Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-24

Though Richmond lost seven games
last week, and the croakers croaked.
something Ike GOO braves. who faced the
threatening weather. saw their pets take
a game from Reading and tie up another
Yesterday. 1t was just the class Of ball
that the team is capable of playing.
Reading surprised the rooters. A Won
derful change has been wrought. In
stead OF a lot OF sleepy. don t-care sort
OF chaps. Mr.. Long has banded together
a team TO finish out the season that is
credit 10 his town. They are bali players,
every one Of them. and play with snap
and energy.
Yesterdays games were OF that order.
Everybody was satisfied, and half of the
soreness has been cured. Had not rain
come before the first game was called
there would no doubt have been larger
crowd present but the fact that more
than half a thousand people were on hand
shows that interest is not dead.
owing to the fact that rain wet the
diamond. the first game. scheduled for
2.8J o'clock, was not called until Sl5
o'clock. 1t was a beautiful exhibition,
and Richmond won without much DIFF
hculty. though Horton, the crack from
Hanlon's bunch. did the pitching for the
opposition. Chesbro twlrled for Rich
mond, and did excellent work
The second game was pitchers battle
between Otis Stocksdale and George Gar
v.n.and the odds were in favor of"Stocks"
At the end of the fifth inning darkness
caused by the appearance OF heavy
back cloud in the west put stop TO the
SPORT and everybody but Denny Long
ANA his boys wSt home happy ana sat
hfel
Pre- idcnt Barrow sent new-old UNI
lr1 to these parts. in the person or
Rafferty,. who did some work I'm the
Virginia League several seasons aso. He
.s the best umpire that has been here
ibis season. There was not Kick about
Dis decisions. and Manager Long re-
MARKED that ne was All right
Richmond wins the First Battle.
Al 3I5 o'clock Umpire Rafferty, rang
the gong and went TO his position. Read
Ing took the field and the fun com
m,nced. The new pitcher, Horton, maze
DIS initial appearance. lie looked
Ike winner and the rooters'
ioces were puzzled. Elberfeld start
e. Tie game by going out on
long drive 20 left-hoid, ana the
Iooiers looked at each other Would 1t
DC That the colors OF Richmond would
again trail In the mud? Was Richmond
70 sluer defeat at the hands OF Read
ing Did 10 mean that Richmond had
sIook gait backward and couldn't
eheck up? These questions flashed
through the minds OF the assembled few.
Ahoihton was next up, and when he
went out by way OF short-stop you
couId nave heard a pin drop in the
6iandstand. 10 looked dark. the root
eIs thought Hargroye drew base on
oeIs' but never got any further Tor
-Hty dumped an easy ono TO Horton,
eua u WAS an of.
mere were no smiling faces In the
tiaEdsiand when Richmond took the
neid There was surprise at seeing FL
uerield behind the bat. Foster had not
sAown up. and Manager Wells could
eot 90 in the catchers place. because
s hand had been badly bruised IN
hartford while catching Lever. GlDer-
40 was the only man on the team
put behind the bat. IL would have
,ae you good 20 see him catch. 1t
s'eo the rooters feel better: II put
r,m In fairly good huInor, but they
'-l had that uneasy feeling.
sIattop, the first man up, smashed
O4 single. and the rooters' hearts
oaik BingO came along Spratt, and
0"ai,on landed on second having been
I~fslhced aoYn. Then Elherfeld let q