The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-18
TRAPPED BY WATERBURY,.
.Ex-Yale. Ball Player Relates q Cleve
Trick Played ON HIM.

"Of all the low-down tricks that were
ever played in baseball, the deceit prac-
ticed by a Waterbury college team back
in the late seventies. beats anything I
eve knew" said a Yale man and ex-
player on one of the famous mines of
that college to a reporter for the
Chronicle. THE story wouldn't be so
good were it not for the fact that sew
eral of the most celebrated players in
the National league had a hand in the
conspiracy and aided in our discomfi-
ture. for l was hen playing on the team
of an academy in a town not far from
New Haven. 1t was also the first time
that I ever saw Roger Conner, Mickey
WEIGH, Mike Gillespie, Dorgan and
keenan,. the latter a celebrated catcher
of his day. l think it was in 1878 that
all this happened. We had trounced
this Waterbury team handsomely, and
they promised to reorganize their club
and give us a dose of our own medi-
cine. But thereon hangs a tale.
zone day the Waterbury crowd came
owe to our town for the return game.
AS they got out of the buses a few Of
us noticed that there were many
. strange faces among the men in uni
form, and a majority of the 'reorgan-
ICED nine were particularly. even sus-
piciously, muscular and athletic. We
were shocked to observe that several of
lIlCll Hdu lIaCC6 III lOOdCCo loACc dDOul
the corners of their mouths. I enter
tanned doubts as to the collegiate stand
ing of the new players, but they were
introduced in due form. Their names,
as given. I eve remembered.
"'When did you reorganize the team
/ asked the Waterbury captain. oh,
these are all regular students In the
school,. Some of them were away and
couldn't play with US before. One Of
them was sick. and another has just
entered
II took the Waterbury men to one
side and protested vigorously. These
are no college men, I said. You're
ringing in some OF the Waterbury team
on us. Play fair
The Waterbury. captain protested
that there wasn't a member of the reg
ular Waterbury professional team with
his nine. He was right. There wasn't.
1t was worse thar that. But I'll tell
you further on. There was n big,
husky fellow, who rather Dol my
fancy, and as we were getting ready
for the game I struck up a conversa-
ton with him.
Been at the college long?' 1 asked.
"sWell, not long. Went away for
a while. Just back, you see.
What class?
Heavy weight-er-that is, last
years, no, this years
at this juncture the Waterbury
captain interrupted h conversation. I
may incidentally add right here that
the 'collegian' with whom / conversed
was none other than Roger Conner.
well, we started the game. 1t was
a wonder. A young man who turned
himself int a knot n performed wild
gyrations before delivering h ball was
in the box for the Waterbury 'collegi-
ans His curves CAV US nervous pros
A-Aks1n - ~ AxA.t A hhwx -na~ xxra.
back Of the plate. and the way he took
in those hot ones was a caution. My
rugged friend was on first. A big fell
low who chewed tobacco and swore
volubly at intervals was or second, n
Q tall Irishman was in center. The
rest of the team didn't interest me.
Il pitched the first inning for our
side. The big first baseman spit on his
hands. grabbed a bat that looked like
a saw log to me and hit the first ball
over the plate for a home rum. The
tall center fielder followed with a
double, and the stubby catcher inc out
a hot single. There were six runs in
the inning. I didn't pitch any more
The rest OF the game was a laugh
ter. The score. IL I remember correct
ly, was Is to 1. maybe IS to /. 1t doesn't
matter. After II was all over and we
had paid out bets and dined the for
midable visitors. they departed by team
as them came. leaving us sorrowful. but
convinced that we had been buncoed.
I took occasion to run down to New
Haven and make a quiet investigation.
1T was all clear then. The big first
baseman was Roger Conner. late of the
New Bedfords. The chubby catcher
was Keenan, Of the Albanys. home in
New Haven for a few days. n pressed
into service: h pitcher was Mickey
Welch of the Holyokes, afterward to
become famous as the star twirler Of
the giants. The stocky baseman was
Dorgan. hen with the HolYokes, and
for years afterwards one Of the star
ou%tielders and hitters Of h National
league. The Irishman in center field
was Mike Gillespie. the only Gillespie
also a Holyoke a but late a premier
with the Troys ami New Yorks.
The Waterbury boys had trapped US.