The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-31

city and the South Side club. The lat
ter won by a score of 6 to j.
The game was really an experiment
and for that reason had not been adver-
tised but the result was all that the
promoters of the sport in this city could
ask for, and the future games or the
Scranton Indoor Base Ball league seem
destined to be witnessed by large
crowds. Last rights game consisted OF
nine innings and occupied only 90
minutes. The summary of the game Is
as follows:
South Side. West Side.
ketrick. ........... catcher ............. Alien
Southers........... pitcher ........... Evans
Mcdonald. first base...........' LAWS
j. Tighe....... second hase.,......a. llshe
Mularkey. third base. Lowry
Hess. ............. shortstop ........... Peck
Murphy. left field........C .Caduggan
Kerl. right fed. ......... Major
West Sde.........,O 0 o 3
South Side. 3 % o 2 -
Struck out-By Evans. .; by Southers, :.
Base on balls-Of Evans, !. Umpire
Jennings.
The possibilities of the game will be
appreciated when last nights small
sccre Is considered and the fact that
the players had but little opportunity
for practice.
Differs from the Outdoor Game.
The sport is radically different from
the outdoor game, although the rules
differ but slightly. The bases are only
twenty-seven feet apart, yet 1t Is rare
ly that the large. soft ball is batted out
side the diamond. Last nights contest
kept the small audience in a gale of
laughter and good humor and the play
ers were so enthused that games are
bound to be played at frequent in
tervals whether spectators prove nu-
merous or not. However. the history
of the game will reverse itself IL in
Scranton it fails to make hit AL
though the first game in this city was
highly successful the cralnped space
available in st. David's hall detracted
somewhat from the interest of the sport
and 1t Is quite likely that future games
on the West Side will be played in
Turner hail. st. Johns hall on the
South Side, the Thirteenth regiment
armory in the central city and Com
pany II armory in the North End will
contain the games in those sections.
The following description of indoor
base ball will be read with interest in
view of the prospects of its popularity
in Scranton:
The game was invented in Chicago
IN 1887. and came about through a
frolic among the members of the Far
ragut club, who, in a spirit of fun on
Thanks giving Day of that year, threw
around the hall an ordinary boxing
glove. which was struck at by one of
the young men with a broom. With
the players in position they commenced
their sport without rule or wisdom,
but there was great fun, and so the
sport was evolved.
1t Is Popular and Exhilnrating.
The regulations and rules are made to
equalize the difference of size and sur
roundings from outdoor base ball, and
have been found to work satisfactorily
in making up sport which Is both
popular and eXhilarating. At first the
sport was confined to a few of the
social clubs of Chicago, which had or
ganiZed league, but during the past
few years great strides have been made
toward having the game spread all
over the United States. Many of the
Chicago cluos made trips to cities in
the west and played indoor ball before
large crowds of spectators. who had be-
come initiated in the sport, and conse-
quently extremely interested, for it is
said of indoor hall that 1t is the most
exciting sport which the winter months
give for. the space allotted for play
usually being somewhat confined, the
spectators and players are at no great
distance frcm each other, and the
rapid action is of very exciting ma
ture.
A different style OF play is noticeab Bile
in the successful indoor player from
that adopted outdoors. In sliding to
bases there is perfect abandon. and in
sliding we'll around the bag the arm is
thrust out in passing. and the base
held. In batting, the ball can be bunt-
ed successfully. and as the first con-
tact with the floor decides its fairness.
this feature Is one practiced by many
of the best players. The short stops
usually play close to the batter-abOut
ten feet, one on either side of the
pitcher. for in the indoor game the
right fielder comes into the diamond
and takes the position known as right
short"
Size Of tho Ball Used.
The ball used is of compact sub
stance, seventeen inches in circumfer-
ence, weights eight and a quarter
ounces, has a white cover, and, while
Lively. II Is so made as to do no dam
age to objects surrounding the field.
The limit of size OF the bat Is two and
three-quarters feet long and one and a
quarter inches in dlameterat the largest
part. The weight is no. limited. The
pneumatic tip is filed with air, and at
once conforms to the shape of the
palm of the hand, when pressed. thus
making the bat almost incapable of
slipping from the grasp.
The bases are half filled with sand or
other heavy substance. so they will
remain in place on the floor, unless
grasped by the player In running or
sliding to the base. They are not at
tached to the floor, but placed loosely
on a marked spot, to which they are
returned whenever displaced The home
base is Of rubber, one foot each way.
and is also placed on marked square.
The shoes have rubber soles. Where
bases lie near a wall, padded mats are
stood up opposite, against which the
players may strike when running or
sliding.
The next game will be played tomor-
row or Saturday night in the Thir-
teenth Regiment armory, between the
North End and Central City clubs.