The Portland daily press., 1895-05-22
FIELD OF SPORTS.
We Win Midst Great Excitement Yes.
terday Afternoon. i
THE MOST EXCITING GAME Oh
THE SEASON.

Pickett's Muff Was the Turning Point
Frank Spills Hit Won the Game-A
Close Contest From Start to Finish.
Hrhere haven tfbeen such ups and downs,
such JOY and despair, such anxiety and un-
certainty, in short such glorious excitement
on the Deering grounds this season as was
vouchsa fed to the very few cranks who
braved the cold wind yesterday and saw
the Kennebeos make their bow to Portland.
It was nip and tuck from the first. 1t was
TOO cold for any extraordinary playing. but
it was an average exhibition of the fine
points of the game. The special cause for
excitement and interest was the closeness
and uncertainty of The contest. The score
will show that they excelled in some
features and we in others. with neck-aEd-
neck race the result. But it must be
admitted thay they excelled in bad luck
and the game was ours in consequence.
They earned run in the second, because
of Kings and Pickett's two baggers. They
got another in the third because of Cor
belts and Spills errors and Dextraze's two
bagger. They got one each in the four th
and fifth, but neither was earned.
siWe got our first run in the third because
of an error by King. We got another un-
earned run in the fifth. In the fifth hits by
Corbett and Ashe and Leighton in succes-
sion AID lively base running, saved lis two
earned runs. The score was tied at the be-
ginning of the sixth. and remained SO till
the last OF the eighth.
King, (whom every body was praisingl led
off with his second two bagger. When
Ashe, for the first time in the game, got a
little wild. and gave Pickett his first. Kel-
ley followed with an opportune lit to left
and King came in, but Pickett was caught
| trying to reach third. Baker died at arsr.
but Kelly came home on Gill's error. They
were two ahead and the shivering crowd
gave up all hope; that is, some of them did.
But part of the crowd. who munifestly had
taken precautions to avoid shivering, ex-
hihited great satisfaction at the visitors
apparent victory.
1t did look very bad for us at the first of
the nintl.. It was our last chance, we had
lead of two runs to overcome. and the tail
enders were at the bat. But Quinn shall no
more be call a tail ender, in any derisive
spirit, at least, for he raped out clean
nit. like any veteran. and it it was tho
M ost natural thing in the world. He stole
second too. and the dreary day looked
bright, If it didn't feel any warmer. This
WAS one of the ups that had alternated
with the down" during the game, and
this ''up' was so encouraging hat we al
most forgot the inevitable down that must
follow it. But it came just the same, and
the shock was all the worse. Corbett flied
out and Ashe died at first.
Everything depended upon Jack Leigh
ton, and he did hit at the ball very hard
indeed. Finally he raped it a mighty blow.
but alas it wasn't clean 1a1r stroke, he
ball went very far. but 1t went high in the
air. Pickett got under it out in left centre
and everybody started for home. But a
marvellous thing Happened. Pickett
dropped it, and another ''up'' had come and
we all went up with it into the seventh
heaven, etc. Pickett must have gone down
into the deepest depths, etc. There is no
doubt but that he was consigned thither
most heartily by more than one exasperated
Kennebecker.
He simply walked out into the field again.
That is he looked as if he did. But it was
an optical delusion. He really was going
down into the deepest depths. etc.
And SO g4odby to Pickett What did we
care for th4t poor unfortunate. We were
way up" With two men out that muf had
saved us; for little longer at least.
Lauder looked very small indeed as he
came up to bat with the weight of two
necessary runs on his little shoulders. They
are the heaviest kind of runs. you know.
They are quite leaden in avoirdupois. But
the little right helder braced up nobly He
whanged at the ball with splendid vigor,
but not SO good vim. After some big fouls
it was his eye that did the business, and in
due time he walked to first. Then what do
you thiukl He and Jack Leighton stole
second and third together. SO quickly that
the big catcher didn't throw the ball at all.
There wasn't time.
Frank Spill STEPPED up to the plate. The
weight of the three runs were ON his