The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-23
DETROIT. @, INDIANAPOLIS, 4.
A Driving Finish Marked the First
League Game.

Lcuk uC ~
The big thermometer just outside the
grand stand dropped five degrees in the
sixth inning yesterday. In the eighth it
took another fall and people turned up their
coat collars. The tide had turned against
the champions and they were defeated.
| Everybody in the great crowd that turned
| out for the opening realized the fact that
there had been a ball game. 1t was all
| right, but the result. That could have been
improved upon. A more exciting game is
not often seen. 1t kept every one on tip
toe for two hours. and there was never a
| minute in that time when it was safe to
| predict the result.
Never before was there such a crowd in
attendance at an opening game. Nearly
five thousand people turned out for 1t, and
while they saw their favorites beaten, it
was after a fighting finish that left no
| stigma. The defeat had no disgrace at
tached to it. and the game was honestly
won and lost, Charley Snyder umpiring in
a manner entirely satisfactory to both
teams and TO the crowd as well. He had
no close base decisions to make, but his
| judgment on balls and strikes, the most
| important feature of an umpire's work, was
excellent throughout.
During the parade of the teams about
town in tallyhos the people were heading
| for the grounds by hundreds. They soon
filled the bleachers and ran over into the
| field. The grand stand was not far behind.
and late Corners found little to look at ex-
! cept the backs of more fortunate enthusi-
asts. BY $3.50 the sight was a pretty one,
the boxes being all filled by that time.
Hundreds of ladies were out, and it looked
like a holiday crowd. Mayor Taggart met
| the champions as they marched across the
diamond on their way from the clubhouse.
Their appearance was the signal for great
enthusiasm, and when the Mayor, with the
Indianapolis and Detroit players lined up
as his immediate audience, the great crowd
forming an imposing back ground. present
ed the champions with the pennant, the
cheering was of the sort only engeniered
by home runs at needed times. The May
or's emarks were brief and timely.
Captain Stewart and his predecessor,
Frank Motz, who led the champions to vic
tory last season, held the beautiful silk
trophy up TO the admiring gaze of the thou
sands. turning Ii so as to give everybody a
chance to inspect it. The Detroit players,
upon call of their manager and captain,
| George Stallings. then gave three cheers
for the champions. Stewart and Motz, sur
rounded by all the players, fastened the
pennant to the ropes OF the flagstaff and 1t
was soon floating over the grand stand, its
appearance at the top Of the staff being the
signal for another outburst of enthusiasm.
Then began the serious work of the day.
Right here 1t Is in place to say that the
Detroit team Is much stronger than last
season. 1t is going to have something to
say this season about the disposition of
very fast ball. and are right in line with
the beat OF them this year. Fifield was
very effective While he was, II anything,
hit a shade harder than Phillips. he kept
the hits Wei scattered, and the champions
were unable TO realize on some OF their
longest drives. For five innings Phillips
pitched wonderful ball, the visitors getting
but one hit in that time and only three men
reaching first. In the sixth they sized him
for enough to earn three runs, and in the
eighth some more hitting, a base ON balls
| and three errors did the business. The field
ing feature of the game was a great catch
by Mccarthy Of Whistier's lily in the sixth.
| Stewart captured a. couple in short right
and center that looked dangerous. Buck
ley played first nicely. MOTIFS injured hand
keeping him out OF the game. If Buckley
doesn't make some Of the Western League
pitchers pretty tired before the season is
over it will be a wonder. He has his eye
on the ball. and never once missed touch
ing it yesterday. His two-bagger in the
eighth was a fine drive over Stallings's
head. Wood batted hard and caught a good
game up to the eighth, when he cut a wild
one loose around third in a vain
effort to catch Stallings on a steal. Soon
after rather a poor throw to second
brought a still worse return from Stewart
and another point was lost. The Detroits
played a very fast game in the field and
came to the front with their sticks, after
five innings of ineffective hitting. in plenty
Mayor Taggart threw the first ball across
the plate. or near the plate, his
aim being a little on. Then the sport be-
| cracked the first ball pitched to left for a
base and Mccarthy sent one sizzling past
scored Roat. but Wood hit into Whistler's
hands,, retiring the side. 1t was easy for
both teams then until the fourth. when
Wood hit a beauty TO the left field fence
| for three bases. but ground rules kept him
at second. the ball having gone into the
crowd. Buckley was hit by the pitcher,
but a pretty double play on McCormick's
grounder TO Nicholson spoiled the comforts
ing prospect of a good, safe lead. With
one out in the sixth. Stewart sent the ball
TO left for a base and Wood got another
bases. scoring the captain. Buckley reached
first on balls. but an double steal
out at third. Mccormick was out from
Nicholson TO first.
Detroit proceeded then TO connect with
| Phillips in a way that afforded little salts
faction 10 the big crowd Nicholson landed
on the ball for two bases. Knoll for a single
and Sam DUNCAN hit 10 the clubhouse for
three bases, scoring a moment later on
whistlers long fly that Mccarthy had hard
work TO reach. Stallings fouled 10 McCor-
mick. Corcoran sing.ed and Mccormick
threw Gillen's grounder wild TO Stewart.
frost lifted a fly TO Hogriever, and there
was a general feeling OF relief that the
damage had extended no further When the
champions showed in front again in the
eighth there was about as much noise in
evidence as that big crowd could make.
With one ont. Mccarthy hit to left center
for three bases and scored on Stewards
grounder. which Gillen fumbled in his
anxiety TO catch Mccarthy. at the pate.
Wood sacrificed and Buckley's tw~o-bagger
TO left scored Stewart Mccormick lifted a
foul hy to frost This little lead was
smashed into bits when Detroit finished its
half. Stallings hit 10 right for three bases.
but ground rules cut IL TO two. as the bal.
went into the crowd Corcoran got a base
on balls. Stallings stole third. and Wood
threw into left field IN an effort 10 catch