The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-07-15
BASE BALI TRIED
And the Players and Umpire are
Twice Arrested,
A SUNDAY SENSATION MADE
BY tho interference Of u Justice and
Posse With the Game OF the Is
lapd-AT Test Case TO DO Made.
Other Games OF Ball,

An attempt was made yesterday after
noon to have q game Of ball at Island
park between the Wheeling and Dayton
clubs OF the Tri.State League, to which
the usual admission fees were charged,
it being the first Sunday game to which
an admission was ever charged in this
city, A quiet, orderly crowd, number
ing over 1900 was present, embracing 3
number OF prominent business men and
several ladies. The crowd saw the
eighteen players and Umpire Barrett
arrested Immediately after the frst ball
had been pitched, a proceeding that was
in accordance with previously made
arrangements.
Then they saw an inning played in
which Wheeling scored four runs, while
the visitors drew a blank, and then they
saw the players and umpire arrested a
q. cond time and marched incontlnently
off the grounds to town, a proceeding
that was not In accordance with pre-
vlously made arrangements, and which
created a considerable sensation.
For some time past the management
OF the Wheeling Ball Association has
been considering the advisability OF hay
Ing games here on Sundays, A steadily
growing need OF more funds with which
to maintain in u regular way the Ma
tional game here, made 1t neCessarytha
something should be done whereby that
need should be met, or that not being
done, the abandonment Of the club aud
the loss OF several hundred dollars In
vested was the only alternative.
The lack OF funds Is due TO the large
aud unexplainahle falling Oft In the at
tendance this season as compared with
the past two seasons. The quality Of
ball playing this season has been well
worth a good paying patronage, but fol
some reason Il has failed to materialize,
There was every reason to believe that
II Sunday games were played the crowds
would be large enough TO pull the Asso'
citation out Of the financial hole, but the
directors were 10th TO take such q STEP
till II was seen that there was nc
hope for getting out Of their difficulty In
any other way. Threats had been
made by certain residents Of the Island
not patrons OF the Association, that
they would do all in their power to pre-
vent games being played on Sunday,
All this was taken into consideration
by the directors, and after carefully
weighing all the chances and making
certain arrangements, they decided t
have u Sunday game between the Wheel
ing and Dayton clubs, the latter having
agreed to arrive here in time TO play II q
game was decided on. Notices were in
Serlel In the Sunday papers and small
dodgers printed and freely distributed
noop crowd.
Tho predictions that had been made
respecting the size Of a crowd that would
attend u Sunday game Of ball were more
than verified. As early rs two O'Clock
ltiIo people began to make their way
toward the ball ground, and they con
tinued to 90 for the next hour and q hall
Tho gldssworker0 who gro attending
the Flints' convention now in progress al
Bellairc, were up in force, being every
where distinguishable over the grounds
by their blue badges. Workmen In Other
trades were also there in goodly mum,
Der, It was also a noticably quiet and
orderly assemblage OF people. There
was no loud shouting nor other noisy
demonstration. The officers and direc'
torg Of the clHb 9ske9 their friends as
the word along, which they did andthe
result was most gratifying.
The visiting players instead OF riding
to the grounds In q bus, IS usual,
crossed the river In the skiiIs, singly
and In pairs, 80 as not to attract or dis
turb any more! than necessary. They
also put their uniforms on at the
grounds instead OF at the hotel, as Is the
custom.
One Of the arrangements was that there
waa to beng coaching, and the playerso O.
both sides were inst ucted 70 make no
kicks on the umpire's decisions or any
thing else. They were simply to play
ball as quietly and entertainingly as pos
sible, the one big aim OF the directors
being to show that q Sunday game could
be played without disturbing anyone.
To further this aim Mr.. W. 8.
Meek, OF the McES.Leter, was asked
by the management to speak to
the audience and request It's
cooperation. Assoon as the gong sound
ed for the game TO commence, President
Howell escorted MI. Meek 10 the catch.
erIs box, and he addressed the people
from there. lie called attentiop'to The
fact that q Sunday game was an expert
ment; that there had been and was op.
position that they could assist in dis
pelling the feeling against Sunday games
by sitting quietly In their places and re-
Training from tumnltuous applause no
applause whatever would be still better.
Then on behalf Of the management he
thanked tho audience for It's generous
patronage and withdrew.
THE GAME STARTS.
There was a faint ripple Of applause in
the way Of plapping Of hands, but i
quickly died out and gave way TO q sub
dued murmur oil voices as the people
voiced to each other their approval oil
what had been said. The afternoon was
warm and bright, and all the conditions
were Just right o renjcying a good game,
"Play ball." cried Umpire Barrett,
and away scampered the Daytons In
their handsome new suits 10 their posi-
Tors in the field. Dewall, who has two
or three times sorely puzzled the Wheel
Ing batlers, was In the box, and Chris
man was lis baCk.stop. Burnie steph'
ems was on first, Gaus on second, Dallas
on third, Williams at short, Randall
in tho left, Thomas middle and Pres
aReddyn Williams, whcellns's torch
light center fielder, was first at tho bat,
Dowald squinted at him for q second,
doubled himself up and shot the ball 10
ClrlsnRn.
zone ball, +" cried Barrett, ashO Jumped
out Of It's way.
TIE FIRST ATHEIST.
Then Justice Of the Peace D. Zane
PHILIPPE, who had been lounging about
the players benches, and whose pres,
enCe there had been q matter OF Consil.
erable speculation among the audience,
stepped out quickly 10 the plate, and
raising his h0sd, ordered the play TO
cease and the players 10 come In 10 their
seats. This they did without hesitation,
knowing II was d part Of the arrange.
ments made. Warrants had been pre-.
nafed for all tho players and Umplre