Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-09
Base Ball Game Which Resulted in
a Tragedy.
MYER DIED YESTERDAY
Fatal Slide to Second on the Sun.
day Before.
ACCID ENTAIL AIR

An accident met while playing base ball
resulted iE the death of Benjamin f. Myers,
generally known as Frank Myers among
his companions, early yesterday morning.
On Sunday morning, week from yester-
day, members of two local base ball clubs,
the Pioneers and the Nationals, went to the
grounds back of the Scheutzen Park to
have contest for supremacy. Before the
game began members of the Pioneers were
having little preliminary practice. Young
Myers had been at the bat and was stand
ing on first base when the ball left the
hand of the pitcher. He made a squirt for
second base, where Michael Connors a
member of the club, and who lives on 7th
street road, stood on guard. The ball was
thrown to Connors and was passing above
his head when he made a spring in the air
tc catch it. At that moment Myers was
nearing the base, and in order to reach it in
safety lodged about the second baseman,
ana IN doing so struck him. The two fell to
the ground together, Connors' body landing
with all its force on the back of Myers
neck
Fatal Injury.
The terrific blow that Myers received
from the second baseman falling on him re-
suited in fatal injury to his spine and in
the bursting of a blood vessel in his neck
as the diagnosis afterward proved. Myers
lay perfectly still, being completely para
lyzed from his waist down. and partially
p&ralyzed in the upper portion of his body
The injured man was moved to Garfield
hospital and Dr. A. L. Stavely attended
him. From the first the case was pro-
nounced extremely serious, but the injured
boy fingered until five minutes of two yes
terday morning, when he died, having been
i'll an unconscious condition for about three
hours. From the time Myers was taken to
the hospital until short time before his
death he was perfectly conscious, and COM
planned of no pain except soreness in his
neck and general feeling of restlessless.
His mother, father and other members of
his immediate family visited him. and he
was careful to express to them his feelings
toward his companion, Michael ConnorS.
He told them that his injury was the result
OF an accident, and that they should have
no i'll feeling toward his friend.
Mr.. Connors. since the fatal accident took
place, has suffered intensely from the
knowledge that he was unwittingly the
cause of his friends death. The deceased
mans relatives. however, exonerate him
from all blame in the matter and say that
Connors fail was the result of the blow
he received from Myers while attempting
to gain the second base. The sad accident
has cast gloom over large body of
young men who compose the membership
of the two clubs that were to have COM
peted on that Sunday morning.
weII-Knoyvn and Popular.
Inc flOneer Base Ball CLUB was formed
but week before Myers injury, the de-
ceased being the organizer of the club and
its captain and manager. Myers was about
twenty years of age, being an athelete
well known among all his companions and
noted as a base ball player. In fact base
bail was almost his only amusement, and
he not only attended the professional
games, but frequently took part in games
contested between local clubs. He was
painter by trade and he and his compan-
ions being engaged in work throughout the
week the only time they could all assemble
to enjoy their favorite sport was on Sun
day. and 1t was this day that their
games were generally.
Young Myers was the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Brewster cottage" at the corner of 9TH
and Elm streets, in LIE Droit Park He is
spoken of in the highest terms as young
man of most excellent character by all who
knew him, and he was much admired for his
splendid athletic abilities, his skill as
base ballist, his general intelligence and
companionable traits of character. During
Hospital both his house and the hospital
were besieged by his many acquaintance,
who called to inquire of his condition Yes
terday morning his body was removed to
his home, where the remains were re-
viewed by several hundred of his young
friends The funeral will take place to-
morrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, the pail
bearers to be chosen from among the men,
Lers of the club which was organized and
managed by the deceased. The interment
will be at Glenwood cemetery.
1t is hardly likely that an inquest will be
held over the body of the deceased, and no
action to that end was taken up to this
afternoon.