Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-16
BALL IN OTHER DAYS.
History Of the National Game as Played
Here In Richmond.
YIRGINIAS IN THEIR ZENITH.
They Gave Fine Exhibitions and Had Men
Who Have Won Regulations in
the National League.

pan IN Eichmond Is bricf one,
and hardly decade and half
have passed since the day when
our cltizens-at least the most part of
them-lived In peaceful ignorance of the
b.issful rootful art. Fifteen years ago.
outside of our school-boys and few
"Sheep IIill" lads, there was hardly a
soul In this city who even gave so much
as thought to the national game. To-
day the cranks are legion. They are rep
resented in every class OF society and
likewise In many walks Of life where
society On the modern sense OF the word)
does not exist. The roofing wane which
struck Virginia this summer is by far
the greatest the Commonwealth has ever
known. and yet 1t is after all but the
ghost Of Il former wane that slumbered
unknown for years and years.
But let us '1ook back into the past"
as some would say and peep into that
almost forgotten era when 'even the
names Of crank and "rooter'' NOW de-
serving Of recognition by the best dic-
t!onaries) were unknown. let us revert
10 that period when electric-cars were
naught. and when "West-End booms' had
not yet lifted up their dragon heads 10
dcvour the uneuspectng public. l shai
not carry you back 10 the days OF Ro-
mulus and Rcmus but simply TO the
wear lSS2 when Mr. Henry 9. Boschen
had an organized nine Of sheep Hili
chaps, who even then showed that they
knew the science pertaining TO the horse
hide. and could produce the "herky-jerky'
with the yarn. From this nine-this germ
oil Of RfflmOnl'S
bail history.
II would be futile for me to explain just
how Mr. Boschen lost his proprietorshD
I'm that team. but. at any rate, the players,
and for all practical purposes, the
franchise. too. fell into the hands ~ the
Richmond Baseball Association, In the
year 1883. and then our citizens were
blessed with the sense Of sight. and saw
that the sport was the greatest game on
earth. A magnificent park, bounded by
what IS now Lombardy street Franklin
street. and the "Scuflleton road" was laid
out I'm our present Lee District and
splendid grand stand was erected. The
grounds were much larger than our park
Of to-day. being 457 feet SQUARE and were,
] regret 10 say. much better equipped than
our present roOtlng-place. The associa-
ton under whose auspices the games were
men. and the members Of the team, in
nearly instance. afterwards turned out TO
be the foremost ball-players Of the world.
Mir. William G. Seddon was the president
Of the association, and the other officers
were as follows Charles II. Epps, vice
prcsident: Frank Steger. secretary; T. i.
Alfricnl. treasurer. Board OF Directors
the above. and Messrs. Felix /. Moses II.
Ran. Wexford. Charles X. Skinkcr, y
Hechler Jr.. Simon Sycle, Charles j..
Strause. George \. Smith. J. J.. School
craft. and Otho o. owens The players
composing the nine were c. j. Ferguson.
pitcher; II. 0'at) Morgan, catcher; }. J..
Powell first base: c. NILS. second base;
T.. T. Scarf short-stop; W. VI. NASH
third base; Eddie Glenn, lcft-iield; H. J."
Ford. centre-neli: Paul Latouchc. fielder
ana pitcher. and i. II. Hankins. extra.
| Two Of this number-FcrgussOn ana Eddie
! Glenn-haye since passed beyond the
vision of earthly grand stands, and VIII
lie seen no more on mundane diamonds.
But OF them more anon
This team, though composed almost
entirely Of Richmond boys. developed
marvellous strength and achieved wonder
ful success before the end Of the season.
Much money was made by the association
| that summer. though the crowds We're
]
! have nowadays. and the price Of admis-
/ sion was the same. on July !, 1883. the
| gate receipts were only Sells. and the
/ first regular game (w.th the Baltmores)
! only fetched 2ij pieces Of silver" On
! September 18th. Of that year when the
/ Jicnmonders battled with the Brookyns,
the receipts amounted to $3j.95. and on
! October 1t. when the Nirginias crossed
4 bats with the Detroits $n0lO was taken
| I'm over the turn-style. The most famous
( bah game known in the history Of Rich
mond. perhaps, took place on the l3th
/ Of that month, when the locals tackled the
! Bostons who were then the champions
! of the Union. The score was ! to in
| favor OF the Bean-DevOUrers. Ferguson
twirled for the Virginias ana Whitney for
| the representatives, Of the cultured city.
| The receipts that day were SiS o. inii-
! eating an attendance Of about 2,rO. This
| contest poss bly, resulted IN the nine =
| losing Ferguson. for Mr.. Reach subse-
| quently captured him ami signed him
| with the "Phillies." where he played for
many years. and until typhoid-fever caus-
, cd his muscular form 10 he hidden meath
the sod OF the grave. The season that
year lasted until october Slst.
The VirrinlaN If anything, got stronger
| the next year, lOF on lhe ulHt ~ ilhi VI
| famous Dugan hrOther' pitcher ana
catcher; Doyle, pitcher; Morgan catcher.
| Powell. first base: Smiley Cwho died
! while member Of the team). second
/ base Ford, short-stop; Nash third base
I Glenn. left field; r. =. C'Dicky') John-
son. David Kain. ana Paul lAtouche.
The nine went into the Eastern League
ani commenced the Gnason On April 81
with Providence. r. !. on July 4th ("hen
the Ironsi3es Of Pennsylvania, were here)
the receipts for the morning game were
Sc0210. and for the afternoon game StN.a5.
The Richmond club made a good showing
in the Eastern League. hut towards the
end Of the season they found m oppor-
tunity to take the place OF disbande
team IN the American Association. and
- they left their old associates and went
70 the stronger organization. At the end
OF the summer, however when the as-
ISOLATION reorganlZed the Nirginias were
LETT out IN the cold. and so, when the fol-
lowing season came they re-enlisted N
the Eastern League, whore they lowered
far above the other clIba. even as giants
tower above psmies.
1t was in the year 1855, when the Old
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