The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-13
THE NATIONAL GAME.
The Finest Contest ON Record-Fourteen
Innings and the Score 3 to 2-Twenty-
four Mathematics.


Innings and the Score to a-:Twenty-
four Whftewashos.
The Philadelphia and Atlantic Clubs played on
the Union Grounds yesterday afternoon the finest
game by all odds ever contested anywhere or at
any time, 1t being found necessary to play four
teen innings before either side could claim the
victory. The interest centred in the balloon
ascension doubtless deferred large number Of
people from attending, and not more than 500
were on the grounds, consequently there are o
large number Of the devotees of the national
game who are sick to-day, aud who would have
seen the balloon, Wise and Donaldson In
Halifax before they would have missed the
game had they known what an extraordinary one
1t was going TO be. The longest game on record
heretofore between professional clubs has been
one OF thirteen innings, and therefore this takes
precedence, not only ip the number Of innings re-
quired to finish it, but IN the smallness of the score
as wen as the interest and excitement attendant
on it. Noticeable In the crowd was an ardent ad.
mirer OF the Phiadelphans-a corporation Of at
least $50 pounds av0rdupOs-wh0. in his excite
ment, as the Atlantics would 60 out to the field
inning after inning, turned somerset after SOM
erset. shaking the ground and all near him. It
was but natural that the contestants should share
In the excitement and when the climax arrived
In the fourteenth inning another such mixed.up
lot were never seen on ball ground. Still
fewer errors were made than could be ex.
pected, and the result was that out OF
twenty-eight turns at the bat runs were
only scored in four. In the whole fourteen innings
the Atantics tailed but once. The fielding was
exceptionally good, but, as in the course OF 30
long game every man on the Atlantic side had a
chance to make good, brilliant plays. it would be
invidiOus to mention any names. or the White
Stockings the same can be said, with the excep-
oa 81 Mao ne VINO ss the END to De
miserable, worthless manner. Four times in sue
cessiOn Booth struck fouls which went directly to
player dropped them. The new rule says, how
ever, five times and out !" and this case proved
no exception, for he finally managed to hang On
seat But for Burdock's unfortunate slip
IN the fourteenth inning fifteenth would
is that darkness alone would have ended
the game. This misfortune gave the Pniladel
q score Of excited individuals rom becoming COM
beavers beng thrown and kicked around with o
81 ., 20
win however and the Phiiadelphians have that
any Credit and nave the Of Causing az
once the longest and best game on record this or
At twenty minutes before four O'Clock play was
called, the White Stockings going first to the bat
Notwithstanding Malone and Devlin each made o
Ud6c I'LL uO TuuS were sCOTeu. bdrlOW leu OH WIN
one Of his inimitaple fair FOULS and earned his bag;
but the next three strikers failed TO reach first
base. Things moved along very nicely until the
fifth inning when the visitors got in run through
an error by Britt. In the next inning they took
another, which was at once onset by the Atlantics
earning two. Now came the tug OF war. Inning
after inning was played until the ninth was
reached and passed, and stn the figures
stood two for each side. tenth in
the score, and amid the most intense excitement
the eleventh inning was entered upon. But It was
no each side retired in the order Of striking
and INFO the twelfth they went. One, two, three
the strikers retired just as last as they could toe
the plate the fielding by the Atlantcs being OF the
most beautiful description. At it they went in the
thirteenth inning, and, although the Philadel-
neither OF them could work man around
the bases. The boys went to work in the
fourteenth inning to do or die Devln leading or
for the Quakers with hit to Ferguson, who
muffed it, Bechtel was well taken on the fly by
PabOr, and then Fulmer tried Pearce with scOrch-
ing hot grounder, but Dlckey Juggled 1t and Devln
went to second. and Fulmer to first. Treacy hit
long fly to right field and Booth misjudged 1t.
Things were now all confusion. Booth picked the
wheeled around in time to catch Devlin about mid
way between the third and home bases. Burdock
the players OF both clubs were lowering In the
vicinity OF third base. BurdOck, Ferguson, Pearce
and Barlow closed in on Devlin and should have
had him easily, but just as Burd0ck drew back to
throw the ball to Ferguson he slipped and In going
down threw wild, the hall passing wide of Fergu-
son, and letting Devlin get home. This won the
tried never 80 hard, they could not again tie the