Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-08

The Richmond ball-players are back at
home again, and are putting up an arti-
Gle of ball that is pleasing in high de-
gree to the local cranks, who have for
three long weeks been pining for a game.
The Johnny Rebs reached the city from
Newark, where they played on Sunday,
early yesterday morning. and met the
Hartford Nutmeggers in two contests.
The first which was played at 80 o'clock
in the morning. was won by the visitors,
Pop Tate, who umpired In the absence
of one of President Barrow's staff, ma
terially assisting them in achieving their
victory. The last game, which was play
ed at the usual hour in the afternoon,
was won by Richmond, Umpire Belts
having arrived in time to give both teams
a fair shake.
Both contests were exciting and inter-
esting. and good crowds were in attend
ance at both. OF course the largest
gathering assembled in the afternoon.
and, led by Jack McDonough, the cham
pion rooter of the South. they rooted most
nobly for Richmond. with the result that
Jake and his boys. by timely stick work.
carried off the victory. in the morning.
however. Notwithstanding that the score
was close throughout. and there was an
element of doubt as to who would land
the prize that was being struggled for,
the interest of the rooters was at no
time aroused to that pitch which causes
them to stand and yell themselves hoarse.
as has so frequently been done by the
most ardent Of McDonough's staff in the
l.
Tate's door, Tate is probably as well
posted on baseball and its rules as any
man in this city but his decisions We're
awfully off color yesterday, and it was
a relief 10 the entire assemblage in the
afternoon when Belts, the old favorite
of Virginia League days. stepped out on
the diamond and called out i'm his wonted
mellifuous tones: BAN one" or strike
one" as occasion demanded.
Lost the Morning Game.
The. morning game, as told above
went against Richmond. Though il is
kindest to throw the mantle of charity
around the umpire, it is only due to the
Richmond players to say that it was not
their fault that Richmond's banner
trailed in the dust. They did their best
and played "a beautiful game, but every
thing that came anywhere near the
plate when they were at bat was called
a strike, and naturally this so discon-
certed them as TO render 1t next 10 i'm
possible for them to make a hit. Aside
from this the game was an excellent one.
Both teams put up first-class ball. and
only one error was made, that being ac-
complished by one Of the Hartford men.
who, in making it, was largely excusa-
bic therefor.
The game was one of those heart-dis-
ease contests. which causes the blood Of
the average rooter TO course through his
veins with a speed almost equal to that
achieved by one of the fast-hying loco
motives that come with a fash and a
roar and are gone. Try as they would.
neither side could gain any very distinct
advantage over the other and the men
fought like. two armies struggling TO the
death-neither willing 10 yield a point.
and both determined TO win. If possible.
STARTED IN THE FIFTH.
1t was not until the fifth inning that
the visitors were enabled TO score a run.
and then they had 10 do a great lot Of
hustling to get their man to safety. and
it was not until the seventh that Rich
mond scored her rum Elberfeld doing the
trick by virtue Of a neat double which
came out of Reddy Fosters bat. 1t was
a hot contest at this point, and in the
eighth it grew still warmer, when. by a
neat punching of hits, the Nutmeggers
landed another man over the rubber
winning the game. The contest was
not concluded by this run, but it might
as well have BEEN for in her half OF the
ninth Richmond was unable TO do any
thing. and the score remained un-
changed with Hartford on top with one
run to the good
The appended official score will give all
the details of the play: