The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-14
EASTERN LEAGUE.

EASTERN LEAGUE.
A brace OF games were advertised and
scheduled to be played with Syracuse at
Adelaide Park yesterday afternoon, con-
sequently quite a crowd estimated to num-
Der about 1900, gathered at the grounds
to welcome home the wanderers and
cheer them along the stormy path OF the
championship highway. Then it was
ladies day besides. and the bright skies
and warm weather brought forth many
feminine baseball enthusiasts.
Contrary to expectations, however, the
Stars did not put in an appearance until
. O'Clock, so there was time for one game
only to be played, but that one was such
a lively, well fought contest that no one
felt like complaining, especially as
Providence won by the merry tune OF IL
to o after the battle had been practically
conceded Syracuse victory.
There is 40 denying that the New YORK
ers played fast and snappy, so much 90
in fact, that 1t would have raised ths
hair of the local fans had it not been for
the ease with which the Providence bat
ters Strengthened out Mason's curves.
Luck also gave the Grays helping hand
in the last few innings. But what's the
odds? A victory is victory and as long
as 1t goes down In the Eastern League
log book as sach and helps the Grays
along a peg, who cares.
Providence has opened the last home
series auspiciously, and If they can only
hit up stiff clip there is still a chance
of finishing somewhere at the end of the
season, so cheer up and "root" hard and
long.
sColt" Friel officiated In the box for
the first six innings, but was then re-
placed by Hodson. 1t was apparent that
the youngster was experiencing an off
day, and If IL had not been for Captain
Canavan's timely substitution the Grays
would have been unable to hsve stood
the test when the real fight took place in
the eighth ana ninth innings. Old re-
liable "Hod" steadied the team TO
great extent and after warming up
pitched gilt-edged ball.
There was fun galore in the fifth In
ming, when umpire Doeso her called four
balls instead OF three strikes on Drauby.
His decision was perfectly correct and
was evidently taken in good faith by
cate her Ryan. But after Ryan hao
thrown wide of second and Bassett and
crossed the plate, then Syracuse kicked
and howled and exchanged a merry war
CT words with poor Doescher, in which
Ulrich, the farmed out New Yorker,
was the chief actor. Ii was Q ludicrous
exhibition OF school-boy complaining
ana was thoroughly enjoyed by the spec
tators.
Taken from a spectators standpoint,
the game was an excellent one There
were plenty of misplays and sharp plays,
errors and daring base running, neavy
hitting and striking out. To say the
least, it was exciting from start to finish.
Syracuse took the lead in the first IN
ming by scoring two TO the Grays' one
run, and further increased their lead as
the game proceeded until in the fifth
eight runs were scored to their credit to
ProvideEce's four. From this on, how
ever, the hume team took a powerful
brace and plsyedwith speed that equalled
q 2:20 clip. They batted hard snd
ran bases daringly, and by the end of the
eighth inning were running along neck
and neck with their opponents. Then
came the final inning and victory.
knight hit safely, but was retired at
second on Drsuby's short drive. Drauby
managed to reacn third on a wild pitch
by Mason, who tried for double when
Cooney hit the ball. Then with two men
out the Grays repeated the trick they mad
played on the visitors in several innings.
Lyons smashed the ball for three bases,
scoring Drauoy and Cooney amid the
shouts and cheers of the crowd. A
moment later Harry sprinted across the
plate on Murray's drive to Minnehan.
Here the fan ended, likewise the game,
as the stars in their half were unable TO
solve Hodson's puzzling curves. Sum-
mary: