Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-04-14
FUN SPOILED.
The Chinese Base Ballists Thor
oushly Demoralizsd.
THEY STRIKE FOR HIGHER WAGES.
Afew Rehearsals Breaks Them All Up and
the Club 0isbands-Two Members
in the Hospita! for
Repairs.


Repairs.
PHILApELrHIA April iS.-The Celestial
ball tossers, composing John Langs cele-
brated Chinese Base Rall Club, yesterday
struck for higher wages, which were re-
fused, and ten pig-tailed shirt washers
have returned to that avocation for which
they seem to have been most especially de-
signed by Providence. The club was the
only one OF its kind in the world, and In
its untimely decease the lovers of genuine,
side-splitting fun have lost perpetual
source Of amusement Two weeks ago John
Lang contacted with Lee Yaw and Sam
Weng, g,laundrymen,t osupply him ten native
players, who should travel over the coun.
try displaying their skill in base ball sports.
Sam Weng secured the necessary Cinnamon
and Lang took them over to Gloucester one
sunny afternoon and attempted TO initiate
them into the mysteries Of the game. 1t
was evident they needed lots OF practice.
Lang stood them around in position. Char.
ley Lee was the captain, Wah Lung posed
on the pitchers plate, Wah Lee acted Is
catcher, Ki Yung as shortstop, hi Chug as
first baseman, and Sing Gee as second base
man. Sing Ling as third base, Hong Kong
in the centre field, Hop Lee in the right
field, and All Stu in the left field. Thus
disposed, Lang gave bat to Lee law. and
instructed him TO hit at the balls graceful
ly. Lee Yaw eyed the bat suspicously
and handled 1t as if it were a fiat
iron. The first ball hit him in the
stomach, wbereat he opened his celestial
mouth, yelled loud enough 10 be heard at
Cape May Point and dropped the bat.
Lang persuaded him TO pick it up. The
second ball hit the bat near the big end,
much to Lee Vows amazement, and bound:
ed away abeut thirty feet. Lang shouted
to him to run to the first base. hi Chug
evidently thought his countryman was
going to murder him, for he set off for the
nearest fence as fast as his nimble legs
could carry him, mounting which, he dis
ap, cared in the distance, heading for the
river. In the meantime, the other nine
Cinnamon, forgetting all about their in
structions, left their positions and each
and all rushed for the ball, as il il were
dead rat and they we're starved.
Base Ball Under Difficulties.
The next day Lang gathered the gang
together and took them over 10 Gloucester
sgain. This time they were given explicit
commands as to what to do and how " do
it. Sam Weng, the associate manager,
went to the bat. Wah Lung pitched ball
at him with all his might, and before the
miserable Chinaman could get out OF the
way the ball had hit him in the stomach
and Knocked his dinner up into his throat.
Then, to show them how to hit the balls,
Lang shouldered the bat and planted
fly away ont in the centre field.
Seven Of the Cinnamon rushed
for the ball, and bore it in body to Wah
Lung. When they had resumed their
positions, Lang struck foul. The ball
whizzed around in an erratic orbit aud
struck Wah Lee, the catcher, in the mouthi
shutting that useful member and one eye
up like flash. Lang tried to get Wah Lee
TO put on muzzle, but he refused, saying,
"makee me lookee too dam much Likely
doggy" On that same day Hong Kong
caught at high ball and broke his finger;
Hop Lee stumbled over a stone anf tore his
breeches; and All Sin, who climbed over
into an adjoining melon patch 10 recover
far" ball, was bitten by Jersey bull dog.
There was no more practice that
day, and that evening the ten China.
men went to Lang's house and demanded
higher wages, which they were given. Two
days elapsed before the club could be got
ten together. This time they appeared in
Iull UTeSS. M NuullH WIS nhb
the bat, and Wah Lung pitched curved
ball. hi Chung naturally thought the ball
was coming in straight line, and so did
Wah Lee, the catcher. The former, how
ever, saw il when il began to curve, and,
in reaching out to strike 1t, whacked Wah
Lee alongside of the head, inilicting an
ugly welt. Lang stood by and laughed,
and Wah Lee got angry and swore at him
in broken Chinese. This depressed the en-
thusiasm, and the game proceeded i'll aris.
tCCratiC silence.
The Chinamcn Used Up.
One thing the Cinnamon could not learn.
When the batter would hit the ball and
start for first base, the catcher, the pitcher
and the short stop and two other bisemen
would rush after him and try 10 stop him.
They refused, too, TO ,ay in their shirt
sleeves, and made pretty sight running
around in full dress and their pigtails
streaming in the breeze. They only
P5se'Cga PPdes.iCn TSs Ians %ot Bsttd Ihe q" opening
inning. He struck heavily at bail and
drove il down TO the pitcher. Wah Lung
had an idea the ball was soft and attempted
TO grab it. 1t was not soft. 10 was very
hard. 1t slipped through Wah, Lungs
long, slim fingers like flash and struck
him with a ringing sock" full in tue ston.
ach, doubling him up like jack-knife.
When he recovered he changed places with
Hong Kong out in the center field. The
rest Of the game was uninterestinR. Sam
Weng, the manager, who came out TO
look at the game, was knocked six feet
by a foul, which also stood him on
his heau. Wah Lung, in catching at
"high" fly, broke his right thumb, and
Ah Sin, who attempted TO "cri5" the same
ball, had bis nose broken: The last game
was an eventful one. The ten bunged.up
veterans arranged themselves, and Lang
again went to the bat. He struck hard alta
ball and sent II tipping and bouncing and
skipping down to centre field. The first
man TO catch at it was Wah Lung, the
pitcher. He slipped and sprained his
ankle HI Yuug, the short stop, tried %
fall on IL, and ploughed up the dirt with
his dusky nose. Hong Kong, the centre
fielder, grabbed at it, but it skip
ped between his legs and caught
Hop Lee, the right fielder, on the
right eye. The game thus ended. Wah
Lung aud Wah Lee carried Hop Lee home
in q wheelbarrow. and the other eight
Cinnamon followed. Yesterday morning
they waited on Lang in a body, showed
their broken fingers and noses and man
gled members, and demanded $20a week
and expenses This they were refused, snd
the game they were to have played with
the Philadelphia Club on Tuesday will not
come off. Neither will any OF the others.
Sam Weug says his brethren are not able
TO learn base ball, any way, and Wah
Lung and Hop Lee are laid up in the hos
pital.
WRECKED GROCERY