The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-10-14
The National Game.

Who should meet but Sam SkingamP,
made up like regular swell, full suit OF
black, stove pipe hat, patent leather boots,
and all.
"What's the lay, Sam!' ,stz /
"What's yer little game 2
'.The nashunal game sez Sam 81 m
a member and stock holder Of the Duty
Stockings
Yes, but what's the game? Is it
sbones' or papers p" sez |, kinder igno:-
in the stockings.
.'It's the on, ball game srz Sam "'rhc
Nashunal Game Of Base Bal. Want to
jine p
"Well, don't Mind" sez I, ''but Ia
like to be left out OF wearing the stockings
till cooler weather"
''Stow that,' sez Sam. "Dirty Stock
ings is The pet name Of our professional
nIIe."
SO Sam agreed to let me have some Of
his stock and some brads TO pay for mem
bership aud we went TO the Chatean
grounds to see the first game Tor the cham
piunship between the Dirty Stockings and
the Soiled Shirts Of Sedalias 1t was hot
as bIazes, but you may pick me up for
fiat if there warn't more than three thou
sand people sitting there in the sun.
Pretty soon the game began. The first
tIjey did was to select an umpire. Az
unpire's duty is TO stan ont one side aud
huller, an TO make sure thing of it,
every once in a while. he sings out, lone
bawl !" Two bawI!" After they had
stood the umpire out in the sun, one o:
the Dirty Stockings picked up big club
and stood over httle iron plate like Il
pavor with a rammer.
Three other chaps went and stood on
three little sail loft cushions three other
fellows Hinked at each other and got as
far out in The field as they could; anoth-
er man planted himself about fifteen feet
from one of the chaps on the little eush-
ions Sam SAYS they call this man short
stop, because he don't stop there long be
fore his head is caved in BY the ball
Then player stood behind the chap on
the little iron plate an another went IL
front of him and began to pitch ball at
his head, and he lodged it, an then the
chap behiad HIM would cEiuck it back.
Brme by the feler that held the full
hand Of clubs got mad, struck the ball
an drove it into the short stop mans stOm
ach, flung bis club back an knocked out
the front teeth of the man behind then
he ran at one Of the chaps on the little
cushions, knocked him down and stamped
on him, and went for the chap on the next
cushion; bu; the ball got there somehow
b fore him, and the chap on the second
cushion grabOled il and fetched him a pelt
sIle Of the head as hO came up. Then
the umpire yelled, Out" The crowd
cheered, the wounded were carried off in
an ambulance, new men put in their places
and they began all over again.
| asked Sam if anybody ever got hurt
playing The nashunaI game
Not enough to interfere with the
game,' scz sam. "We've located our
grounds very near the city hospitals; have
oar own ambulance, coroner and under-
taker, and the doctor brings the medical
students over to all The matches TO study
surgery We did have life and accident
insurance agent ; but the first two match
es failed his company"
Sam says that when the nashuual game
was first introduced. men used to play for
fun and exercise but since John Morris
sey, jim Fisk and our kind have taken
the game up, they have 20 pay a member
of the professional nine a thousand dol-
lars for the season, bis doctors bill and
all he can make through his friends inside
bets.
You can bet your pile the nashunal
games big thing.