The Portland daily press., 1884-09-24
ATHLETIC SPORTS.


THE GAME YESTERDAY.
The Portlands and Lawreuces commenced the
third game between them this season yesterday on
the Portland grounds and it was ended in the
eighth inning by the umpire Mr.. Clarence Small,
declaring the game "off, - for the reason that in
his judgment, there was something crooked going
on by outsiders, who, when the game stood to 3 in
favor of the Portlands, were offering heavy odds
that Lawrence would win. Mr.. Small says that he
would have had to be quite deaf had he not heard
the bets made, the voices of the gamblers being
raised to quite high pitch, and that sooner than
have il thought he party to their schemes, he
declared the gameotf. His position is endorsed by
the League rules ihasmuch as Rule 15 declares that
"No club shall allow open betting or pool selling
upon its grounds. nor in any building owned or &C.
cupied by it; and again Rule 10 says: "The umpire
is the sole judge of play" etc. Mr. Small also says
that he did not "cal" the game on account of dark
ness, neither did he declare it drawn game, but
simply declared the game off. Rule 43, sec. A,
reads "If the umpire calls game account of
darkness rain at any time after five innings have
been completed, by both sides, the score shall be
that of the last equal innings played unless the side
second at bat shall have scored one or more runs
than the first side at bat in which case the score of
the game shall be the total number of runs made"
This rule is clear enough but the umpire did not
call the game, and therefore it does not hold. Map
ager Burnham endorses Mr.. Smalls decision, and
says that there will be no more betting allowed on
the Portland grounds in any way. and he is deter
mined to stop it by having any person who offers to
bet on his premises removed from the grounds and
not allowed to enter them again. This is step in
the right direction, which should have been taken
before this time but it is better late than never.
Several Young men about town who are blessed
with surplus of money and small amount of
brains have made themselves quite conspicuous
and obnoxious well, during the last four or five
games by betting the result in a loud voice. but
they have now carried it too far. 1t is offensive
both to spectators and players and ought never to
have been countenanced.
Now for the game. A prettier game up to the
eighth inning we do not remember to have wit
messed. The Portlands played finely, did the
LawIences, although the former excelled the lat-
ter both in fielding and batting. Barnes played a
splendid centre field, having four chances and &C
cepting them all, while Hatch and CULVER played
perfectly. For the Lawrences Flynn, Bresnahan and
Bradley carried off the honors, playing without an
In the batting Barnes, Fish and Maloy car
ried off the donors for the Portlands, while Kiley,
Sre.nahan and Bradley lead the Lawrences. After
the eighth inning had been played by the Portlands
it claimed by them that it was too dark con-
tinue the game, but the umpire decided to the
trary, and the Lawrences took the bat. The score
at this point was to 3 in favor of the EOrtlands
and it took three runs to tie the game and four to
win. If the Portands played the inning as they had
played the other seven, the Lawrences could not
win. The first man at the bat was Bowen, and he
got safe hit which doubt would have been
caught had the shade of the nterfered for
after the ball dropped from its height and reached
level with the foliage it could not be discerned
The next three men in succession got hits in almost
similar way, while the fifth man out. At this
point the Lawrenccs having tied the game the
Portlands again asked the umpire to declare it a
draw game, but he refused, and with a man
on third base. the game was continued
until passed ball let in the run, which made the
score to in favor of the Lawrences. A great
huobub now ensued, one party of gamblers decar-
ing that the Lawrences had won while the Opposi-
ton were positive the Portlands had won. Still,
the umpire had not called the game, and neither
side made effort either to hit or field the ball.
The diamond was soon filed with the spectators,
| and it was impossible to continue the game he
umpire, Notwithstanding threats of beating from
some of the men who had money bet on the result
refused to call the game, aud Immediately declared
the game off, everything pointing Gin his Judgment
| towards something unfair in connection with the
game He sa, he will have no hand in any such
business, and are proud to know that he stands
on such grounds. We think his decision in regard
to the game will stand among respectable people
who like to see an honest game of ball, and also
among able interpreters of the rnles of the game
and is blow to the persons who have been carry
ing on this shameful business, by making all bets
made on the game drawn. The score as far as
played is as follows: