The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-07-03
PLAYED IN SKIRTS
How the Ladies" Lost a
Baseball Game to the
Puritan A. C.
HANDICAPS IN THE N. ]. A. C. GAMES
Tomorrow Will Be a Busy Day
For the Athletes-Cootes' On
the Diamond.

The New York Young ladies Baseball
Club paid a visit to Greenvillo yesterday
afternoon, and while in town they were the
star attraction. Weeks ago large posters on
which was autographed a picture of one of
the lady players, and the announcement
that the team would play the Puritan A. C.
were posted in every available place, and as
a result over one thousand people paid the
admission fee at the grounds. The Puritans'
grounds are not enclosed, but the manager
of the female ball PLAYERS was prepared for
the occasion. He had with him a large roll
of canvass, which, when placed around the
field, enclosed it with a wall six feet in
height.
Long before half-past three o'clock, the
hour for the beginning of the game, the
grand stand was crowded so that it would
have been impossible to secure even stand
ing room. There were over five hundred
people in q circle on the field, and when the
ladies marched into the canvas enclosure
the spectators rushed pell nell toward the
gate to get a glimpse of them. The femin-
inc ball players are all young girls. and
none of them seemed to be over twenty-five
years old. They were attired in red and
blue striped skirts that reached to the knee
and d loose-fitting black blouse, on
which was the name "New York"
A red and blue striped yachting cap,
black stockings and baseball shoes COM
pleted the uniform. at least as far as the
outward appearance was concerned. But
when the ladies slid to bases or stumbled
while chasing a fly ball the spectators no
ticed that they also wore boomers. Did
they chew guml No; for they wanted it
strictly understood that they were ladies"
even though they did use slang and wore
abbreviated skirts. They were captained by
Matte Hendricks, who seemed to think that
it was necessary to keep the collar of her
blouse turned up, "just as the men players
do" Matte played behind the bat-at least
that is what the score cards said she would
do. Her time was occupied in chasing balls
instead of catching them So it was with
every member of the team, except the
pitcher, "Berther" Gordon, who threw the
balls in every pace except over the home
plate.
The Puritans gallantly offered the "ladies''
the choice of innings. and after consulting
with their manager the "laIieS' decided to
go to the bat first. Matte Hendricks was
the first to step to the plate. Pitcher Err
hardt tossed her an easy bail and she hit it
right in the nose, sending it far into right
field. She reached first base. but was put
out afterward while trying to steal second.
.'Berther'' Gordon, who followed her, struck
out, and Paula Gordon made the third out.
She was caught trying to steal home. Noruns
were scored. Inc fur1tanS lnen Went III anu
scored three runs in the second half of the
inning. The first inning was the only one in
which any attempt was made at ball play
ing. Only five innings were played. The
game was a farce from the beginning of the
second inning until time was called. The
'sladies'' grabbed the Puritans as they ran
about the bases and held them until the ball
was tielded and the base runner touched
with it.
. 1t was expected that the police would stop
the game, as Pastor Hull of the Linden Az
enue NJ. E. Church and a number of other
prominent Greenville citizens asked Captain
Nugent on Sunday to interfere. Captain
Nugent visited Chief Murphy, who failed to
find any law prohibiting ladies from play
ing baseball and so the Captain was in
structed not to interfere. Among the most
interested spectators at the game was the
Rev. R. A. Motley, the colored pastor of the
Zion N. E. Church. The score of the game
fnllnWs.-