The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-08-04
LoSAcoEIEa CHAMPIONS
Receive Two Crushing Defeats in This
Couuty

LoSAcoEIEd CHAMPIONS
Receive Two Crushing Defeats in This
County.
Somewhere mp in the lonely recesses
Of the Maryland mountains there is vii
lage named Lonaeoning. The denizens
of that particular region are devoted to
mining. their only diversion being found
in outdoor sports For years past the
sturdy young Lonaeonites have praetieed
diligently with bat and ball. until this
spring they formed an aggregation styled
the Champions of Western Maryland =
and are reported to have wrsS;ed victor
berland and Meyersdale.
Now, these self-styled champions play
a very excellent game Of ball. In order
to excel on the Lonaconing field it appears
that players are obliged to cultivate
thumbs instead of fingers. as 1t is vio-
lation Of the rules of their peculiar game
TO field ball.
Another novel feature of the game
played by the Lonaconites is the start
ling agility shown by the outfielders,
who invariably turn double 50 mersaults
when trying to connect with a fly.
But whatever the name of the game
played by the Lonaeoning boys they are
well-behaved and conduct themselves as
gentlemen shonld ON the ball field II at
some future day they should acquire a
smattering at the National game OF base
ball the people of Somerset and Berlin
will be glad to receive them.
The appetite of Somerset's crank con-
tingent vas whetted up to fine point
Thursday morning by the rumors that
preceded the alleged champions in re-
gard 10 their prowess on the ball field.
The "Maroonsr were in fine fettle and
anxious to try conclusions with foreign
team, 80 that when dispatch arrived in
the morning conveying the news tina, the
Lonaconing team had missed connections
in Cumberland and would not be here be-
fore 5:20 p. m, there was great disap-
pointment. When late in the afternoon,
however. a second dispatch requested
Manager Levy 10 have his team ready TO
play at p. m, there was much excite
ment among the attorneys. merchants,
mechanics and labOring men, and before
the hour announced, the grounds were
filled with the largest crowd that assem-
bled this season. Somerset went
first to bat. Uhl flew out 10 short. Haws
WAS touched 10y the ball and sent To first,
McCreight reached irst on an error and
Haws was advanced To second, Crawford
made a safe hit bringing in two runs,
Murphy flew out To first, Witt reached
first on an error, Pugh made n safe hit
and Witt and Crawford scored on a wild
throw. Picking made a base hit, Swim
dell got his base on balls and Chl struck
out, retiring the side.
ollOck, the first batter up for the visi-
tors flew out, McGee got to first on an
error As did Story, johnson flew out and
I. johnson struck out, retiring the side.
With the score four To nothing in favor
of the home team at the close of the first
inning the enthusiasm of the crowd was
unbounded and cheer after cheer ripped
the evening air. Haws was the only
runner To score in the first half Of the sec
ond. McCreight dying on third and Muir
ply on second. In order to show the
Mary land champions how easy il could
be done Swindell struck out the first
three batters np in the second half Of the
second. Swindell's work was of high
character throughout the SIX innings
played. In fact he demonstrated 10 the
satisfaction of his local admirers and the
CONSERVATION of the visitors that he has n
number of points in reserve, only 20 be
called into play when needed. Murphy
played his usual splendid game and won
the applause Of the crowd by beautiful
fly catch. McCreight was evidently sf
fected by the chill evening air, otherwise
he would not have worn sweater'' on
the field, which by the way led him To-
make an error in the third, resulting in
two runs for the visitors. LonaeOning
should have been shut out.
The Lonaeoning team distinguished
itself chiefly by the number of errors
piled up. In fact the Only player not
more or less eulpable was McGee.
The score by innings:
Somerset I o D 3 Q
I,onaeouing 0 0 > 0 o o. =
Batteries - Somerset, SwindelI and
Murphy. Lonseoning. McGee and Pol
lock.
1t would be hard 10 conceive Of more
humiliating exhibition than the Iona
coming team presented at Berlin on Fri
4. ~ fh.as-
crushing defeat Of the evening before, it
was presumed that they would get to-
gether and make last desperate effort tn
recover some Of their lost prestige Such
was not the ease, however, for with the
exception of the work done in the box
by Fee (who supplied the place Of the
Lonaconing pitcher crippled in the game
at Somerset) none of the team sized up 70
players TO be found at Mt. Savage juno
ton, or Ellerslie. When Berlin's first
three batters up were retired at the out
start the crowd in attendance were led To
believe that they were about TO witness an
exciting game, and after the first three
bs,tters up for Lonaconing failed to reach
first base, enthusiasm ran high Iona
coming went To pieces in the second. per
uniting Berlin TO score seven times and
from then on the game was devoid OF in
terest further than the magnifi-
cent playing of the Berlin team and the
wretched attempts of their opponents.
"Red" Davis pitched the finest game of
his life, and he was never better sup
ported. The first eighteen men up for
LOnsconing failed % reach second, and
in the three following innings only three
of their men reached that coveted posi-
ton. In the 9th Brady got his base on
balls and safe hit by Pollock sent him
IN third, where he strayed too far from
the bag and was caught by Hall. McGee
few out, but advanced Pollock to 81,
where he died, johnson striking out.
Following is the score by innings:
Berlin % o l &2i
Ionaconing o o 0 o 0 0 o o o.
Batteries-Berlin, Davis and Hall.
I.onaconing, Fee and Pollock.
Is Life Worth Living'
II there is an individual on earth who
i excusabla far Tins intetrOgatinO him.