The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-08

rival in the Buckeyes, and Il fight to the
finish sprang up between the two clubs. A
series of games was finally arranged, and it
was understood to be case of the survival
of the filter. The vanquished club must 20
to the wall
Then it was that George and Harry
Wright were imported from the east to help
the Red Stockings win the fight, and that
by the way, was the first introduction of
real professional baseball into the west.
The day and night preceding the final
struggle between those two Cincinnati
clubs are still remembered by many resi-
dents Of that city. Each club had it's warm
adherents, and partisan spirit ran high
The entire population, IL seemed, had taken
one side or the other and charges of treach-
cry and corruption were flying around the
streets ~ thick as flies in August. Hun
dreds Of "cranks" did not 10 to bed that
night, but sat up or stood on the streets
discussing the coming contest until the
light of dawn announced the arrival of the
day of the deciding game. The exciting
times of the war, but recently closed, were
we'll remembered, and the scenes on the
streets of Cincinnati that night were APPLY
compared to the excitement which pre-
vailed when it was known that some great
battle was i'll progress, and men in their
anxiety stayed up till morning SO as to be
on hand to get the first copies of the news
papers as they came from the press
And the newspapers Of that fateful day
Of the great game between the Red Stock
ings and the Buckeyes came out early
with double loaded leaders on the situation.
Much of this excitement and newspaper
sensation was caused bya we'll circulated
rumor that the Buckeyes had "boughtp II
certain member of the Red Stockings, who
was to throw the game. Similar charges
were made against the Red Stock ings by
the Buckeyes and their friends
Inc result was one of the greatest crowds
ever seen on II ballficld in the west There
existed wild desire to find out who the
suspected player was, and when the Red
Stockings took the field with Grant, Il sub
stitutc, III the position which the great
fielder Hatfield occupied regularly, the
opinion prevailed that Hatfield was the
suspected player. AS it happened, a 1y
catch of n very difficult ball by Grant saved
the day to the Red Stockings and gave
them not only the victory but the field to
themselves for the next two years
Nothing was ever proved against Hat.
field in spite of his unfair treatment in that
game. After the excitement died out pub
lie feeling turned in his favor, and he played
several subsequent seasons in the promi-
nent teams of the east, during all of which
time not II word of suspicion, but much of
praise, was spoken of him rs n ball player.
The sight of Mr. Hatfield nearly 26 years
later, n successful honorcd business man
in the metropolis of the land, naturally re-
called that period of two days and n night
in Cincinnati when he was the victim of
the unreasonable suspicious which ever
since that early day have followed baseball
players.
Pitchers Young of Cleveland and Rusie of
New York have got some advertising out
of their spring diversion if they have not
added to their prospective incomes for the
summer. These two young men, forgetful
of business depressions and hard times,
talked lightly about offers of salaries such
as judges and governors of the states thank
fully receive and ask no questions. They
made Intellectual attempts to break into
the charmed circle which the Income tax
provision of the Wilson bill is expected to
touch but the wisdom of kind friends res
cued both from their folly, and happily for
themselves and the baseball profession they
have signed the roll for 1884,
The profession could not well afford to
lose either, much less BOTH of these men,
who are hall Of the Big Four of whom /
wrote last week. Pitchers-good, tried pitch
ers-arc too scarce to be eliminated from
the game. This season, however. may see