Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1885-09-05
WHOLE NO. 726.

there upon the grass; the boys on
the fences the people standing up on
the carts and wagons; brass band
horribly out Of tune, braying "Hail
Columbia" refreshment tent, with
. long queue Of people pressing up to
sloppy counter made of a board on
two beer kegs; behind all, the white
town, over which streamed flags in
Vulnerable; before stretch Of smil-
ing champaign, with here and there
tall tree whose branches streamed
gracefully before the wind.
Dead silence as the first Of the Ac.
tives stepped to the plate. You
could hear the strident "crick-crack"
of grasshopper, or the muffied hap-
ping of lazy flag. l was at center
field. "Put him where he'll! do the
most good-or least harm," said the
captain, flatteringly, when it was de-
bated where l should be stationed.
There is always nervous period
at the beginning of ball or cricket
match or game of billiards that
characterizes no other sport, except
perhaps an execution. 1t becomes a
relief to hear the first click of the bat
on the ball !; with the first rush of
the fielder the spell is broken.
Glow ball." called the umpire. A
couple of deliveries-then came the
warning cry, "One strike!" (all the
emphasis on the one) then a vicious
blow, and the batsman started to run
but trotted back leisurely at the call
of "Foul" and third base as leisure
ly trotted after the ball. Then came
another couple of deliveries and the
bat flashed. There was slight click!
The left fielder ran forward like
hound, and seizing the ball as it was
bounding toward him hurled 1t to the
first base. There was dull thud as
the baseman received it and held it
over his head then, the monotonous
voice of the umpire: "Not out!"
The first striker had made his base.
Two others follow, and the bases
were full.
"Now then"-why do people say
'Now then ?'-called the captain as
the fourth batsman strobe to the
plate, "play deep out there" and ir
obedience to the order we of the outer
field retired still further, out. The
first ball that the player received
suited him, and he drove it sharply
to the center. The white sphere,
perfectly Kissing with its speed, pass
ed about ten feet over the second
baseman's head and came straight at
me.
I heard the cheers of the crowd; 1
saw the runners flying between the
bases; saw our captain fling his cap
to the groun d and knew by instinct
that he had bitten his lips and NUT
tered: "Just our luck to hit that
muffer with the bases full" All
these things come to ones eyes and
ears at such time without his know
ing that he sees or hears them. Then
l started to run forward, though I
was fully twenty feet too far out to
reach the ball ere it touched the
ground.
I ran desperately and at the criti-
cal moment sprang forward. The
distance no mortal could have cover
ed at one leap, but l felt myself borne
Forward lrresistibly by an unknown
sroo and something fell in my hand.
,rhor, ,ro "a moments silence then
ooma . roar ~ e. IN the crowd, followed
by an electric clap, ,oing ,,' of hands, h. then en-.
a cry of "back back! ~ '''e tunne4S
rushed to retrace their stet IS. Another
yell (from our captain this tl.~e):
"Put her to second base" ;snd l
threw the ball to the baseman. On
it went like a rife-shot breast high,
and straight. saw him turn and
fling it with unerring aim to first.
Then came the monotonous voice Of
the umpire /: "Side out" and our
men went trooping in, turning SOM
ersaults and walking on their hands
in elation.
"That was a lucky fuke of yours,
that triple play" said the captain,
consolingly.
1t was the latter half of the second
inning, and no runs scored on either
side, when grasped my bat to the
warning cry, "Holmes to the bat /;
Smithers on deck" In few seconds
Halmeo wac ont ond eooad kbo ,,;toh