The Portland daily press., 1867-06-04
Base Ball-the Great Game Tor the
=, --,....t Championship ~
sliA. .A-l8sltaf- BOSTON, June 3, 1867.

To the Editor of the Press. - f--r,, 81 -.f4 / ~.
The closing game of the series for the cham
pionship, Harvard as. Lowell, was played in
Medford on Saturday afternoon, resulting in
favor of the challenged party. Seventeen
car loads of spectators went out from Boston
ON a special train early in the afternoon and
large numbers in addition came by other modes
Of conveyance. As many as 5000 were pres
ent, of which number large proportion were
ladies' The greatest interest was felt in this
! game which promised to be vigorously contest
ed by both parties, and the friends of either
club were alike confident of success In front
of the reporters stand and close by the um-
pire, the famous Chadwick of base ball noto-
riety was sitting, busily taking notes for the
sporting papers with which he is connected.
1t was nearly four o'clock before the game was
called, much time being spent in cleaning the
field of excited spectators who were too anx-
ions to obtain a close view Of the playing.
Lowell went first to the bat, and during the
first three innings scored III, the game at that
q point standing the same for both parties. On
the next inning, however, an unlucky accident
, for the Lowells put Harvard far in advance
and seriously affected the remainder of the
standing close up to the bat, received. a
violent blow in the face from foul ball, which
seemed likely to disable him for the remain
der of the afternoon. He soon resumed his
place, however, and the game went ono Har-
yard made IL tallies on that inning and kept
well ahead until the seventh opened, when the
Lowells made rush and came to within four
runs of their opponents. But the result of
the next two innings was fatal to the Lowell
men, who scored a zero on both the eighth and
ninth N -. '.s.,,..
That the champion club should be defeated
ON the Olympic grounds is not at all to be
wondered at when the style of batting to
which they are accustomed is taken into ac-
count Like all first class players, they strike
the ball close along the ground, giving what
are called daisy cutters" This kind Of ball
on hard field, it is almost impossible to stop,
and frequently secures to the striker home
run But on soft yielding ground like the
] olympic, which is little better than an ordina-
ry COW pasture, every such ball is picked up in
the snort held and sent Immediately to the
nrst pase, putting out the striker to a dead GER
talnty. SUCH was the case in the game of Sat-
urday. Out OF twenty-seven men. Shaw the
first base of the Harvard, put out twenty. The
Lowell nine We're not at home on such q. field
where almost the only chance for display Of
skill was in throwing to the bases. IT much
to be regretted that, the shameful Partially Of
the silver ball committee should have caused
this all important game to be played in field
totally unfit for the purpose. Great dissatis-
faction was expressed by the spectators who
came, many of them, from distant cities with
the expectation of seeing first class game
played on firstclass grounds. With all disad-
Vantages however, nothing could exceed the
skill displayed by some of the Lowell nine.-
Rogers, the centre field won for himself lasting
honors during the game, and Wilder, even af-
ter he was SO badly hurt, made some of the
most impossible fly catches. At the close of
the game every member of the Lowell nine was
enthusiastically cheered, and great confidence
was expressed IN their ability to win back the
ball at an early date. HlIl. sl9. l,Iar. 7f ri Sd