The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-30
A CARGO OF TALENT.
The Portland Ball Players Arrive
via the Deep Blue Sea.
Incidents of the Trip They Watch Hank
Harris Young Men Play Ball-Victory
for San Jose

Among the many notables that rolled INTO
town yesterday by the water route may be
mentioned Secretary w. E. Rockwell and
his troupe of performing pennant-wnners
from Portland, Oregon. Rockwell landed
his cargo of baseball talent at noon from
the steamship State of California, and the
entire party, consisting of nineteen persons.
was driven to the Russ House for lunch.
1t was the first sustenance, except air,
that some of them had absorbed for nearly
four days. but their action showed that they
had not forgotten how to handle table tools
during this short vacation. On the trip
down the coast few of the young men with
stouter vitals than the rest INDUCED in
little preliminary practice at table, but they
generally finished the game over the lee
rail, spurred on By the vociferous coaching
of the cold and heartless.
The party consisted of Secretary Rock
we'll Mrs. Rockwell and Miss May Eliiott,
of Seattle; Robert Bushnell, brother of
W b. Bushnell; Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Whalen of Portland, Umpire McDermott,
Pat Fiaherty of the Seattle team, MesSrs.
Glenalvin, McNabb, Tanning, WadSwnrth,
Camp, Wilson, Abbey, Patton, Lyle, Pie
Ian aud ParrOtt comprising the Portland
team, and representative OF IHE MORN
ING CALL. Darrah, Matt and Grail came
down by rail, as they had all heard and
read a great deal about the bounding bill
lows and how they affect some people.
1t was 10 o'clock Monday night when the
party shook the mud of Portland from their
feet on the steamer dock. 1t had been
raining all that day and also for several
days previous, Judging from the. water
logged appearance OF everything pertaining
to Portland, There was no one ont to see
the YOyagers off except few natives " no
are born with those acGOTdIOn-pleate feet
which enable the duck 10 stand apart as
distinct species of biped. Some of the lights
on the dock were also out, but not to see
the voyagers off, as many would suppose
STUCK IN TIE FOG.
According to schedule the steamer should
have reached this port early yesterday
morning, but she got stuck in one at those
Oregon msts about o clock Tuesday morn
ing on the Columbia River. a few miles
above Astoria. Unfortunately the captain
had left his fog-pow at Portland for re-
pairs, and, as it would take too long TO clear
the right of way with shOveiS, he wisely
concluded to let 20 his -mud-hOaks. Six
hours later these hooks were hOiSted aboard,
and atnoon the steamer pulled into Astoria,
where the rain was having day off.
Two houIs later she steamed out for the
open sea, where tie white caps could be
seen dancing in the sunlight but the wild
waves were sGil too far away to enable the
vOyagers to hear what they were saying.
Not one Of the peHnant-winners had ever
shifted salt water before, and some of them
have since been heard to remark that they
will never sniff it again. no, not in a thou
sand years. They said they would much
rather pay their board ashore and enjoy it
without that remOrse which follows indulg-
ence in Yictuals on shipbOard.
Perhaps it will be best 10 pass lightly over
the more narrowing details Of the first few
lunges on the heaving bosom OF the bfiny
deep. The most scientific tWlrleT IN any
league could not have been more cratic In
his pitching than was the good ship State of
California IN her delivery. A solemn still
ness soon took possession Of the more sus-
Ceptibla young men. One by one they struck
the rail in a penSive attitude and gazed out
over the wide eXpanse OF water with that
dull dead, hopeless expression which dis
tinguishes the adult ciothing-stOTe dummy
from Its felloW-citiZens.
Some ball-playeTs are slow in developing
their talents, which make them valuable in
the profession. However if one of this
class has anything IN him trip by water
from Portland to San Francisco will brtUg
Il out
After the first paroxvsms, and when the
sufferers were exchanging condolences, one
Of the unhappy mariners, originally from
Denver, said he had often read of the horri-
bic tOTtures inflicted by White Caps in In
diana, but never had any IDEA 1t was really
half so bad as it had been pictured.
SOME PLEASING INCIDENTS.
During the greater part Of the trip the &C.
casIon was enjoyed after the usual manner
OF ocean yoYages-lying on the broad Of the
back and studying the ever-changIng views
afforded by the stats in the bottom Of the
bunk overhead. Now and then those on
deck who were not to9 busy ministering to
the wants of the fishes close alongside could
see a hale. 1t seemed as il there was some
sort OF a celebration going on In the " hale
world as all those in sight were continually
Blowing themselves Tor some reason or Other.
One OF the most pleasing incidents In the
whole voyage occurred early Wednesday
night, when the State of California passed
another steamer few ships lengths away.
A heavy mist hung over the water, and
while the two vessels were abreast an able
seaman or each burned a slow, red rocket in
the shadow OF the bridge. The bright, red
glow lit up the fog with wealth of vivid
color that strongly reminded one of the
great transition scene in the death OF Little
Eva. 1t was an exceedingly beautiful ef-
feet, but the able seamen were quite modest
about If and positively refused to respond.
When the steamer locked yesterday noon
Catcher Graft, who came by train, was on
hand with his Kodak to take snap shot at
his associates as they landed with their bat
bags and signs OF relief longer than the
bags. They are a handsome group Of ath-
letes and each one star in his particular
position. Ii has been over month since
they played any outdoor ball. Before ieav-
ing home they INDUCED in an indoor game,
rs the climate of Portland prohibits out
door sport at this time of year, unless it be
baseball regatta.
For the present the club will stop at the
Russ House and enjoy the glorious climate
Of California until Secretary Rockwell can
select a favorable spot for practice. The
Monterey scheme has been abandoned as
there is no ground available for practice. II
is probable that Santa Cruz or Stockton will
be selected as the place and then the team
viii put in couple of weeks at practice,
after which 1t will return to this city to re-
main until the opening Of the championship
season. Captain Glenaiyin will have charge