The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-07-15

e Up to this time / had had nothing &
s do in the field, the balls being knocke
9 nearer the other players. Every tim
q one was struck by our opponents mad
{ dash for it, but held up when l saw
was going out of my jurisdiction. Thi
tended to show that l was on the look
e out for all the chances.
In the sixth inning a daisy-cutter
e came skipping toward me. 1 dodget
I about, danced here and there, and pre-
vented it going by, and being ordered Il
7 home, to head off a player running il
from third.
l put too much steam on, for the bal
went some twenty feet over the catcher'
head, who, nevertheless, jumped in tn,
air and threw up his hands as if he ex
pected to reach It.
The best thing about the business wa,
that the ball struck the little boy who
had been yelling my praises, and he was
SO occupied in weeping for the rest o.
the game that he let me alone
MY wild throw gave me a fearfu
wrench in the side, and l struck oui
every time after that; but as that was
what the majority did, didn't feel SC
lonely as | anticipated.
Ishould have stated that having had
us prepared sort of burlesaue uni.
form, with view of helping along the
fun.
My cap fitted very much, but the
frontispiece extended nearly foot di-
rectly outward. The trousers were
gorgeously illuminated with stars,
but were very tight, and were continu-
ally coming unfastened at the knee and
working up my legs. The stockings
were brilliant crimson, and the shoes
of the ordinary kind. The shirts Lad
an immense letter IS" worked in front.
to distinguish our members from the
others.
In all such games the blunders are in
Vulnerable.
One of our nine insisted, after reach
ing second base, that he had the right to
run back to home plate, instead of going
forward, as the distance was the same.
Another, finding the ball at first ahead
of him, hastily withdrew to home,
where he contended that he had right
to stay until he saw favorable open
ing.
That's the way we used to dol" he
said, savagely, "and it was good deal
better than this new-tangled fashion"
In the ninth inning the situation as
sumed an interesting phase.
Our opponents-the Invincible-were
at the bat. we having played out our
nine innings.
We had made thirty-fve runs, and
they thirty-three. If we could blank
them (and each club had been white.
washed several times) we would win.
II they should get in two runs, the game
would be tied, and another inning
would be necessary. If they should get
three, they would win.
The " excitement was intense" as the
expression goes. The shouting stopped,
and the countrymen began trenchine
upon the field in their anxiety to see
the close
Our captain admonished us all to
keep cool and to watch every chance.
Don't get rattled!" was the caution
he repeated half hundred times.
We all promised we wouldn't allow
ourselves to be ratified, though there
were only one or two who knew he was
warning us against becoming demoral- |
lied or (iguratively) losing our heads. |
The first bali struck went straight to |
the pitcher, who took it on the bound |
and threw it furiously to first, to head !
off the striker.
like cannon-ball, turned his back |
toward it and shrugged his shoulders. |
1t struck him and fell at his feet, he |
turning trantically around to hunt for it.
The runner would have been there in |
time, If he had not stumbled and torn
half his uniform off. This so bewildered |
him that before he recovered the base.
man found the ball.
One man out, and no runs!
The second batter drove "sky-
scraper over center-feld, and made |
his second before the ball was fielded |
n.
This looked bad, but we were much
,heered and revived by the captain beg.
sing us again not to get ratified" We
irew in deep breath, and resolved to
lie before becoming ratified"
The pitcher took his position, and
made ready to deliver the bail to the
oatsman.
Al this juncture the runner, who was
IN second base, stepped off pace or two
o watch his chance.
The instant he did so the baseman
lear him took the ball from under his
4rm, and, tapping him on the shoulder,
hrieked for " Judgment"
The umpire could do nothing but give
he runner out.
This little trick, you know, is some-
lines played by professionals, and is
lothing but deception as to where the
,all is.
The opponent supposed it was in the
'itcher's hands, and did not suspect the
isk he ran in stepping off his base.
Two men out, no runs in and we were
head!
The next three batsmen made their
'ases by knocking skipping, difficult
,alls. With all the bases filled. this
made the situation extremely interest
ng, and we became more determined
nan ever that we would not be "rat-
led."
l had not yet had fair ball, but the
lext striker raised one we'll up in the
ir, and my instinct told me on the in
tant that it was "my ball., and no one
lse's.
/ began dancing about and moving !
onward and backward as though the {
round had become suddenly red-hot, {
While at the same time my head was {
brown so far back, to allow me to gaze i
kyward, that the long fore piece of nv 6
at pointed straight toward the zenith.
Right-feld! Take it, right field!m {
vas shouted by every member of our {
inc, while our opponents began to hoot I
nd howl so as to rattle" me; but |
ad seen that thing before, and my poise s
vas TOO sublime for Inc to be disturbed [
y such tribes. ,
just see him take that in old {
ashioned style!" some one called from '
he crowd-probably the urchin who [
ad been heralding my skill from the
eginning.