Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-07-21
The Home Team Downs the SkoVhe-
CANS,
The Last Years Champions of Maine
by Score OF 8 to g.

Yesterday was red letter day in the his
tory of base ball at Augusta. For the first
time this season the home team crossed
bats with the Skowhegans, the champions of
Maine last season, and undoubtedly the
strongest opponents which the home team
will find in the State. Long before the time
for calling the game the crowd began to
arrive at the park. IL was an audience COM
posed of our best citizens and prominent
business men. Indeed, during the game
Water street looked strangely quiet and de-
serted.
They were all at the park accompanied by
large number of ladies who We'd with their
escorts in their enthusiasm for the home
club. Quite a number of Skowhegan people
were present and gave their team loyal sup
port. The game opened with the Augustus
at the bat. BeIcher was the first man to
face the invincible Priest and made that
gentleman considerably weary by fine hit
to center field, reaching third base on the
failure of the center fielder to stop it. He
scored a minute later on Underwood's sacri-
flee hit. The Skowhegans failed to find
Understood safely and retired in one, two
runs to their list in the second and three in
the third inning. During this time only one
Skowhegan player crossed the plate. Priest,
their pitcher, was hit quite freely and was
Al. H.
began an exhibition of kicking and whining
which was disgusting in the extreme and
entirely out of keeping with decent ball
playing. 1t was the most childish and fool
exhibition which has been given on our
grounds this season, especially when this
disgruntled twirler put on his coat and
sought the players bench. He was finally
leased back and resumed the game. Priest
is fine pitcher but is evidently troubled
with big head.
The managers should tgke measures to re-
duce this swelling down before playing any
further games.
The Skowhegans are ball players from
the word go. They play "A rattlng game
from the start and know how to kick hard
and effectively.
At the request of the Skowhegans the dou-
Bile umpire system was used. Boise and
Scott otfcated.
Pushor played great game for Skowhe-
gan behind the bat and Billy Donovan
showed up in fine shape at first base. Kearns
did some good hitting and fielding and the
whole nine ran bases with spirit and dash.
Few errors were made on either side and it
is difficult to speak of individual plays. For
the home team the outfield played perfectly.
Harvey and Little played their usual strong,
reliable game Webster played rafting
game at short and Whittier took everything
that came in the vicinity of second. Rogers
supported Underwood in first-class style.
The excitement during the game ran high.
1t was the best played contest which has
been witnessed on the home grounds for
years.
Lumsden and Kearns did the hitting for
Skowhegan while the batting of the home
team was very evenly distributed, Belcher
being the only man to get more than one hit,
and Underwood the only one who failed to
bat safely although he hit the bull every time
he came to the bat and made several fine
sacrifices which brought men across the plate.
Below is the tabulated score: