San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-09-25
The Tournament


Was success. Nearly $500 were taken In
at the grounds and the supper in the Court
House yard at night leaving net balance
of S20o which viii be apportioned to the
two Are companies according to member
ship.
Business was suspended after IL O'Clock,
and at Up. m. the procession headed by
the brass band, followed by the two base
ball mines, the Mother Hubbards and the
Dudes, arm in arm, also by number Of
the other contestants in the various games,
and the wheelbarrow men who brought up
the rear, started from Swasey's corner.
The road was crowded with carriages, wagons
and people on foot and horseback, large
numbers had already arrived at the grounds,
not less than Aye hundred were in attend.
ance during the afternoon. At $50 the
match game of base ball commenced. lasting
about an hour and half, four innings were
played, the Dudes scoring four, the Mother
Hubbards eleven,
Among the most amusing features of the
occasion were the wheelbarrow race and
the sack race, both Of which created i'm.
mense amusement. The creased pole was
not well creased and the movements of the
creased pig were not at all suggestive of
CREASED lightning" but the tub race was
''just too sweet for anything" There were
some six or eight muscular athletes in this
exciting race. Being formed in line and
the word given they went gaily forward
but it soon became evident that this was to
be by no means an equal contest. With o
few powerful strokes w. Goodrich Jones.
shot magnihcently ahead, the crowd cheered
Justify, and the struggle began in dead
earnest, Jones still in the lead with Swasey
and Weems in close pursuit straining every
nerve, the applause was simply tremendous,
deafening cheers rent the air, and it ap-
peared as If the pc ople in the excitement of
the moment were almost ready to plunge
en- masse into the river where the water
was fully two feet deep. Jones, certain of
success, and desiring to impress the observ-
ers with the ease with which he could dis
lance his opponents, and presuming on the
start which he had gained, now rested on
his shingles, nonchalantly tanning himself
with one of them, and smiling sweet con-
tented smile of which the ladies on the
bank were the benefciaries. But alas for
human hopes Swasey having distanced
Weems and the rest, and taking in the sit
uation with an observant eye, had, by keep
ing well to the larboard of Mr.. Jones 80 re-
duced the distance between them that In
spite of the latter gentleman's herculean
efforts to again get under weigh before it
was too late, Commodore Swasey with
graceful sweep left him in the rear, achiev-
ieved the goal, simultaneously covering
himself with glory and the first prize. We
say nothing of the stranded barks nothing
of their noble crews, shipwrecked on this
occasion, save that that they did not de-
sert the vessels" but stuck to them to the
last.
The boat race was won by Capt. Weems'
crew, which swept into port six lengths
ahead of its competitor.
The shooting match was in progress dur
ing the other performances. A. j. Cowley
walked off with the first prize, $40, Nc
Means and Col. Hutchins dividing the Sec
ond of SIS between them on tie.
good many remained to view the swim
ming match, which was easily won by j. H.
Durham, and concluded the performances
at the head of the river which had occupied
the entire afternoon.
The ice-cream festival at night in the
court house grounds was fine success. The
grounds were beautifully illuminated by
Chinese lanterns, ETC., and thronged with
gentlemen and ladies, all bent on enjoying
The brass band discoursed ex-
cellent music. There was but one draw
back, lack of a sufficient supply of ice
cream. Enough in addition to the home
supply had been ordered and positively
promised from Austin, but it failed to come
10 time. The failure however scarcely mar
red the pleasure of the evening. We must
not overlook the art gallery" 1t was
simply immense and "drew" well. We
mad no previous idea there was sufficient
genius in our town to originate 80 brilliant
IN idea.
EDITOR FREE PRESS "A meeting of the
;wo Fire companies of this place, (Alert