The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-04-27
Standing Of t,se clubs.

In the presence Of from 500 to 5000
ardent rooters. on a slippery diamond,
and hard up against it. Norfolk opened
the Atlantic League season with Read
ing yesterday and when the game was
called. shortly after the ninth inning,
the curfew had long since tolled the
knell of parting day, base-runners were
wading madly through the murky night,
and batters were swattng great holes
through the darkness.
1t was all because of the reprehensible
and eXasperatingly tardy delivery Of
Southpaw Amole. who was as slow as
an old horse, balked like a stubborn
mule, and played ball through nine in
dia-rub bier like innings to the tune Of
funeral march He twisted time
around his little finger, and hypnotized
the umpire, whose business it was, un-
der all known laws of baseball, fairness
ana common sense, to call him down
and keep his figuratve foot on him
until he stayed down. But Mr.. Cline
was apparently oblivious to the flight of
time and the groans of the assembled
multitude. He stood by like a craven
image and allowed the Reading freak
to do exactly rs he pleased which was
the worst anybody ever saw, so far as
breach OF rules is concerned.
THE OPPOSING PITCHERS.
Otherwise he was all right. III fact
he was too all right. He pitched a SUI
perb game and was q puzzle to the best
batters on the Norfolk team; was
able 10 locate the plate when he got
ready, and watched the bases like
hawk
There's just where Newton was dis
counted. He did not pay enough at
tention to the world around him, being
immersed up to his ears in the immed-
late business OF getting the horsehide
over the plate. Nevertheless he pitched
remarkably good game, barring a little
Wlldness, and struck out eight Of Read
lng's heaviest hitters. He was admlra-
bly, and errorlessly supported by In and
out held, both of which played perfec,
ball and did all that it was permitted
them to do during the progress Of the
game. At the bat they DID the best
they could with Amole. hitting him for
eleven bases, one more than the vsi-
tors were able to secure Off NeKton
Between bases the Reading twirlcr's
baking tactics caused . number OF
embarrassing complications, resulting in
the untimely death Of several daring To-
cal base runners.
COME CIRCUS CATCHES.
AS luck would have 1t all the good
things In the way Of feature plays fell
to the visitors. and for a while it was a
regular circus.
IL started in the fourth. when Slater
caught difficult foul of Wentz's bat.
This was followed immediately by a
great one hand pickup by Newell Of
Gilroy's hot grounder. IN the eighth.
too, Mcintyre jumped about two feet
In the air and collared Weihl's line
drive, after which, nconsiderately the
rooters thought he threw Wcddigc out
at second, retiring the side. 1t was a
sensational play and reminded one
strangely Of Dick Padden's ante-Pitts
burg days
TT WAS EXCITING,
In spite Of the funereal pace set by
Undertaken Amole, the contest was eX-
citing because Of the closeness Of the
score throughout. In the first inning
Norfolk BANKED. Newton struck Out
the first man up for Reading and hit
the next, Newell. who reached second
on a passed ball, stole third, and came
in on Mes bad throw to Wedd.ge.
In the second inning Weddige led off
with two-bagger and tailed on
Leahy's long single. The next three
men went out in order. With two men
out Amo!e went up for. the visitors and
hit. Barclay walked and Slater's sin
gle sent the Southpaw home
In the third Newton led off with a
tWo-bagger McFarlan famed. Leahy
hit and stole, Shaffer walked and New
ton came in on Weddige's out to cen
ter. There was no further scoring unt:l
the seventh. when Reading tied the
locals. sending Mcintyre across the rub