The morning call., 1891-12-21
TIED-UP CHAMPIONS.
San Jose and Portland Have
Each Won Five Games.
But for a Water-Soaked Ball Tanning Would
Have Shut Out the Gardeners-Char-
ity Game Thursday.

1t is gradually dawning on the thinking
baseball minds Of San Francisco and con-
tiguous towns that the California cham
pions are no longer in it. They have lost
lead OF three games in as many days, and
are still pursuing a downward course. be-
cause they prefer to hammer the chill De-
cemher atmosphere instead Of the ball
which the management furnishes for that
express purpose.
The champions are now tied in first place,
Portland winning yesterday by q score of
to ..
But a short while ago Jack Tanning I'M
dertook to pitch for his northern employer,
and those who read the papers next morn
ing will remember how the Dukes leaned
up against Mr.. Fanpipg's curves for sixteen
large and imposing base hits.
Jack gave them another chance yester-
day, but they could not hit loaded hearse
During the nine innings. in which the
Dukes wasted much valuable time making
frantic semi-circles in the soft, yielding air.
they secured four singles, one of which was
a creature of circumstance.
Both their tallie5 were gifts and therefore
highly priced by the grateful recipients.
Tanning pitched great ball Tor seven inn
ings and then crowded two men across the
plate but it was entirely the fault OF the
ball, which was soaking wet.
Portland earned four of its five runs by
sharp. clean biting at the right time. OF
the seven hits they got off Harper six
counted for runs. Three OF them were
doubles to left and would have been triples
but for the magnificent fielding of Stsllings,
who held the batters on second each time.
WON BY HARD HITS.
San Jose put up a better fielding game
but that of The visitors was perfect enough
fer shut-cut purposes had it not been for the
fatal intervention of horses track In the
mud The track was outside ofthe grounds
and contained portion of the late precipi-
tation, into which foul ball fell and soaked
awhile before being returned 10 the game
Then it was so thoroughly saturated that
the cover became wrinkled like the cover OF
baked apple, and Tanning couldn't putthe
English on it. Before the umpire would
cons, ut to a change the two runs had been
forced in.
No runs appeared until the third inning.
when Cousin Park got away on hit TO
right. Patton was given a base, and Works
double scored the two runs. In the Dukes
half Tanning struck Harper out after three
balls had been called. Patton made pretty
stop of StalingS' drive back OF second, and
Work retired the side on long running
catch of Everett's fly.
The fourth was quiet and uneventful, but
in the next Mr.. Molz stirred up a little en-
thusiasm bv his difficult catch OF foul
back of first base.
In the sixth Portland set to work and
batted in three runs on four clean drives in
row. With two men out Toms brother
jugs smashed out double that struck the
left-field fence. Stalllngs was there as soon
as the ball or jugs would have gone far
ther. Wilson singled, scoring jugs, and
Tanning HIT to left for one base. Patton
was next up and caught the first ball on the
chin for two bags. Ii was beautiful drive
Just over StallingS' head. Cousin Park and
flaming scored. Work tried for another
double III the same place, but Stalllngs got
under it in time.
FORCED IN TWO RUNS.
1t was in the eighth that the Dukes broke
the spell and saved themselves from a shut
out. Stallings persisted on a fly to Work,
and Hanley popped one up in the middle of
the diamond. Tanning and Wilson both
went alter it. but got mixed on the right Of
way signals and the ball escaped. Big Bill
famed out, ana Ebright had two strikes
called on him. The next one caught him on
the elbow. DOoly hit to Patton, who threw
wide to MOtZ, and the runner was safe.
This filled the bases, and Hank RetZ who
had already made two hits, undertook the
job of scoring man.
Hank accomplished his object, but not in
the regulation manner. He fouled the ball
over the fence, and the wet one, which had
been returned the previous inning, took its
place. flaming tried to sail it across the
plate, but il scoott d off to one side every
time. lie and Wilson took turns rubbing
sand on the ball, but its hide would wrinkle
W. and Hank Reifz took his base, forcing
in Hanley with the first run. Then Hank
Spies came in for share of the wet ball,
and got it in the shape of base, Ebrght
scoring.
At this point a combined kick on tile part
of Glenalvin and Tanning resulted In the
dismissal of the wet ball from the game, TO
which Ebright strongly objected. He had
three men on bases with chance to win.
but his last hope fed when Sharp popped
up fly with the dry ball TO MotZ.
Next Thursday, If the weather permits.
the postponed charity gamefor the Orphans
Christmas Fund will be played at Haight
street The game will count in the cham
pionship series. Following is the score: