The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-27
PONIES HIT THE BALL.
They Landed on II 0ftener and Harder
Than the Miners, and So Won
a Just Victory.

Tho Ponies went back to Springfield
last night with a grasp on second posi-
ton but with the Miners so close be-
hind that the former are not by any
means on easy street.
For five innings in yesterdays game
it was q stand-off as to which team
would win but the Pony aggregation
had been giving evidence of ability to
strike q close acquaintance with Har
per, in fact they had been using him
rather roughly at times while the Min
ers were kept very much in the back
ground by Wee Willie Mains the Pony
twirler. In the sixth and ninth innings
Harper was hit for four bases in each
which with his pitching errors and
some fast base running gave the New
Englanders three runs in each chapter
and a sure-thing on the result.
The weather was not at all calculated
to warm up the enthusiasm of the
cranks. 1t was bright and sunny but
the air was suggestive of wraps and
overcoats and was stirred by a not too
gentle breeze from the north. That
probably accounted for as few as a
thousand spectators.
KNOWLES NOT SO BAD.
Umpire Knowles kept tabs on the ar
gument He is dead ringer for Jack"
McHale, has a physique and moustache
that ought to but doesn't awe the
players and possesses the best voice
in the business. He seemed much
better qualified than Kennedy to
draw a salary. The Springfield
crowd were a little disposed to
holler on Knowles ball and strike
decisions but they lost-sight of the fact
that their Wee Willie, who stands only
sX-feet-two in his socks, has very
deceptive cross-fire and overland de-
livery. 1t was certainly puzzling to
the Miner crowd of hard hitters who
made nary a plunker that was for more
than base. So we shall not criticise
Knowles. He did we'll enough yester-
day.
1t was Wellner's turn to do the rub
Der act for Scranton but he was set
aside for a day on account of his shoul-
der-bound arm and Harper essayed to
take the pounding. That George was
not at his best was shown in the two
or three balls he invariably gave to
almost every batter. Early in the ar
gument he kept one triple, three
doubles and two singles so well scat
tered for six innings that they devel-
cptu Dui lulGC luiSI lMO VI WHICH
We're made possible by O'Brien's muff.
But in the sixth and ninth George was
prone to wildness and permitted the
Puritans to bunch their sticking-and
that settled it.
FIRST RUN-GETTING.
. The Ponies were first at bat. All
that fell to their portion was a hit
which Beard blocked with a fast one
hand stop. The Miners did better
Meaney got a. walk and O'Brien hunted
safely Meaney going to third On Mains
failure to handle the ball which was
being flelded on the bunt. Beard sin
gled MeaneY in and Jack to second.
Days sacrifice advanced each a sack
OBrien was forced by Massey at the
plate and Bonner famed.
Two runs and a lead of one were
made by the Ponies in the second with
two out when the side would have been
retired but for O'Brien's error. Smith
hit high fly which O'Brien got be-
meath but his ankle turned on one Of
the hummocks that adorn the far out
field and he made mum, Smith reach
ing second. Gilbert few out to Massey
and Duncan got a walk. Moore fouled
out to Massey and that would have
ended the inning but for the hummock
and O'Brien's error. Mains scratched
a safe one over first and the two runs
came In. Fuller famed.
Score 2-1.
The Miners tied it in their half. With
two out Harper walked and went to
third on Massey's single to right. Mea-
ney started a steal and drew throw
from Duncan, Harper scoring while
Meaney was being tagged. The latter
reached second ON the throw to the
plate. O'Brlen was thrown out az first.