The New York herald., 1878-12-31
"MUFFS" AND MUFFLERS.
BASEBALL ON THE IcE-FIIsT GAME OF THE
SEASON AT PROSPECT PARK-soArE CURIOUS

BASEBALL ON THE ICE-FIIsT GAME OF THE
| SEASON AT PROSPECT PARK-soarE CURIOUS
ANTICS DURING THE STRUGGLE
Three o'clock was the hour named for the first ice
game of the season at Prospect Park yesterday but
at that hour not single basebailist to be seen
The ice covered with thin mantle of snow
and the wind blew over the hills and across
the large pond with keenness that made
waiting anything but pleasant task. Al quarter
past three Mr.. Charles Hunt, the superintendent of
the Park bali grounds stepped to the lake with
pot of red paint and very promptly sat down. 1t
was too cold for the paint to run. of it was
spilled After satisfying himself that no one was
looking the superintendent arose and proceeded
to lay out the bases. First he painted a
red square for the "home base'' and then went
on to first base. While he pain ting that the snow
drifted the first job and the red square was
seen no more SO it went on, and the chances are
that Mr.. Hunt would be faithfully going around the
bases with his pot of red paint until now had it not
been for the arrival of several of the players who
thought they could the bases just well with
out clearly defined line
The first baseball match on the ice was played in
Prospect Park before it park during the winter
of 1859 and 1860 between the Atlautcs and the Eek
fords. The match was played on what is the
large common near the picnic grounds and wit
messed by large concourse of people. Since that
day the ice was probably never III a better
condition for game Of ball than it
yesterday. There was just enough TO
prevent the ball from sliding away for mile two
every time it we'll battcd. and not enough to
prevent the skaters from skating freely about and
sitting down comfortably. which they did from time
to time.
HUDSON
The object OF yesterdays game to select nine
son and play matches with the ice mines at number
of towns and cities. Barnie of the Albany
Club, Of Buffalo, is the prime mover in the
affair. and his efforts are seconded by q
number of other well known baseball men, Among
those who were present yesterday were Cassidy. Of
Chicago; Doescher, OF the Tecunseh Club, of Cam
ada; Smith, OF the Hudsons. of Brooklyn. and Den
ham. of the "Nanlecss. the Brooklyn amateur
champions. To be good ice ball player one must
of course, be not only familiar with the game but be
also excellent skater. Men do not always possess
both OF these faculties. and the games commenced
yesterday to enable Mr.. Barnie to pick desra-
BILE nine. 1t fully four o'clock when Mr.. Chad
wick. the umpire appeared on the ice. and in few
minutes more the mines were made up partly Of vol
unteers The sides were as follows--
RED NOSES. BLUE NOSES
Cassidy, second base. Campbell, catcher
Barnie, catcher. Denham. pitcher.
Brown, first base. Porter, third base.
George, centre field. Smith, first base.
Torrey, third base. Jones, left field.
Lnskey, short stop. Hurley, second base.
Howe left field. Arthur. short stop.
DOescher pitcher. Clark, centre field.
The sides had no names and, taking into consider
alton the weather and other things the writer took
the liberty OF designating them as Rcd Noses" and
"Blue Noses.
The blue noses went to the bat first. Campbell was
the first man UP and down. for when the ball flew
past and his bat flew out his feet few up. Denham
sawed the air. too with his bat but managed keep
his feet long enough to go out on three strikes"
Porter came next and after making foul sent good
toward third base But he got excited and kicked
OF one OF his skates and SO could not reach first base
\ 4 aOO as
redder than ever, came in from the field
and took their turn, They had better luck
and scored four runs, although how they did it no
knows. George, who is more orless fat. knocked
the ball almost out of sight. and after throwing his
skated ofY at terrific rate for first base. accomplish
ing great portion OF the distance ON his back. He
was received by the baseman kindly and after good
deal of trouble managed to get ar0Hnd and score
run for his side Linskey insst3 upon batting
fouls, and finally in last and heroic effort to hit
the ball stepped down and out Then the blues
in again and by extraordinary cxertion succeeded in
making run. Smith was the fortunate man and
he did it by knocking the ball to the short STOP wo
after spinning around for few moments sat down
On it and kept it safe until Smith had got his base
'no "n u a "a
should be done every pair OF panaloons in the side
worn out by the violent method OF sitting down
which seemed - have been generally adopted. This
being thoroughly understood. the reds went to work
with will and scored eleven ruLs 1t was not their
ball. when they hit at all. straight into ielders
hands, who would obhgingly drop IL and give an ex
hibition OF skatoril gymnastics before attempting
to pick it up again.
AN AsTONIHHING FEAT.
II was during the epidemic of muffs and tumbles
the part Of the blues that Brown of the rcds made
a 'home rum to his utter amazement and the
complete confusion Of his friends. who knew that he
had never done such thing before in the,whole
course OF his baseball experience.
In the next inning the blues picked themselves mp
little more livelysand managed TO slide into six
runs despite the efforts Of the reds to prevent them
These runs were mainly due to a little secret which
they had discovered and put to advantage. 1t
had been noticed in previous innings that when
ball was sent toward the short
stop he woud sit down. The blues seeing this bat
ted all the balls possible that way II he did sit
down he invariably '.muffed them, and the result,
Of course, was most satisfactory to the batter.
During the game there was some excellent batting by
Barnie Cassidy and Torrey, CT the reds, and Camp
bell Denbam and Smith, of the blues Barnie made
number OF good catches and Doescher pitched well.
although all hands were, OF course, more less
steady