport writer on The Rabies.

### Mr. Elliott

The sporting editor, nicknamed 'Oatmeal Haney' due to his obsession with oatmeal.

### Jimmy Ralston

The city editor, Tom Bilgewater, who reassigns the narrator to the city desk.

## Key lines

> “Lardner,” he said to me, “there’s a coming golf champion down in Georgia named Bobby Jones. He is now a year old, or will be in a few years. I want you to get a picture of him in the bathtub and a good human nature, personality interview.”

The editor assigns the narrator to interview a toddler, Bobby Jones, who is supposedly a future golf star, and to get a bathtub photo and a personality piece.

_Highlights the absurdity of tabloid journalism assignments._

> “But, Mr. Thwack,” I remonstrated, “how can I get an interview with a man that age? Why, I don’t suppose he can even talk plain.”

The narrator objects that a one-year-old cannot talk, making the interview impossible.

_Shows the narrator's common sense against the editor's ridiculous demands._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_62_se/chapters/xv-sport-writer-on-the-rabies
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_62_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_62_se/chapters