The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-02-05

olincnlt 10 realize that II has boon
eight years since the old Island bail
park echoed with tho familiar erica of
Captain Jack CroGau, the orator par ex.
cellence OF the coaching lines. They
arc no doubt still living In the momory
oil the cranks oil that day: ''play ball;
YOU know your business. We want n
few more runs this inning" And again
the startling admonition to the base
runner: watch tho professor; Keep
your ego on the indicator; don't mind
his double .back.action..w twist" Theso
and other evidences Of M intimate
knowledge OF that e,oqusnce which
ncrved tho arm and added tleetness to
the runner are pleasantly reminiscent.
OF that period when the umpire first
called out play balr' that opened the
first really professional game in VIII eel.
ing.
The history Of the first season wa.
full OF hopes and fears, trium phs and
disaitets; and it also contains memories
Ola team, however chcckered was It's
career, that often reused the enthu.
stasm OF the cranks TO the highest pitch
by some unexpectedly good perform.
ance.
The season opened May 5 in the mos.
promising manner, Wheeling playing at
steubenville. The frat game was very
close. In the ninth inning the score
stood to in favor OF the Ohio bows,
and III the little coup OF pool room
next to the Exchange bank some OF
Wheeling's warmest well-wisher., bu.
decidedly ueak.knecdin confidence. bet
against the home team. But they
reckoned without their host. l; did
look like tho most belated kind of
furlorn hope when johnnie" Dunn
came to bat with two out and two scores
to win. He had struck out every time
he had been to bat. However, he
cracked out corking three Dagger,
sending Csogan across ihs plate and
scoring himself on passed ball. 1t
was q close call. and i: was the neares,
Stsubenville ever came within defeating
Wheeling. According to the local
chronicles OF that day Dunn was shame
fully treated by the S,eubenville cranks.
but he got in his revenge the next day
by making a home run, with the bases
full. S.cubeuvi!le was fairly slaughtered
in that game. the score being IS to Q.
Wheeling made thirty-seven base hits,
and Sammy" Nichols, out OF seven
times at bat, made three singles, two
doubles and n triple. The third game
resulted II to IL In favor OF Wheeling.
Thus it was Wheeling returned with
three straight victories 10 her credit to
open the season at homo with the same
team. An audience OF 900 was present
to greet the victorious Green Stock.
ings," and it took all OF Captain Gro.
gan's persuasive eloquence on the
coaching lines to save his team from
The disaster OF defeat. Wheeling led up
to the sixth inning, 1 to J. when S,eub.
envilie tied tho score. On the tenth,
however, the home team struck bat.
ting streak and settled the contest by
scoring five runs. The other two games
resulted in favor OF Wheeling by scores
oil II to II and IL to l. Thus Wheeling
closed the first week tie for first place
with Kalamazoo, Bucks" Michigan
terrors. and GAINESVILLE and Mansfield
tied for second place.
Ihs second week opened up az auspi.
ciously as could DO wished for, by the
defeat OF the Columbus team 5 to !,
Tho noteworthy feature OF this game
was the remarkable work OF "Johnnie"
Dunn. who strucs out twelve men. He
was then considered ono OF tho star
pitchers oil tho league, but he wac very
cratic in his work, the conspirinc
causes being the same that have al
i!ictcd many other ball players OF prom.
Use and ability. But the winning gait
could not last all the time, and Column
bus on the following day administered
to Wheeling her first defeat in one OF
those contests where the inevitable un.
expected happens. Wheeling led to the
ninth inning. the fgurcI standing Z 10
3. No one expected the Ohio bows to
win, but they did and in great style.
too, in one OF those rallies that chill
the very marrow oil the home team
Fans With no ono on. and tho bases
filed muscular gentleman by the
name of STartz lifted tho ball over the
fence for home run, and tho subse-
quent proceedings iuterestedthe Wheel
Ing cranss no more. Mallory, who was
supplementary dubbed Legs on nc.
count OF the abnormal length Of hia
lowOr eEtrcmitics, was in the box. lie,
like Dunn. was considered one OF the
winning twirers for Whceing.-and he
was when in condition-but it han.
pcncd 10 be an "oh" day for him.
Whcciing's frat trip abroad WAS
marked by au almost continued sncces.
sion Of disasters, which resulted in the
team being considerably stren gtheued
on ita return home. There was great re.
ioicing on May 20 when Wheeling dc.
f.pted Buckenber.er's pets who had
blazcd their why through the leagn.
from Kalamazoo 10 this city with nm al
most unbroien limo OF Victories. They
were clearly the strongest team IN the
league, and tho timorous friend. Of the
Green Stockings gathered At tho Island
park that day with their hearts full Of
pity. There were l.CO0 people present
to SEQ the leaders mGku monkeys Of the
boys, but tho sequel showed Bucks"
braves TO have been the simians, for
Wheelin. defeated tho Michignnders .
Z. This unsupported sncccss attracted
crowd OF 100 enthusiastic spectators
on tho following DAY when tho home
team get tho cranks wild by aglin de.
iea,ing Kalamazoo, tho figures standing
II to 0, tho latter not Acoring until tho
ninth inning. Those two victories, all
the more pleasant and agreeable OH nc.
coant OF coming In tina nature OF aur.
(. priscs, inspired \ local Hctibc to rejoice
10 ths following versO:
Then perhaps they Do.
Then perhaps thay DON'T
Perhaps they como from Kalamazoo.
Aud then perhaps they don't.
. Nf r. .S,,a,, .o,,a ;,iou If fla o,h lawn,