New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-09
PLAYING BALL BY ELECTRICITY.


IT DOES NOT WORK QUITE RIGHT YET. But IT
HAS POSSIBILITIES.
crowd of some 200 or 400 people was partly
amused and partly bored at the Standard Theatre
yesterday afternoon 1t had been promised that the
assembly should electric reproduction of the
baseball game at dhe Polo Grounds This was to
be accomplished by Melvin d. Comptons system,
which was patented on September .. 1890. While
the crowd was waiting man whom the audience
addressed Familiarity Professor sat In the
orchestra pit and played popular airs and few
unpopular a plano. Nobody threw anything
at him, however all realized that he was doing
his best. At O'Clock the curtain rose and disclosed
a drop representing the baseball field There was n
hole cut through each base and another where each
fielder should stand The latter displayed red discs.
showing that Boston had the field. There were a
few other holes In the drop. for balls. one
for strikes. for runs. and so on. The New
York batting order displayed at one corner OF
the stage. and the Bostons at the other. The writ
ing on the inaed SAID that the small bell would
ring for foul ball. and that one stroke OF the
gong would mean basehit, two strokes a two-base-
hit etc The programme further set forth that five
strokes would mean that player was Injured. and
continuous ringing aould mean that the umpire was
Gus Heckler strobe airly upon the stage. and
said that the record made here would be only ten
was to go on every afternoon except Saturdays. A
figure on white disc appeared At the home plate
bat. and then the figures !. 2 8; appeared sue
cess!vey In the aperture over which was the WORD
balls" Next figure at first base informed the
crowd that the batsman had got there. while his
successor at the home plate was indicated by the
figure 3 And SO on. Presently things began TO get
tangled. The machine showed that the same PLAYER
at the home plate and at second base at me
same time Another player who was known to
have gone to The bat was not accounted Tor AZ
all and balls and strikes and were reported
orally without showing themselves anywhere on the
drop Mr. Heckler came out and talked about certain
Boston men being at the bat. and the crowd sar
casiicay asked him who was In the held He saln
Boston. and then the crowd jeered openly IL Wa
finally discovered that Boston had not been In me
field at all Then what were the red discs FOR? the
crowd wanted TO know. At this suggestion me req
discs were all changed for white ones -
MIR Heckler said ne would explain the game. He
dId so and managed to keep his explanation pretty
well ahead Of the machine At the end OF the nrs
half-inning the machine had not the rcnotesi idea
where II was and the curtain vas dropped 10 al
low Mr.. Compton to try to teach the thing TO play
ball The game al the Polo Grounds went on releilt-
lessly and Mr. Heckler had 10 read 50 many dis
patches 10 keep up with II that he was almost a.
confused as the machine. II was explained that The
preparations had been made hurredly. and mat
some of the wires were crossed but II promised
that everything should work smoothly and that the
excitement should be great this afternoon.