Evening star., 1896-12-25
AN OLD-TIME GAME
Defeat of the Nationals by the Hay
makers.
EVENT IN BASE BALLS EARLY DAYS
Victory Secured by Making Nine
Runs in the Last Inning.
WASHINGTON NEARLY WON

From Sporting News.
Probably one of the most exciting and
closely contested games of base ball played
in the early history OF professional base
ball was that between the Haymakers Of
Lansingburg. n. Y. and Nationals of
Washington. crack aggregation.
In those days big scores were the rule
and hundred runs in a game was an or
dinary total. F'ifty-five to thirty was a
commonplace result, and 1t was considered
a tolerably close game. In this game the
score Of l6 to Is was considered phenome-
nal. and up to that time IL was the finest
exhibition of the national game
The coming of the Nationals had been
heralded and people of all class,s ,s took deep
interest in the coming contest. Information
concerning the condition of the men was
eagerly sought, and they were often inter-
viewed on what they thought of the Hay-
makers chances of success Troy and Ian
slngbrrg sports ip those DAYS had big
roils, and they wanted to increase the
size of them. Enthusiasts thought that the
Nationals had been overrated and that they
would fall easy victims to the superior
anihty OF the burg boys. But the sports
We're cautious, and as the result proved too
much so.
Troy Backers Timfd.
The Nationals were accompanied by a
large following of "thoroughbreds, who
were in quest of easy money. They offered
even bets, but the Trojans wanted odds.
Some bets at short odds were offered by the
Washington men previous to the game
but they were few.
At the close of the first inning the Troy
crowd took courage and some money was
put on, but little as compared with the
amount In the pockets of the sports on the
field. In the second inning the courage was
all taken from the Troy sporting contingent
and their enthusiasm suffered a wet blanket
sensation throughout the contest until the
ninth inning was well under way. Then
the Troy sports gained courage when it
was too late, and a big Washingtonian
flashing huge roll of bills. shouted as soon
as his men had lost: See here. you Troy
men, you might have had all this money"
Story of the Game.
The Northern Budget of October % gave
this account of the game:
The game of base ball on Monday after
noon last between the Unions (Haymak-
ers) cf Lansingburg, and the National Club
OF Washington, attracted one of the largest
crow ds Of the season, large proportion of
which, notwiths tanding the disagreeable
weather, was composed of ladies.
The game opened in favor of the Unions,
staEding at the close OF the first inning
oENI >, L, NATIONALS, ". Dut IN the next
inning the Washington boys by superior
batting made six to the Unions two, and
Kept the lead until the commencement of
the ninth inning, when score stood Unions
4; Nationals 10, leaving our boys to get
eight to tie the game and nine to win: that
is, should they be fortunate enough to give
the Nationals a round on the last inning
as will be seen from the score they had
done on the seventh and eighth.
Amid the greatest excitement the Unions
went tc the bat. NJ. King led off with a
safe hit to left field. made his first, stole
second and finally came home on a bat by
5. King, while the rest of the club by one
OF their olden time displays at the bat
made what seemed the impossible number
of nine runs.
An Exciting Finish.
The excitement was now indeed intense
and every breath was suspended as the
umpire called striker to the bat and
Studley of the Nationals took his place
Ward, il spired to renewed exertions. sent
i'll the balls quick and hot, consequently a
little irregular, the result of which was
that Studley took his base on called balls
Brainard, the next striker sent the ball TO
NJ. King off second. Studley, forced from
his position a first, had started for second
but King was too quick for him, touching
him with the ball, and fielding ii to Leav-
enWorth at first, in time to cut off Brain
ard, handsome double play, two out and
no runs. Wright made the third hand out
and this most exciting game was over. The
score:
UNION O. R,NATION.JS n ID