New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-08-22

1
glided into Somerville.. just as We wer,
stepping from the platform some one behinG
pressed too closely upon Thompson, and be
fell forward heavily, trying to break his fal
| with his hands. A cry Of pain broke from
him as we picked him up; he had spraineG
! his wrist.
This is pleasant" said Morton. SWELL
Smithers, it lets you in, and you'll have .
chance OF using the new bat after. all
1t was little after three o'clock wher
| the game opened, the Actives at the bat. II
was lovely midsummer day. l can see
the whole picture, bright and lifesome even
now; the long, level field intensely green
lined thickly at one end with gazers; the
groups seated dispersedly here and there
upon the grass; the boys seated on the
and wagons; brass band, horribly out Of
tune, braying Hail Columbia" refresh.
ment tent with long queue of people press
ing up to sloppy counter made of a board
on two beer kegs: behind, all the white
town, over which streamed flags innumer-
able; before, q stretch of smiling champaign,
with here and there a tall tree whose
branches streamed gracefully before the
wind.
Dead silence as the first of the Actives
stepped to the plate. You could hear the
strident ''crick -crick" Of grasshopper or
the mutf1ed tapping of lazy flag. was
at centre field. put him where he'll do
most go0d-or least HARM" said the captain
tiatteringly when it was debated where
should be stationed.
There is always nervous period at the
beginning of ball or cricket match or a
game of billiards that characterizes no
nth nbov.
1t becomes q relief to hear the first click of
the bat on the ball; with the first rush Of
the fielder the spell is broken.
Low bali, called the umpire. A couple
OF deliveriee-then came the warning cry,
'One strike" fall the emphasis on the one,
then Q vicious blow, and the batsman
started to run, but trotted back leisurely at
the call of foul! and third base a. leisurely
trotted after the ball. Then came another
couple Of deliveries The bat flashed. There
was q slight 'clickv The left fielder ran
f0rw ard like hound, and Selling the ball
as it was bounding toward him, hurled it to
first base. There was q dull thud as the
baseman received it and held it over his
head; then the mOnOt0nous voice of the
umpire, not OUT The first striker had
made his base. Two others followed, and
the bases were full.
Now, then,"-why do people say "Now,
then F-called the captain as the fourth
batsman strobe to the plate, ''play deep out
there, and in obedience to the order we of
the outer field retired still further out. The
first ball that the player received suited
him, and he drove it sharply to centre. The
white sphere, perfectly Kissing with it's
speed, passed about ten feet over the Sec
ord baseman's head and came straight at
me.
heard the cheers of the crowd; I saw
the runners flying between the bases; saw
our captain fling his cap to the ground, and
knew by instinct that he had bitten his lip
and muttered. Just our luck, to hit to that
muffer with the bases full" All these
things come to ones eyes and ears at such
q time without his knowing that he sees or
hears them. Then / started to run forward,
though knew / was fully twenty feet too
far out to reach the ball ere it touched the
ground.
ran desperately, and at the critical
sprang forward, The dis ance no
mortal could have covered at one leap, but
felt myself borne forward irresistibly by
an unknown force, and something fell into
my hand. There was moments silence;
by an electric clapping of hands; then
cry Of Back! back" rs the runners rushed
ID etrace their etsps; another yell from
our captain this time), "Put her to secOndw
and threw the ball to the baseman. On it
went like rife shot, breast high, and
straight l saw him turn and fling it with
nnerring aim to first. Then came the mo.
ootOnous voice Of the umpire: side OUT
md our men went trooping in, turning
and walking on their hands in
,latl0n.
That was lucky fiuke of yours. that
ripple play" said the captain, consolingly.
1t was the latter half of the second in
ling, and NO runs scored on either eide. |
when grasped my bat at the warning CRY:
Holmes to bat; Smithers on deck" In q |
ew seconds Holmes was out. and faced |
he pitcher.
l grasped the magic bat tightly. and as
lid so seemed to feel an electric thrill |
un through my frame. The bat quivered |
q if instinct with life, and l could have
worn that felt q pair Of warm hands
lasping the handle between my own. So
rrong was the impression that actually
)oked down to see if such were not the
ase.
The 0all few toward me. felt impelled
D strike, and without hesitation, without
stuck madly at it, and there
ing of hands, and saw the ball, q tiny
lot on the blue sky, cleaving the air 100
vet above the head of the left. field. ran
Ike a startled deer, one base, two, three,
can home run, and painting sank down on
le grass fully ten seconds ere the ball was
mt in. had made my first basehit, and
was home run! II
''Guass you've been saving up your base
ts for the last three years" remarked our
lptain. II
l need not dwell in detail upoa the rest
the history. On that day, as was gen. :
ally remarked, l played ''like the DEVIL" !,
I'd the banner OF SOnerville went down in .
70 gloom Of white-wash. That sentence /,
somewhat Whitmanian, but let it stand !
n hon0red member of the first nine, .wher-
Ter the Elce lsiOrs went went, and with
Q went victory. Base hits and home runs :
'ured prodigally from my bat. What l !.
shed it to do, that it did. The fame OF
Q Wahpanseh Excels;Ors became more !:
an local; professional mines came from
ar to battle with US aud retired worsted. !
y portrait with heavy black mustache) :.
as in the Clipper. l was offered for elk
onths' recreation such salary as few =
nisters OF the gospel, teachers or editors :
n hope to receive. One thing, however,
zzles me: Who was my mysterious visit 4 =
i, and will he reappear to claim his gift! :
VII. | n
How this manuscript came into the pos. Q
ssion Of the World reporter it would be I
dious here to relate. The following item, b
I'm the Wahpanseh Clarion of August 10, y
~, however, be of interest:
1--WE regret tc learn that no reliable It'd 9
g have as yet been received of Mr.. d
,nry z. Smithers, the. respected left
lder OF the Excelsior Base Ball Club. II
l the fifth of July, early in the morning, q
our readers may remember, his bat with t
lich during the year he had made 81