Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-08-25
The Temperature, IO.day.
As REGISTERED At THE COMMERCIAL OFFICE,
ii A. NJ, tS Atl p. M,
The Active-auickstep Games.

bAmE 1EsIEhDh1s
Three games have now been played between
the Reading Actives and the Quicksteps of this
city, the first and last of which were won by the
Active club. Consequently they claim and are
entitled to the championship. But it yet re-
mains to be proven that they are the more skill
full players. Neither the game in this city nor
that played at Philadelphia yesterday. exhibited
any very great brilliancy OH their part. Barring
the eighth inning III the last game, in which they
scored twelve runs, their play was only of the
average amateur. Those who witnessed the
game cannot but admit that they were out field
cd and out-batted BY the Quicksteps, except in
that inning, who lost the championship only
through few bad plays and the generalization
which they produced.
The score itself forbids the assumption that
the Actlves are superior to the Qucksteps in
skill although under better morale. Twelve
runs i'll single inning i'll amateur games with
the experience of these clubs is such All unusual
occurrence that no one will say it was the result
of better prowess. The other innings refute
such theory. Rather will those who look at
the game from scientific standpoint seek out
the cause, which ID well known to exist IL was
the missing of foul by Taley, followed closely
by two nutfs in the field, which did the work.
These errors dispirited the Wilmington players,
although well OH the lead and lifted the
hopes of the Actiyes from the depths OF despair
into which they had sunken. They put their
revlving spirits INTO their arms and bats, and
the result was brilliant squirt of batting in
which they quite exceeded themselves. Stroug,
clear hits were made every time, and almost
every one added run to the score. Bases were
also frequently stolen. Which was not done al
any other time in the game, and which showed
the extent OF the Qulckstep decentralization. We
say this not to the dlsparagement Of the Active
club, for it deserves all praise for this work. and
only to account for the defeat OF tie Quicksteps
10 a truthful report of the game.
1t will not do to say that the Actives were
playing oil, as has been sugpeated. Earnest
ness marked their game throughout. Each
man of the nine played his part with as much
zeal as LoVett, who in his anxiety to get il
swift, strong balls, kept the umpire. who was
frequently calling balls Oh hlm, ia the per-
petual motion of u jumping jack. while the bat
tiers were dipping and dodslng ike ducks. The
mercurlal temperament of the leading follow
ing also conIIadicts any theory Of a perns-iye
game on the part Of the Actiyes When
the players tlrrt Assumed their POSITIONS oi,s
man III woollen duster aud silk hat, corr luient
and with Il black mOustache, offered $50 IL : 10
in favor OF the Actives. He found no takers,
but when, i'll the 7tlI inning, he was reminded of
bis offer he confessed it looked "rather rusty f"
Another man III brown cloth and cullarleae with
more confidence than money and more wind
than either, soon zub-ided after the game was
fairly opened. This may have been. however.
because his money had vanished. And even
during the brilliant effort of the Acttve- the de-
sire for betting gave place to enthusiasm, the
Reading people seeming to fully appreciate the
capacity of the Qdich7tep players and di-in.
clined to rl-k the venture with them to come
twice more to the bat.
But to the game it-elf. The Qlick.top won
the toss aud went to tho field, The fret three
innings did not give a run to either nine nj.
though both struggled hard to make ,he first
score. Stotr, fret at the BAT, was put out on a
foul, and Goodman lit H. to Splan winch was
taken. James and L1vett got out on IL eli buses
but Cllnch took ily from Dillon. aud tile Ouch.
steps took the bat Kelley struck strong. far
ball, but split his Lat and did not make his ba.e
Fisher more fortunate, made lis fret. hut was
forced out by Cllnch, who by a hit to 2nd made
hls lst LaiIerty failed to get to IHt, and ClncL
was left on the base. In the I'd inning neither
Davis nor Smith reached their list. but Warren
who struck between them, ,got out on that posi-
tion, but was put out in attempting to steal tc
Ind. The Qllcksteps also went out raplly
Stldham NY being taken, Spislu striking out
ana deary being put out in an effort to steal
bases while Talley was batting.
ln the third inning. Rezsler, Stott and jaime,
| failed to reach lst Goodman, who had strucl
between them, was left on the bases Whel
| the Quicksteps came in, Talley made hi. LEI
but was unable to come home, Stock striking
out, and Kelley and Fisher failing at laL.
Ihe fourth Inning was the most brilliant OF
| the part of the Quickstep club Of the wLol,
game. Lovett, of the Actives, by a hit to shor
| stop, made his first, but was put ont at 2nd b,
| fine double play. DILLON had sent Ills ball t5
Stldham which was taken on a fly, aud rapidly
| passed to End in advance of LDvett At frs
| Lovett did not comprehend the situation. in th,
midst OF the enthusiasm which prevailed and il
| was some little time before he could see where
the laugh came in Davis, next il
order, was put out at 1st, and thei
| the Actlves went to the neh,. C,incb
| first at the bat, made his lst on iiy to left auC
was advanced to Sd by a hit to exit eme right b,
Lafferty. Stdham sent his bail to the centr,
| field bringing in Clinch, who scored the 1st run
and made his lst. Splain, by Il hit to extrem,
| left, made his 2nd, letting in Lalrerty md send
| ing Stdham to Sd. Gearys bail fell short, bu
he made his first, and Stidliam scored another
run. Ialley was caught ont by Dillon, bu
| Spaln made hls run. Stock made his 1st by et
ror, but Kelley missed his strikes.
The Actives were retired III the fifth inning il
| rapid order-Waren OH foul Smith at LIST ann
Ressler being caught out. The Qucksteps. nj
| though longer at the bat, failed to make a run
| Kelley, Fisher .Laiferty and S.idham all madt
bases, but Chnch and Splain were put ont OF
| fouls, while Kelley WAS forced out ut Bird. Ii
| the sixth inning the Active scored two run,
through Goodman and James, Stott, LOvett au(
Davis being caught out, aud Dillon being left OF
| the bases. These were tho first runs made h,
| the Active club. The 9nick-teps also scoret
| one run in this innug through rallcy. Gear,
| and Stock we % can sht out, Kelley made his H.
I
The seventh inning gave u blank To the Actiyes
| while the Quicksteps scored one run tllrou i.
Stldham, and Splain was left on the bases.
| The eighth inning was the decisive one of the
| game. In 1t tue Actlves scored twelve ram
| through two each for James, Lovett, Dillon an,
Davis, and one each for Warren, Smith, Stot
and Goodman. These runs, ar we have alrea J.,
explained, were made by the excellent brtting O
the Actives and the poor fielding OF the Quick
steps--the worst Of the whole game, and tn
poorest probably since the days of their early or
| ganzation unul this time the Actiye's follow
ing was moody ard silent, except ut the openin
of the game, but their lungs now gave full ven
to their joy and their tumultuous cheers rolled ii
volumes far beyond the ball field. No more run
were made after the Actiyes left the bat by eitle
| side.
The following is the score
1894 CT
Active. ve.......,,.....,,,...0 0 0 0 D 2 0120-1
| Quicksteps. ...............0 o 0 0 ! ! o o.
| Any attempt to censure any particular mem
ter Of the Quckatep club ID idle. No one bu
themselves can understand the difficulties nj
der which they labo,ed; these were shared
| however, by both clubs. The rain, which ha
/ been withheld until inst hpfore "a ron ,na, m