Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-08-16
vhen Butler was writhing in evident

the purpose OF playing a series OK games
with the Elaine teams, is being generally
discussed and will probably take taNglple
furm before the regular season closes One
thing is pretty certain. Portland would
%suouort a league of this klD IN good
shape.
We learn from the Bucksport' CORES
! pondent of the Bangor News that the
Hancock County League Is net defonct.
because the Buckspor5 team has played
eyerv game and stands ready 10 finish
the season" A one club league is Ger
tairly something of an anomaly but when
the ~en,erprising people of a live Maine
town MAKE I'D their minds to have any
thing il has got to come.
Items from the New Bedford Journal:
In the eighth inning of Mondays game
| Sharp ran TO second and fell on top OF
little Bean. 1t looked like a business
block falling on a shoemaker shanty.
Fat" sars that Bean is so small he
| didn't feel him under him.
Butler is a good, hard working catcher,
but he is too fond Of throwing to bases.
Augusta has coed men in Doherty,
Johnson and Pickett. Johnson is a fine
batsuan and covers lots Of ground. TAX
IN as a team the boys are a gentlemanly
set Of fellows on and off the ball field.
Conner was hit by a pitched ball while
the teams were limbering up and quite
badly hurt. fe was attended by a physi-
clan who was present.
The work OF Joe Bean in the past eight
games has been firstclass, and has richly
merited the warm praises bestowed upon
him by the Massachusetts, papers. Since
he team has been upon its present west
ern trip be has made Z base hits, IL put
outs, 20 assists and 6 errors. The short
stops on the opposing teams in these
games made S hits, II putouts, 20 assists
and Q errors. Beans batting average in
these games was .21S, and his fielding
average was 1882. Thu batting average
Of the opposing shortstops in the SAINT
games was .222 and their fielding average
500. II Will thus be seen that Bean has
a lead OF 50 points in fielding over the op
Dosing shOrtstQps, and is only four point
behind them in batting. When it is re
membared that this comparison is made
with the work OF Reilly Of Fail River,
Hanivan Of Pawtucket, Stecre Of New
Bedford and NaGeau Of Brockt0n, tn
work Of the nervy little shortstop Of th'
shObiACDRbo t+fb'toio cIN'
Like all dashy players, Bean has his of
days, and his errors On those occasions
IRE apt to be Of the lurid variety. At tbs
;ame time he H. a wonderfully ACTIVE
player, and is in the game from start Il
finish. He covers an immense amount c
ground, backs up the bases superbly, is I
wonderfully sure catch Of a fly ball, am
a quick and accurate throwcr. He is
.:--ru I;.,.. .,,J N,a Of thp hCgt hact
runners on the team. 1t is the humble
{ hances q player accepts, and not tb'
nun4her Of errors he makes that de-
termines his value to his team. There j
scarcely "a game in which Bean does ne,
successfully make plays that scarcely any
other shortstop in the league would ever
attempt. We predict that when Press
lent Murnaue makes up his averages, thi'
fall, Joe will come pretty near leading
the shortstops of the league in fielding
md will not be far down the list in bat
ting.
A local business man, who is a red-ho'
sdmirer of the national game, tells, a
the risk Of his reputation for sobricty, O
, remarkable dream that invaded hiS
5lumbers Wednesday night. Whether it
was the sight of the blue coated militia
men from the muster field, or the bas'
ball letter he had written a brother cranl
before retiring, or the great fight at Get
tysburg that he sat mp in bed and reaf
from the Century War book after retirins
or-but why speculate on causes: Suflio,
it to say that he suddenly found himseIi
A member of the Kennebec ball team
The faces of the boys were all familiar
There were Dave Pickett, Joe Beat
Dick Butler. and the others, as natura
rs life. indeed 1t was entirely real; bu
what a change in dress! The members O
The team were dressed in military uni
forms and carried repeating rifles. Gu
friend discovered that the rules of has,
ball had been radically changed. Rin,
balls We're used, and the game was to xii
off AS many of the opposing team as pos
sible! The fatalities Of the game to b
sure We're somewhat larger than undci
the old system; M it was far more eH
citing. the glory OF the Surviving victor
UNNECESSARILY greater. Again u roucl
field was no election to il. The roughc
the better. Our friend was amazed. as h.
marched away 30 do battle with the tear
against the New Bedfords, to find his bi-.
ball enthusiasm oozing through the ti.r
If his fingers. He felt an irresistible dc
sire to run; but pride prevented. He he,
rather face q thousand bullets than in
woke the ridicule Of that ball team! Sooi
= stone wall was reached in front O
which the enemy was advancing firing q
Fhey came. Our friend saw several @
his comrades drop and concluded to avoi,
their fate by following their example. |
Here again pride came to his relief. II,
must contribute 10 the success of ri
teans! He must play ball at all hazards |
Fortune favored him. A loose stone had
made a l0ophoie in the wal through thi,
he pushed the barred of his rife and hlazot
away with feyerish energy. He cAuldnr
see the cnomy but Pickett. who stood
beside him, delivering his fire over the TOT
of the stone with veteran precision.
assured him that he was doing terrlbl.
execution. And then the scene shifted.
Our friend lay in the hospital with q BAD
case of nervous exhaustion. In one cor
ner of the room was a row of the slain laiG
out for burial. In another corner a group
of surgeons were busily engaged in patch
ing up the wounded. Butler sat beside
him with handaged face and, when h,
woke to find the bright sunlight { canning
into his bedroom windows was remarkinR
that "base ball was getting to be about