Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-07-09
Baseball Played by Variety
Actresses

Special Dispatch to the Chicago rribune.l
PHILADELPHIA, July 4. The
largest crowd that has gathered on a
baseball ground for many years to-
day witnessed the match between the
female base ball teams. At least five
thousand people were present. More
than thirty-fye hundred tickets were
sold, and one thousand other persons
were admitted at the gate The anx-
lety to witness the game reached so
high a pitch that moneyless gang on
the outside, unable any longer to curb
their curiosity, began an attack on the
fence, and, Notwithstanding the threats
OF the policemen, entered the park.
The pavilion was crowded to the Mt
most, and the benches on each side of
it were filed long before the time an.
nounced for starting the contest. On
the diamond three thousand people
gathered. They stood along the line
of the bases, on the home plate. and
crowded the field. When the match
was to have begun, a squad of police
men arrived. First, they politely
requested the crowd to clear the field
The crowd did not move or answer
The police protested and the crowd
laughed. Here were a dozen men to
battle against 5000. Itwas too uneven
a contest, and the police did not at
tempt to carry out their threats. The
crowd pushed and scrambled. but did
not retreat. Finally more policemen
arrived, and these induced the crowd
to withdraw two or three feet from
the bases The women now appeared
upon the ground. The Philadelphi-
ans were dressed in blue suits and the
New Workers in red Their dresses
were cut short to the knees, and were
loose. The home team began at .he
bat. One inning was played, aud as
the New Workers were about to strike
the crowd pushed forward, and in a
few moments the players found them
selves being showed in all directions.
The police drew their clubs, and many
a head was struck hard. Two of the
women tainted and mad to be carried
off the field. The rest of the players
followed. The mob still refused to
retire. The drunken men began
fighting. Rings of people assembled
around the latter, aud the whole place
was again in an uproar. The police
men were entirely ignored, and had
not the slightest influence. A rome
was finally obtained, and the
gang was forced behind it. The play.
ers marched once more on the field.
aud the game continued uninterrupt-
ed. The match was farce. Not the
least baseball talent have the women.
Every fly was mufed, and it was only
by chance that player was put out.
Some twenty home runs were made
through errors There was no inter-
est taken in the contest outside of
the novelty of seeing women play
base. ball. Very seldom was ball
caught and, before the contest con
cluded, each had made more than fifty
runs, The home team was victorious,
but it was useless to attempt to keep
score. After the first fight was Gn-
ished, half thousand people rushed
to the gate and demanded the return
of their entrance fee. The gate keep
ers refused to return any money, and
thereupon many left the ground.
When the game was concluded a
general uproar took place. During
the last week the women have been
exhibited in the Grand Central Va
riety Theater. They are part of the
two teams run by Sylvester Wilson,
in New York City, whose baseball
experience was suddenly ended by
his being arrested for feloniously
assaulting three of the players. All
are variety actresses.