The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-06-07
WOMEN PLAYING BASE BALL.
From the y. Y. World Of Nay llth. !

fro@ TIE y. i. world Of NAY llte-
The "clergy and medical faculty Of
the city" were invited yesterday after
noon TO the game Of base ball between
mines of young women, on q vscaat lot
at Forty-ninth street and Madison av-
enue, and quite a crowd. not distinctly
clerical or medical, thongh q number Of
clergyuen were undoubtedly present,
assembled. Out on the dusty open field
the eighteen young women prsnced
about. essaying base ball until the au-
dience roared itself hoarse. The mines
were styled OF course. The Blondes
and The Brune,tes." and wore respec-
lively blue and red skirts and leggings
They have been in practice four weeks.
Such playing had never before been
seen. but it was certainly earnest and
even average playing. The viciously
whacked ball often passed the pitcher.
and the running from base to base was
q cross between a skip and . jog. trot.
The players wore SMALL jockey caps
atop of their top knots of plsits. aud
whenever the bats came of. which they
always did. ell thoughts OF the bail
were protempore dismissed until the
disaster was repaired. The "muffing"
was supreme. In the course Of three
hours Of vigorous work. about three
balls were caught on the fly in an &C.
cidental sort of way. There We're few
Of the usual ball fold incidents. The
red catcher took a missed ball on her
eyelid. but allowed it to fall oR while
she sat down TO en,:urs the ministra-
tions Of the FIRST and third base women.
The styles Of plAyi ing were ss various -
could be. The blonde captain Was very
tall. and once having made . hit, shin
ned around the quadrangle in full con.
fdencs that the muffing Of the fielders
would permit her to get through ell
right. The blue catcher wore her hair
down. and when tho umpire had called
three strikes" for her she dashed Of
10 . nebulous state. pursued by the
ball and generally made her base. since
the ball was thrown wide for fear of
hitting some of her. The batting WAS
unique. The bat WAS held above the
head as nearly perpendicular as might
be. and brought down with \ grace .nd
force that adorn the act If domestic dis
cipline administered with broom.
Naturally. almost every ball hit Was =
"grounder." and WAS scrambled up aud
thrown with an overland stroke. The
changes in the innings were pictur ssque.
o cloud of blue skirts aud forest Of
blue legs advancing to the shelter tent,
while flock Of red legs and caps scared
out over the field. The blue legs were
the longer. and won the match by this
virtue, but the red young women did
the best catching and fielding. Now
and then home run WAS made, and
then there was q general hugging ard
kissing in the tents as the victor came
in. The captains were specially digni-
fled. The red loader WA, broad faced,
stout-lilnbed young woman, who, at one
time. was known to the public Is the
chief victim of "show of beauty" in
this city. Two Of the blues years ago
were fat riders Of Barnum's Hippo
drome. Female trspezists. song and
dance "artiste." and such made up the
rest OF the Mays aud Gypsies of the
troupe. When the baud played Kill,r.
pey. four Of the fielders kept time to
the air with their feet. Now and then
a ball aung with more than usual vim
aud caught Inadvertently in the region
Of the stomach, brought ou. suppressed
scream from the victim. and a litter
from the other Jennies and Gracies aud
Josies on the field, At Ave o'clock 1t
was declared that the score stock as fol-
lows:
s,Sas:s;;.:::s sIsn:::::..:..:s sSs Isl IS;
The manager of oil this novelty put
his hand upon bis heart and declared {:
my object is to start new thing To
develop the women OF America I am
going to open here q field foe their
physical perfection. There is to be
base ball. lacrosse. walking. running.
velocipede- riding and everything The
ponies are now in training. Doctors
tell me it will knock seven. eighths Of
their business sky high. am going
TO have . tent made two hundred and
fifty feet square to travel round the
country from Omaha 10 Boston. It is
going to work . revolution in this coun-
try and the world These ladies are oil
cultivated women, who of the field are
able to grace any drawing room. l tell
you..thst it 10 the biggest thing that has
ever occurred for the women Of Amer.
ics.''
One Of the women players added that
aha DArOn A. net 6va Hnllava nm