Evening star., 1886-09-25
A Great Game.

From the Chicago Graphic.
Five hundred men stood at the corner of Van
Buren, street and Third avenue Sunday after
noon and forgot tor an hour that they were
men. At O'Clock the spot was as vacant and
quiet as a convent green when fourteen dirty
and ragged youngsters drifted in from several
points of the compass as if by prearranged plan.
One freckle-faced lad gently caressed a huge
baseball. shaped very much like goose egg,
while another toyed with the remains of what
had once been baseball bat. 1t was a cripple
now, six inches Of the handle having been
ampututed. Four of the little urchins wore
little red caps with white stripes and enormous
pasteboard .'peaks"
"You fellers thinks yer big cause yer got uner-
intensely sarcastic addressing dumpy little
fellow who wore, in addition to n red cap, a
worsted belt on which was inscribed the re-
dOubtable word captain"
We're der champions OF der souf Side.'' re.
sponded the little man. ''Der amt no scrub
nine kin beat der Young Ansons.'
"Huggh, scornfuiiy replied he OF the freckles;
"we're der Young Pietfers.' He's der lily. II
we web had g our ar reglar pitcher we'd do yer Tell ye
| underhand we'll play yer"
"1ou make your pitcher pitch underhsnd,
Course We will. First bounce on 'er fouls
out" stipulated the captain Of the unknown.
hea avn we ley you xar Geat ySH get our ball an if
r..y,! aWyhy, it's a draw. den. You get yer nine
The captain of the "Young Ansons" drew off
few feet, followed by six other little fellows
ane dS youngs.er was sarrounded by
rolled up TO little knees, and coats cast aside in
| twinkling, amid a perfect babel OF "pm
Catcher" "First base and similar nil In1: Claims
Bases were laid out in the middle OF Sd avenue
IN few moments, and youth supposed to
pine stick and a jack-knI was installed as
10 d the The Ss game The scrub
bow legs came TO the plate. He Knocked the
ieatner goose-egg into vacant lot back Of the
| the yells OF the contending players He kept
| on for second base.
"only two bases on over der fence" yelled
| the ''outs."
Ma. Make home run, SNOWFALL" yelled the
"Young AnsonS."
| The ball was recovered, q noisy argument en-
sued, and at last the perspiring Snowfall re-
| turned to second base with the Understanding
that oyer the fence was only good for two bases.
small crowd at first, but it grew rapidly. Soon
there were 200 people on the Sidewalks. Soon
posed like Ajax defying the lightning. He
knocked the ball two teet and managed to get
to nrst. Tie crowd cheered. Great excitement
| The pitcher and catcher met half way and
| whispered in each others ears. Men In the
| crowd sat down to laugh easier. Not a smile
| appeared on the faces OF the PLAYERS The
pitcher and catcher resumed their positions
The pitcher rubbed his hip three times and
then suddenly flew round and glared at the
| second base. The cOlored artist, who had been
| leading of almost two feet, threw himself on
| his face and franticaliy clutched the barrel
| stave that served tor second-base. Tie crowd
| eheered. The pitcher fin ally sent the ball in
| The catcher held 1t an instant, tore OFT his cap
| and hurled the leather wad toward second base
1t went four 1eet over the head OF the astonished
SNOWFALL, who happened to be standing on the
base at the time. 1t kept on and rolled To Jack
son street, chased by the entire nine except the
catcher, who nearly burst a blood-vcssel stand
| Ing on the home plate and demanding in ear
splitting tones that the ball be "put home"
| SNOWFALL and the captain scored. at which the
scorer cut two huge notches in the pine stick
| Ihen the Young Ansons" came up in body
pay Sa Ray .Ss the
league game.
The crowd numbered 500 now Great excite
| ment prevailed. The clubs began playing again.
A s;.liow youth with spider legs was struck
stubbed his bare toe on paving block running
| to second, and was inglorlously put out. At last
language Of the baseball reporters they batted
..out Of the box" They made seven taliies.
| lengthy argument, convinced him that the first
base needed him badly. Previous to this q
numpoacKeo iao nao come In from left Held and
threatened to "strike" unless he was given less
| work.
l. Such a scrambling and yelling and giving of
| duty Is rarely Witnessed Men in the crowd
| laughed till the tears ran down their faces but
the players merely looked at these misguided
| mortals with superciliOus air, tingeo with
pity. The game progressed One side had II
tallies, the other Is. Suddenly the crowd
approaching at gallop, his club swinging like
| the pendulum OF an eightday clock.
Cheese der cop" piped shrih voice. "Cher.
When the big policeman arrived and the
crowd again glanced at the ball field, 1t was va.
shoe and a dirty stocking on the home plate.
at midnight carnival in the gutter.
vutrH 1rnVr