The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-28
National League Standing.
AN AWFUL SLAUGHTER.
Orioles Given the Worst Drubbing
They Ever Received.

BALTIMORE, Md, Sept. 27.-Outside of
a little contingent of faithful Boston root
ers' who are making merry at the Eutaw
House. there is joy in Baltimore to-
night Boston had taken the rubber in the
crucial series, is ahead in the fight for the
pennant and there seems to be little proba
biity that the champions can save it.
Hoffer, the wizard" Nops, the south
paw" and Brother joe Corbett all went
down like ripe grain in a hurricane before
the terrific onslaught of Bostons batters,
until what seemed at first 50 be victory
for the home team was finally turned into
a rout, the like of which has been seldom
witnessed on a ball field. More than 25OOO
people saw it done, and that they witnessed
the downfall of their favorites with perfect
good humor, gathering about the victors
and cheering them heartily at the finish,
gives the lie direct TO two stories that have
been current regarding the Baltimore base
ball public, namely-that it does not pa
tronize the game, and that ''rowdyism" is
the rule upon its grounds There have
been few, if any, crowds as large in the
history of the game.
The story of what happened to-day may
be briefly told. First came the awful strug
gle at the gates for tickets, then the strain
ing, pushing and fighting for admission,
then the scramble for place from which
the diamond was visible until every seat
had an occupant, every inch of standing
room was pre-empted and men and boys
chung, spiderlike, to fences, hagstaffs, teie-
graph poles any other point of vantage.
The Boston "rooters," with their brass
band, formed so small part of the vast
throng that they sank into comparative in
significance, but the band played on and
the rooters rooted and shouted just the
same. Finally the teams came on for prac-
tice and then, in due time, play began, and
the multitude settled itself down to watch
the battle.
First Boston made a run, then Baltimore
made two, then each made three and the
score was tied when Boston added another
to its string. Thus far all was we'll Balti-
more, tbs true had lost the lead, but not
hopelessly. Then the visitors forged to the
front with three more tallies. This was
bad, indeed, but hope still lived in Balti-
more. And so it ran until that dreadful
seventh inning. Corbett had been crippled
by a hot liner early in the play. Nops had
been batted out of the box little later
and Hotter had been hit for four runs, but
still the crowd hoped on No one looked
for a deluge, as Hoffer had apparently
off hin. in two successive innings. All at
once it came. Single followed double,
double followed single, player after player
crossed the plate until the crowd grew
dazed and wondered if it would ever end.
The official scorers almost lost their count.
Hoffer became discouraged and wanted to
go off and sit down, but Captain Robinson
kept him in the box. Finally the fusillade
of hits was ended, Hoffer came down from
the air, everybody took a long breath and
the scorers figured out that Boston had
made nine runs all of which were earned.
That settled it, and although the cham
pions' made feeble rally in their half and
batted out three runs and followed it up
with two more in the eighth. their efforts
were of more consequence than are
| those of men who strive TO whistle up the
wind.
During the volley of base hits in the sew
| enth the crowd a study. AS the first
| two three were made the vast throng
| looked serious; then, as hits began to flow
out like water from trough, smile and
| then hearty laugh broke forth. and none
| could have enjoyed the discontinue of the
| champions more than did their admirers in
| the vast audience. OF the many hearty and
| spontaneous bursts of applause, none was
| more ringing than that which greeted Ham
! ilton, when. in the fourth inning, after be-
! ing trampied on and severely stunned by
| for home ON Loves single. colded with
| Baltmore's feshy backstop. and falling
| heavily pluckily crawled towards the base
! almost fainting as he touched il. Again, at
| the end of the game ten thousand people
| gathered about the visitors, shook them by
| the hand, shouted cheerful pleasantries at
| them. told them what good fellows and fine
| players they were and finally sent them
! away with such shout of appreciation as
! to make fitting climax for the greatest
! baseball spectacle Baltimore has ever seen
| Attendance Score