Omaha daily bee., 1889-09-01
Finch brothers, of Jerseyville, Illinois.

Finch brothers, of Jerseyyille, Illinois.
Do you remember us now!'
Yes, Mac remembered. These Jer-
seyville bows had only the year before
walloped the Carleton club SO badly
that it went to pieces through sheer
disgust. The Finch boys had worked
straight through the diamond. Henry
was catcher, Jim pitcher, and Charley
second baseman. and there were no
better amateurs in the country,
Macs first question was about jim.
aud the boys said he had stayed at Jer-
SEVILLE.
''That's our wagon over there" said
Charley, pointing out q white-topped
prairie schooner on the hillside oppo-
site.
That night Mac went over to Captain
Tommy Wilson S and told him about the
players in the west, and if we can get
them we want to do IT," he urged.
"What can they do?" asked Tommy.
''Do? why they beat every club in
Illinois, and whipped st. Louis on her
own grounds. They are wonders"
Next morning old man Finch agreed
to let the boys off for $25 apiece and
away the whole nine went in a huge
noisy stage to Nebraska City. When
the vehicle drew up in front of the hotel,
and the boys tumbled out, their Jay"
appearance and homely uniform made
lots of fun for the Omaha players, who
sat outside watching the country clubs
come in and guying each in turn.
The Omaha's then as nov had good
players and lots of money behind them.
Mcnamara, the wholesale liquor dealer,
Inc is dead pow) was their hacker, and
he had brought along S6, 900 to prove
his faith in his team.
The Occideutals said nothing but
went in and won the series and cham
pionship, defeating every club on the
ground and threshed the Omahas as
badly as the Pawnees. Mcnamara and
other Omaha sports lost over S6 ,OOO, it is
said, betting on their club.
After this there was nothing too good
for the Occidentals. Holt took them to
Lawrence, Kansas, Leaven worth, ST.
Joe, Kansas City, Omaha-all over the
western country. They, beat every
thing in sight, not losing single game
on the tour.
The Haymakers of st. Joe gave them
the toughest fight they had anywhere.
1t was warm clear day and thousands
of people were out TO see their crack
team eat up the Nebraska men. Holt
drove out TO the grounds in an open
would risk dollar.
Luck seemed to be against the visit
ors that day. They couldn't touch the
red-haired pitcher who opposed them,
and at the end of the eighth the score
was three to four against them.
st. Joe couldn't score in her hall, and
the first Occidental struck out. The
next man got to first, and stuck there.
"McGrew at bat, >" called the scorer.
"Come over here, " shouted Holt from
his carriage.
When the player stood beside him
Holt told him that every dollar he had
on earth was bet on that game and If
they lost it something would occur to
startle folks, and he tapped significant
ly on his pistol pocket.
The batter faced the plate SO fright
ened he couldn't see out to second base,
and his knees knocked together like
castanets. +"
lone strike," the umpire called,
then another, and the audience fairly
howled with delight. The third ball
sailed through like bullet, and in de-
spair Mac swung out at 1T and ran for
dear life clear around the bases. He
couldn't see or hear much OF anything,
and he didn't know whether he had hit
the ball or not, but came home like
race horse.
Then they told him he had knocked