The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-23
WATCHED IT FROM AFFAIR
RICH1oKD Ro0TERS 81 " THE GAME
PLAYED ~ LINCHBURG.
sa., Crowdes's ". od,n Headed Men flay
bail ia tho Academy = M"sic-ho"
tho Thing Works.

and one hundred and hiiy enJoy'n '"o
same game in very interesting ana
realistic way IN Richmond
The Ionchburg audience were hcon-
yenicnced by rain and wind, but the
Richmond audience were comiofiaDS
seated In the Academy OF Music ana Sc
cured much Of the excitement ana en-
joyment OF the game without any OF us
dlsasrceablc features ,,o
Thlv were saved the kicking against INC
umpire the yeiis OF heres your
cigarettes. peanuts and chewing gum ."e
leather lung boy. the clouds OF 'it",
smoke and tho other nuisancea ila' "''0'
be- borne az The base-paii PAN" nth
The arrangements hy which the i"c.
,,onders vero able TO watch the fate OF
tbn uusficrs on hostile hcli. was the
in.onfion Of Mr. samuel r. Cro"der, OF
,bil .ifv and no fuller cXcmpihc tUoh OF
mo craze FOR the national game couid ne
had thtu this first trial OF MIS- ""'oi''"' US
ball ncid Although the machine lS "-
complete and was exhibited Tor the Hi7l
lime Yesterday under % pressing dcmanh
1,thc redmond rootcrs. Be- proved "a sue
cess. and 10 ls likely that this metnJd OF
,.ifness.ne the games bcing played away
from home will become very popular.
rnr MACHINE.
on the centre Of thc stage was placed
au Inclined plane about five 10y seven
feet. rcprcseuuug the bail hcid. ana set
al such an angle ass 20 make the cntlre
field visible 90 the audience ana 10 alloW
room for the operators hidden beneath
The neld 90 manipulate tho niue leNI,a
reurospnflng the players The field is
so arranged by "a system of Sits in the
hoard that the figures can be slid from
base 10 base or about from one position
10 another ON the field.
IN. figures are mariOncttcs and cap
able OF being made TO clap their hahu7
and move their legs. and Peg expert mann
pulation can be given remarkably ne
Ink, and realistic appearance. For IN
stance. the pitcher turns in his box ana
swings his arms the batter fans inc
ain with his arms. and the catcher strikes
his hands together. all making the move
wcnt as II they were in play. Nhlle no
ball passes 1t is easily supplied by the
Imagination. and by expert manipnldtoIs
and 10 little quick wit on the part OF lhe
cxposmdor of the game. the scene takes
I'D, "a peculiarlv realistic turn and as al
hands become more expert the game VIII
fr.r,as, greatly ina interest Although
tha mauipulatOrs had little or no cNper-
fence previous 10 this exhibition IL was
much enjoyed and gave the rooters
novelty and pleasure that al times
aroused them 10 quite state OF ththu-
siasm.
Nh. Crowdcr is peculiarly happy. as
the clpounder Of the game or as ne
stvles himself "thc umpire" and his re-
marks as the game progresses add not
little 10 the snap and realism OF the oc~
CaslOu.
ON small table I'm Wow of the au-
dionce is Geographic instrument CON
nocted with the BAN park at the CITY
where the game is being played one oil the
orrrafors under the board representing
the ncld. is "a telegraph operator ana
ns the moves are reported over the wire
he causes his men TO repeat them ON the
board while "tho umpire calls out Inc
remarks sent 300 about the 10y plays the
kicking of the players. the happy catches
the roofing Of an the rootefs. ana the
hundred little incidents that 20 10 make
Dbl, "a ball game AS AN example the
,.,,x+s ,o,re-enting IIoueeman. the Iius-
rs({ SO into the diamond nearly mp
40 ~ home plate. his body shaking
and f'f arms flying. showing every symr-
tom of rage ana crowder sings OUT
"HCuscman ls iaWing the umpire VI
course this makes fun. Little errors on
the part of the mampulators in ,nen
0rst trial rather added TO the fun tnan
.efraffed from the interest. for insance.
when Kahn made "a bold dash for first
.ffar striking out. be did n backwards,
and did not discover that his race was
in the wrong direction until he was call
"a out.
SLIDING BASIS.
.rh. plaving off bases ana rushing to-
Gather of The players, popping theh "'"'
heads like walnuts. is quite amuslhb'
end the manner in which they initiate
sliding base never failed TO raise
laugh ..o
.ufomatic principle in baseball and a
hard test for the roOtcrs AS poOse-egg
after rO1se-cge went up ON the bodln
FOR tho Hustlers. 10 began 20 look blue
for Richmond. aud there was little COM
fort for rooters. mucn less any induce
meut TO grow enthusiastic. Nhch lh the
nth inning. however 30 was announced
that Groves had made fine left hand
catch near tho nlht-neld fence thy rooted
in real old stylc. Then when Kahn went
10 the bat in the sixth and Knocked q
good bali 90 lef' field making FIRST base,
Groves was called 90 the bat amid shouts
Of Good boy" GIVE 10 10 en- Turkey
and other familiar sounds. but IL was an
changed Co groans when the Turkey was
retired with his wings clipped.
In the last half of the last inning Groves
made the only run that tho Hustlors Sc
cured Foster reached third. and Meow
an second. Then it was that the roofcrs
forgot that they We're watching little
wooden figures seven inches nigh. instead
Of live men of flesh and blood. and there
was great excitement in the orchestra
chairs. and Wells and whistles from the
gallery. BERTHE went 90 the hat at this
critical period. and retired on a strike
out amid groans, and the lill-Climbers
were victorious by a score of 10 /.
IDENTIFYING TBEM.
Ina addition IN The H4lI-Hal4 aho4to do
soribed the stage was furnished with a
large canvass blackboard. showing a
large diamond. and as the game progress
cd. Squire Lonnic Graves placed the
names Of the hatters on large cards on the
bases where they belonged. and moved
them around as they advanced IN the
play.
2 he score was also kept ON two large
black boards containing the names Of the
two teams az play. and on another board
was recorded the runs. hits. and errors
of the other teams OF the state League
az play in other cities
MI CrOwdcr says that hy to-day ne
viii have the machine very much i'm
proved. and the arrangements for ligntiug
the Held VIII also be a great Improvement.
Yesterday De only had one set Of men
10 the field. not having the Other nine
ready When ne gets an the men in
place and the other arrangements com
plete he SAYS IL VIII be- improved an hum
dred per cent The device is fully patent
"a. and d viii probably De introduced