Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-08-07

"6fls. WHOM Oh Tue Lcuutf 70 aleAN
ing the summer in Central New York
and writing spicy letters to the Cinein-
natl Times. In a recent epistle he reports
a hypothetical base ball match as fol-
lows:
A match game of Base Ball camo OIL
on Saturday, which attracted n GROVE OF
spectators and created much amusement.
1t occurred between the Fossils and
the Mayor and Common Council of Utica,
the latter being challenged by the former.
The " Fossils" is composed mostly of tho
oldest citizens, the captain being no less
a parsonage than Judge Bacon, one of the
oldest and most eminent jurists in Central
New York.
The following are among the "Fegula-
tons OF the game:
The game to be played on Saturday,
Juiy 18th, and the anniversary of the
2sth of July, 1865. If not played then
to be executed on the anniversary of some
| other day, and be continued until nine
innings are played out, if the players are
not played out" before that time.
To be conducted strictly in accordance
with the rules of the National Base Ball
Association, the laws of the Medes and
Persians, the Code Napoleon, the City
Ordinances, and the regulations Of the
Board of Health.
No player to be allowed more than n
hour to run q base.
Players to have the privilege of catch
ing their ball in hats or caps, but the use
of peach baskets and potash kettles to be
positively prohibited. Mosquito nets
may be used in catching &" fly f" balls.
All " foul +" balls to be deodorized be-
fore used.
Any player " caught out without his
night key to be furnished lodgings at the
station house.
Should the "pitcher " become cracked
during the game, a new one to be pro-
vided from the nearest crockery store.
No cotton batting" allowed.
No player to be allowed to strike the
ball with a johnson Club.
No levity on the part of strangers adj
mitted.
Omnibuses to start for the first base
every half hour.
Ambulanees to be ready at convenient
points to carry off the wounded.
In order that there may be a correct re-
port by eye witnesses-after the reliable
manner of war OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
per reporters to be positively prohibited
from approaching the grounds.
An efficient medical staff to be in at
tendance, &c.
The game was delayed by a rain storm
for a couple of hours, which threatened to
defen it altogether, but the sun came out
at length, and SO did the Fossils;
III -r1,DI rrrog enpaanhaE damn anH
several old Fossils, who were suffering
from chronic iniammatory rheumatism,
were driven onto the grounds in carriages
some of them not ~dismounting at all.
When it came the turn for one of these
old fellows to "bat," the ball was careful
ly handed into the carriage on a plate by
the pitcher" Fossil would punch it
~viciously with hiscrutch, and then the
horses would be started at the top of their
speed for the first base (which was Mt the
first base action some of them had been
guilty Of, we fear). As the infammatory
Fossils got warmed up to the work, sever
al of them were removed from their car
riages to stretchers, provided for the occa-
sion, on which they were conveyed from
base to base by four young Fossils (com-
manded by Bailey of the Observer who
might have exclaimed, in the language of
Hamlet
"To what base uso5 may we come at last!"
One blind Fossil participated in the
game. 1t came his turn to bat, but being
" blind as a BAT" he was as much in the
dark about the game when it was finished
as he was at the beginning. He was a
strong batter, battering his shins terribly
but missing the ball. When at length he
did accidentally hit it, he was led around
the bases by a dog trained for the occa-
sion.
A fat Fossil was allowed all the after
noon to make a "run," and he hadn't got
around when the game broke up. He
was the only one allowed to move his base,
and he did it very slowly, he having more
base to move thar all the rest put together.
He "larded the earth so that it was very
slippery for the other He was
constantly shouted at to "down in front"
as he Distracted the view of the spectators
greatly when he moved from base to base.
He stopped a ball very cleverly once
with his stomach-and he said he didn't
want to stop another. He had "no stom-
ach" for that, although he had for almost
everything else. In batting he used the
Elephant Club.
A wooden legged Fossil did some extra
ordinary pitching A ball club few
cut Of the hands of a paralytic Fossil and
knocked the pitchers wooden leg out
from under him, resulting in the pitchers
pitching on 10 his head. Another pitcher
went down about as sudden, but it was q
pitcher of beer from McQuade's brewery.
a deaf Fossil got a bat over The head
several times, not hearing the words of
warning that were shouted at him. When
he had run to the bases the younger Eos
sis chased after him with encouraging
cries, yelled at him through speaking
trumpets.
A Fossil who had been dumb for the
past fifty years, was ruled out. He
couldn't ever 'play" 5al0L say nothing
about Dazzling in earnest. He wrote on
his slate to a friend that he never felt so
much like b%aioling in all his life before.
When the game was about half through
with, beer was proposed, but the question
arose who should pay for it, the Fossils or
the City Fathers A Fossil with the
palsy offered to "shake" for it with any
of the Council party. A councilman with
tho "levern ager'' accepted the challenge.
"Fever'n ager" was beaten, being "no
great shakes" by the side of palsy.
There was only one man ''pitched OUT
during the game, and that was an inebri-
ated old Fossil from Rome, who interfered
with the game. He was pitched out of
the lot. a good many were caught out
of money.
An umpire was chosen to settle all dis
putes. New York, you know, is the
Umpire State.) The umpire's name was
Book. He was spelled" occasionally by
Cobb, of the Utica Morning Herald
new and novel version of Co6US Spelling
Book.
Judge Bacon, among the Fossils, ap-
peared to be the only one who knew the
game, the other Fossils being green-an
animated illustration of "Bacon and
Green's"
The Council party was led by His
Honor Mayor McQuade late Colonel Of |
the l4th N. Y. ~. 1t was impossible for
them to sink the Council Chamber. Let
an Alderman "make a motion " with his
bait and there was always another Alder
to cry out, 81 second itr'
One was hit with a bat over the eyes
and nose.
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