The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-16
BASEBALL MEN ON THEIR MUSCLE
Free Fight on the Diamond at
Portsmouth,.
The Game Between Norfolk and Port.-
mouth Nothing But Farce-rhe UNI
pire Failed to Show Up aud Two mon
Were Observation-Disclosures Threw the
Ball at Corbett's Head and q General
Row Followed.

Doi ut OorDetto Head and q General
Row Followed.
NORFOLK, Va, May 15.-The alleged
game of ball played at the Portsmouth
Park this afternoon between Norfolk
and Portsmouth WAS nothing more or
less than q farce. When the gong
sounded the umpire was not to be seen,
nor did he show up during the afternoon
or oelgn to send an explanation of his
absence.
Portsmouth wanted to appoint home
man umpire. Manager Mcfarland, of
the Norfolks, refused to entertain the
proposition. The matter WAS finally
settled by an agreement creating two
h umplrea, one from each club. Up to
4 ana through the first half of the fifth in
ming Norfolk had made FIVE runs, FIVE
hits and one error. Portsmouth had not
gottensa single hit off Corbett, nor had
they scored single run, though they
had punched four costly errors.
In the second half OF the firth, with
portsmouth at the bat foul was
knocked. II was claimed that the ball
had been out of sight and new ball
was thrown to McNamara, who was
umpiring for Portsmouth. McNamars
pitched 1t to Corbett, who pitched Il
back to him.
McNamara then threw the ball at
Corbett's head, and Joe rushed up to
MAO TO DO him up. The police and q
crowd interfered. While this WAS going
on Portsmouth man stole from first to
second. Gilroy. who was umpirIng In
the field, ordered him back to first. He
refused to 20.
Norfolk refused to play out the game
which McNsmara declared forfeited to
Portsmouth to o. The whole business
wound up in fist fight in the grand
stand, riot on the diamond being mar
rowly prevented.
Our Boys Wslloped the Supposed Pen
nant Winners.
Manager Smiths aggregation of ball
| players from the City OF Hills were wal
| Hoped good in yesterdays exhibition be.
fore very large and enthusiastic crowd
OF spectators. The locals won easily on
the true merits of the game. The Wis
| itors were outbatted and outplayed at
every point and ut every stage of the
game. Willis, Roanoke's southpaw,
| and Bruner. were the opposing twirlers
In the contest, and with the exception
OF being just little wild. the former
| pitched in splendid form and did not
allow the visitors to hit safely except In
| the first, second, third and eighth inr
nings. The remainder of the game they
| went out In one, two, three order with
great degree of regularity.
The locals had ON their batting ap
parel and Bruner was touched up for
| fourteen hits. II he has any speed at
all he did not use 1t, though he has
been pretty lucky in always winning his
games.
Williams caught in his usual clean,
heady fashion and hit the ball hard,
though 1t went safely from his bat but
once. The most sensational play was
Cockmsn's catch of hot liner knocked
by McGann. The only thing esemblinR
an error by the locals was made by
Wrigley, who let o ground ball pass
him. The error gave Pickerney his
base, but he died ON the second bag.
The cranks and "fans" forgave hin,
when they saw how he went after every-
| thing else that went in his territory.
Whftehill put up q good clean game
at second, and Dusty Coons made two
| phenomenal catches of fly balls in right
| field. Harry Tate has been off in his
playing for few days. but he got in
the game yesterday and got in his
| usual number Of hits (3).
| "Boss" Groves WAS In the game, but
somehow he cannot solve the delivery
OF left-handed pitcher; in fact. all the
boys played fast game, there is no
doubt OF that, and II they keep 1t up
msny's the time that the league leaders
| will have to fall before this team.
When Umpire Belts called "plsy
ball" Coakman was presented with four
bkd balls and went to first and scored
on Williams' two.bsgger; Wrigley went
out on fly to centre field, and Will
lisms crossed the plate on Pop Tate's
single.
In the second Cockman cracked out
single and went to third on an infield
ball on which Williams was shrown out
at first. Wrigley sent tho sphere safely
to centre field and Cockmsn scored.
In the lfth Dusty Coons added an
other run, he was hit by o pitched ball,
Willis sacrificed him to second, Will
liams hit the ball in front Of the plate,
Fear threw wildly to Little and Duaty
sprinted from the second bag to home
plate.
In the sixth the visitors made two
more costly errors. Wbitehill was
walked to first on balls Harry Tate
sent one between short and third and
Leahey threw wildly to first. and White
NIL scored. Grove sent an easy one to
80" ShU no tutoW ~ VIII 70 feRT
and Tate crossed the rubber, and Grove
went to second; the latter Tailed on
single by Cockmsn.
In the seventh Bruner gave Wrigley
o high ball, and IL was smashed over
the left field fence for home run.
The last was added in the eighth.
Coons made q Texas lesguer to centre
field, Goodman singled, and the former
crossed the plate on hot liner by Will
liams, that struck the umpire.