Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-09-11
The Demon Bat.

THRILLING LEGEND OF THE BASEBALL
ARENA. .t.
"Our town had the baseball fever.
So had l." ....... Kiss.
"Of course we had o nine. Not O
professional nine-we had not come to
that yet; but an amateur nine that used
to visit the neighboring towns and VIII
lagos on, Saturdays, and there engage in
play with an equal number Of maniacs
similarly affected, beating and being
beaten. The members of the Excelsior
Club all amateur clubs are called
either Excelsiors' or Unions'-were
proud of their record, proud of their
uniform, proud of their village, and
their village was proud of them. In
deed, think when one of our number
had put on his white fannels and col
ored stockins and star-bedecked cap,
and had slung bat carelessly over his
shoulder, what with the admiring
glances of the women and the audible
enthusiasm of the awe-smitten small
boys, and the heart that throbbed un-
der the big e on his breast, throbbed
so proudly that he would not have ex-
changed his position-say at the second
base-for that of Chief Marshal of the
Fourth of July procession or Alderman.
and any one who has ever lived in a
country town knows what that means.
8" I say 'of our number because /
was member of the club, at times of
the nine--a an unworthy member, though
never brilliant player, and at all criti-
cal stages of close games q nervous one.
If I were playing base was sure to
muff a bull at the wrong moment; if
fielding my performance was hailed by
derisiye roar of butter-fngers, and
on the score-sheet my record generally
looked like this:
| EXCELSIOR.
N.o o. r. B. TIP. A. e.
smItSsrs na%s; ---
cat home never was trusted to play,
but often better players could not af-
ford the time or money to visit other
places, and so I, who had both leisure
and funds, was frequently enabled to
crafty the darling ambition of all the
young men of Wapanseh, and figure in
the nine"
"The Fourth of July had almost
been reached, and we were engaged to
play match at the town of Somerville,
some hundred and twenty miles away.
Somerville boasted its club, of course,
for there is not town or village in the
country that has. not its baseball club
and literary society. 1t was famous
club, and players spoke almost with
awe OF its members, who had graduated
into professional mines and were win
ning-and selling-historic games daily
in sight ef all men. And had it not
been recorded even in the World that
any of the Actives, of Someryille, had
defeated the mighty Mutuals by three
to two? We had often played with
this club, but never defeated it, though
| once or twice victory had eluded our
grasp at the supreme moment-thanks
to me, whom the irate Excelsiors would
certainly have lynched had not their
disgust been too excessive for deeds as
well as words" ,.... ........ ...e!
The eve of the great match had ar
| rived, and was sitting gloomily in my
bedroom. The door was locked, for it
was nearly midnight, and was about
to retire. A heavy thunder storm, with
fitful dashes of rain. was raging with
out. I was meditating, I need hardly
say, of next days game; just my
luck, Of course I said, half-aloud;
the biggest match we ever played in,
and have no chance Of playing. Butt
I continued, bitterly, what difference
does that make, after all 2, If I played,
should only play badly. Upon my
word, I think I give my soul to be.a
crack player just for one year. "',ss,g
"There was at that instant fearful
crash OF thunder and blaze of light
ming 80 intensely vivid that for few
seconds ] was literally blinded. The
little clock on the mantel-piece tinkled
twelve. At that moment I heard
voice saying Excuse me- and felt
hand laid lightly on my shoulder.
Looking round saw O stranger.
| He was quiet, elderly man, grave
of aspect, soberly dressed in black. I
] noticed that he had two club feet, but
| gave this no more than momentary at
tention. He had long paper-covered
parcel in his his hand." sfeeda
Excuse me, he repeated, II knocked
twice, but you must have been deep in
thought; possibly, too, that last peal of
thunder drowned my tap 49, ''''7''t
80 was too much surprised at his
sudden appearance to speak for mo-
ment, and he continued =
| Thinking that probably you might
i nj cnnathsrn n In my limo hovo x,nv,.