The morning call., 1891-08-30
OLD-FASHIONED
PETE MEEGAN.
He Pitched Prehistoric Ball and
Won His Game.
Only One Base on Balls and That Was Be-
cause His Joints Were Rusty From
Innocuous Desuetude.

OLD Pete Meegan, who pitched ball the
same season Noah pitched the ark, made his
second advent on the earth yesterday after
noon for Henry Harris and won the game
with his antediluvian delivery, which was
singularly free from bases on balls.
In spite of his extreme antiquity Mr.. Nee
gan is a remarkably well-preserved man.
lie can read the finest agate type by MOON
light without the aid of glasses. and he
thinks that G. Washington is still President.
He was never sick day in his life and has
never seen a railroad. Every morning he
arises at O'clock and chops cord of wood
before breakfast, and on Sundays he walks
twenty-three miles to church and back
again.
His mental faculties are also unimpaired.
and he distinctly remembers the days of
long ago, when bases on balls were COM
paratively unknown. In fact this man
Meegan is so old-faSbioned in his ideas and
wthal set in his ways that he actually per-
sisted in throwing the ball across the plate
or SO near that it could be reached with an
ordinary bat.
SOME oLD-FAsHIoNED NOTIONS.
While this statement may SAVIOR some of
fiction, it is fact just the same. Pete
didn't put on any style or indulge in any of
the serpentine gyrations of the latter-day
pitcher. He simply squinted hard at the
DIhtt 1OT u luOLleUI anu let Nv III tHuI ulTeC-
tfon. OF course, McCloskey's men collided
with the ball. but not quite so hard as they
expected. They experienced sensations
similar to those of the man who takes one
more step in the dark at the top OF the flight
when the step isn't there.
Another queer notion this old fashioned
Meegan has is that Harris keeps few high
salaried young men in the field who are not
there TO lock pretty. So he pitched in har-
mony with this idea, and as result Daniel
Webster Sweeney kept his short legs going
like the pston-rods on toy engine.
Daniel Webster's hands accompanied his
legs on six flying trips across the landscape
and engulfed like number Of long drives,
some Of which were corkers.
In all tie Senators bombarded the old
fashioned delivery for nine hits-one n
triple-but it did no good. and not one OF
the i've runs was earned. Pete struck out
three men and gave but one base on balls,
but tn S happened in the first inning, before
his rusty joints got limbered up.
THE DEADLY FIRST AGAIN.
Darby pitche again for the Senators, be-
cause he was not satisfied with the result of
the previous game. On that occasion he
pitched winning ball. but grim fate in the
shape OF Hank Spies was against him. Fair
the fatal first inning got in its deadly work
again and Frisco dumped in four tallies in
surprisingly short space of time.
Hank Spies was mixed up in this mess,
too, and so was Umpire Sheridan, and If
things had been properly adjusted Frisco
would not have made run. You see it was
Ike this: Peck SHARP opened the inning by /
flying out to GOodenough-Bill Goodenough, |
who shayes himself now. Sweeney hit /
tri-sacker, which is low Dutch for three
bagger, and Cartwright flew out to Beesie
McGnirk who wants 10 wear shoulder straps |
because he is captain.
This made two out with Sweeney on
third Then Darby exercised his base-on-
balls privilege and filled the bags. Clark
was next up, and hit grOunder to Spies.
Hank Spies, who once threatened TO get
Job in a Sacramento cooper shop, and re-
nounce the national game forever Perhaps
1t would be good idea now to take the job,
if it isn't too late and make a barrel in
which to pickle his errors.
BEEsIE AND THE BAG.
Anyhow Hank fe elded the ball and threw
wide to Beesie, who had to take his hind
foot OF the bag. You know the first base
man must keep one foot on the bag
even if the ball scrnpes the upper fog strata.
When Beesie made a side leap for the ball
Sheridan turned to watch the runners, Ii is
alleged, and failed to see the completion of
the play at first, which was of highly
sensational character.
McGuirk plucked the sphere from the at
moSphere and, With supeIhuman effort
showed one leg backward and felt for the
bag with his toes like man on q muddy
crossing probing for lost overshoe. 1t is
the general opinion OF the press and public
and Sacramento PLAYERS that Beesie COM
pleted the play. but Sheridan ruled other
wise. Sweeney AMI Smith scored on this
play, and Levy and Clark came home later
on Peoples single. The game ended with a
score OF 9 TO ..
One of the features was the magnificent
outheldug on both sides Little Sweeney
was everywhere and Roberts made a won
derfnl catch on foul ground. Sweeney
welted out couple of triples and Peoples
got one out of the same box. Nick Smith
played a wonderful game at thru and his
side partner, Peck Sharp, was also in the
game as usual
a good-sized audience turned out to en-
courage and sustain Pete Meegan, who will
pitch again this afternoon, with Darby on
the opposing side Following is the score.