New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-15
H0AL4N,S R4SEBdLL.

Who so strong as to withstand the iasclla-
tions of baseball? No one, it now seems FOE
years fat men, weighing Jess than ZoV poun"',
have formed baseball clubs ana gone OUT anu
played on hot days u year ago the Kew franN
Forsythe of Rocl<lanO this State, got INTO lle
habit of straying over into Ezra Greens oach
pasture with the boys, where he went Dehlhu the
bat and caught jim Shackleys curves ana III
shoots until the dcacons took the matter mp and
deposed him. These facts are mentioned 10 SNOW
that nothing OF physical, mental or professional
nature has ever kept men from playing N'sepoii'
But women have always rfralned nom Playing
the game, not because they did not ike anu APP
preciate it, but for the simple reason that IL was
thought that they could not throw ball. There
have, of course, been sporadic cases Of women at
tempting to play baseball, but they nave never
amounted to much. This season, however, 50
prolific in mad dogs, big snakes, mammoth caves
and other phenomena, seems destined TO show that
women can play baseball after all, else the news
which comes from Washington, Ohio, is the in
vention of a constituencies correspondent, Which,
we should not like to believe.
According to the accounts from Washington, the
Young ladies there have organized baseball nine,
and played their first game day or two ago.
Their opponents were the Washington young men,
and the score stood % to II, in favor OF the
young men it is true, but when we consider how
much more practice the young men have had,
this score shows that the ladies will beat them
before tho end of the season. The inst game was
very exciting. The Rev. Stephen - Anderson,
d. D., was umpire. The reverend gentleman,
although an enthusiast in baseball found his po-
siton a hard one, as nearly every time that Miss
Mabel Brown, the catcher fer the young ladies',
attempted to throw to second base, the ball would
in some unaccountable way fly over her shoulder
and strike him on the head Once she tried three
times with the same result and finally she walked
over 70 second and handed the ball to the base
woman. The baserunncr had in the meantime
stolen second, and while Miss Brown was making
the return trip he sneaked along to third and
tried to score but was cleverly put out by the
Young lady. She had brought the ball back with
her in her handbag, unbeknown to the man, and
she took it out and touched him just before he
put his foot on the home-plate. This brilliant
play was loudly applauded by the spectators
The young ladies were dressed i'll ordinary tennis
costumes with the addition that each wore a
white apron. This was very convenient in catch
ing the ball. and the felders presented novel and
interesting sight, each standing and holding out
her apron by the lower corners waiting for lily
ball TO drop in The old notion that woman
cannot throw WlJu any IOrCt was uRopIoNcu Z"
number of times, notably when frstbasewoman
Stanford, daughter of Judge Stanford, in throw
ing to second, struck spectator near the backstop
Notwithstanding that he was large and power
ful man, the force of the ball rendered him uncon
scious for over half an hour. In fact the am
| bulance was kept busy, and a number of spec
tators were removed To the Garfield Hospital.
The Rev. Mr. Anderson received treatment on the
| 6eld sevarol times Another game will be played
next Saturday.
II is oflicously announced that the young ladies'
q will not travel as they belong to the best fam
| lies" Nobody supposed they would. But the
value of the formation Of their ball club Is
that others will follow in all parts of the country.
Lawn tennis is. after all, only childS game, and
unworthy sex about to put on trousers. Indeed.
| next summer, with trousers, the young women in
| Washington, Ohio, and in other places will have
little difficulty in putting the young men to rout.
But in the meantime, if the Washington game is
any index their play is not TO be desplsed, and we
| welcome them to the field Of the National game.