The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-04
RAISE BALL In 'SCONSET.
.,p,N PELEG EXPLAINS THE GAME
FOR THE BENEFIT OF SAILORS.

s,.sCONsET, NANTUCKET ISLAND, MASS.
Co,t For fifteen years there have been
hsl matches in this place between the
,s,,,sat aud the Nantucket mines. Gener-
.Ilv the 'Sconsets have been the winners
Srbsir PLAYERS are college students who pass
tboir summers here. Their games are wit
messed with much interest by the summer
,-istors But base ball the old whaling
.aotsins and sailors here never could under
"a "Platen aud "base" and "outfield"
I'd enfield" and short stop" and run"
I'D the many other words familiar TO those
,rbo have looked upon the diamond field
torbem we're little better than 80 much
sopth Sea jargon, OF which they did know
something.
The other evening, in the 'Sconset club
bouse. some Of the old captains we're dis
cussing the subject. Cap'n Peleg Bunker
sntered. He had been visiting some rela-
tiyss in New York and Brooklyn and, with
than had seen several games of ball
Dlaved. Catching onto the discussion, he
aud 81 know somethin' about this base
ball game now"
"How is thatF' asked Cap'n Jabez Swain,
puttiag his right hand to his ear 10 acoustic
style.
"Well," said Cap'n Peleg, perhaps had
better explain it from the beginning You
see. there are nine craft in each of the two
fleets opposed to one another, and each
craft On one side tries in turn to sail the
course. The crafts in the other fleet try to
Ont 'thwart hawse and heRve him off his
course. 1t is nine again one all the time"
bat ia the cOurSA9O asked EaT,in Ebar,
Hussey,
40, forgot that" said Cap'n Peleg.
"First, the course is laid out from the pint
Of departure goin' eight p'ints to starboard
six fathoms where buoy is placed. They
then hauled up from the buoy, eight p'ints
to port, the same distance and then sec
ond buoy Ia anchored; then eight p'ints to
port ag'ln for six fathoms and there, third
buoy is put down, from which It is exactly
eight p'ints to port, to the pint of departure
which is the landing each one makes when
he gets back from the cruise"
"Now we're learning somethin',n said
Cap'n Ichabod Cof1u. 81 could ALWAYS
understand sensible description even If
there wasn't any chart handy. But what
Is the meanin' of the fellow striking with
small oapstan bar, at a shot when it is fired
at hlmW e-et
you're of soundin's," said Cap'n Peleg.
THAT isn't capstan' bar it's a ball club,
and it isn't shot that's thrown, but it Is
durn'd near it, for it Is mighty hard and
heavy, and if it hits man in the diaphragm
after takin' his duff, it wouldn't make his
digestion any better. That's the ball, About
half way between the landin' and the second
buoy, a man stands, who throws the ball to-
ward the man who is on the landin' with
the club in his hands. He tries to hit she
ball as it comes to him, and TO hit it hard.
If he does hit it, and doesn't knock it out
side the sailin' course, between the landin'
and the first buoy or between the third
buoy and the landin', he puts his helm hard
aport, hoists all sail and shapes his course
for the first buoy. II one Of the craft in
the other feet gets the ball before It lands
on the ground, and the striker has not
reached the buoy. or IL the craft
at the first buoy gets the ball before the
runner gets there, the runner is called
out That means that he's laid up in or
binary, and he can't handle the club az'in
until his turn comes round"
That's plain enough" remarked Cap'n
Obed Coleman.
Them" resumed Cap'n Peleg, ''another
craft OF the same feet takes the club and
tries to sail the COURSE
We'll" said Cap'n William Paddock,
second, begin to see through it, too. But
what do they mean by home rum Z"
Il must explain" continued Cap'n Peleg.
When the craft at the landin' hits the ball
and starts to sail over the course, il he gets
to the first buoy without bein' put out, he
shapes his course for the second Then ii he
See5 the course clear he doesn't
and back his main yard, but
haus up ag'in for the third and sometimes
he Is able to 90 off on the port tack ag'in
and get to the landin'. AS l said, when a
man gets safe to the landin' it is called
run, and when he makes the whole course
without stopping bis side logs him home
run. Now, when three men on one side are
cut the whole fleet Is of the hooks and 90
outside tue course, and the other fleet comes
INTO line and the same mansuver Is gone
through with. Recollect that when a craft
on one SIDE starts on cruise the whole fleet
On the other side tries to head him off, and
50 they have it back and FORTH"
HOW do you know which side beats?"
tSAed Capn Zacheus Pittman. 1--WE said
Cap.n Feleg, 'eaoh craft has the chance to
san the course nine times, and each time is
Cai!ed an innin', and whichever side makes
Ihs most runs beats"
W hat Is the man back of the landin'
VINO mas his face in limboes, and carries a
paunca mat for'ard and has his hands Gov
Usd with three-decksr mittenp
he Is called the catcher" said Cap'n
5e4eg, and as far as understand it, good
ueaI depends on him. For instance, If a
SaI tails near him aud gets in his hippers.
1ue STRIKER goes out OF commission. If Ia
seeS one OF the fleet sailing from one buoy
70 another he tries to land the ball, IL he
eeIs IL, In the hands of the craft at the buoy
ONWARD which the other craft is sailin9.n
nat Is the fellow who heaves the ball
Chase. - N''P AAu O0el
arJ hes the pitcher. answered Cap'n Peleg
me ne must be fair gunner, too. He must
lave Vhe ball above the buIwarks and be-
NV ~W tue main yard. Ii he doesn't a ball ia
s Caaeu on him and when four are called the
~ can drift as slow as he wants to
b tue urst buoy and take his place there as IL
nc nau struck the ball. But the man should
,ia alAe at ball properly hove. II for three
s st,Ies ne doesn't do 80 each time counts as
S S,.. and he must sail for the first buoy
tt.s the same as it he had landed the bali
NY iathoms TO wind'ard."
- 4eil us about the man who stands aft
I Ii catcher and everybody treats like a
CsIlLly Ducks on an English whaler7n asked
Oap9 Jethro Starbuck.
,.r, mes the UMPIRE said Cap'n Peleo.
mere, Iueres good deal Of metaphysics In the
eaule That | don't understand myself-I.
i can al nice p'tnts that come up. The umpire
a. opposed TO know the chart and to be
80 W pilot the game over the shoals and
ta asOugn the slows In the rips into deep wa
d.. put sometimes when he gives an or
tSo sheres mutiay In either the port or
VIC star Board ~