The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-24

Sa8asta at the Bat.
AL the powers were in the grand stand.
waiting for the game to start,
And the pope sat down among them
with a sad and heavy heart.
He had wanted to be umpire-to pull
on a friendly game.
With some loving cups for prizes, filled
with blessings in his name.
But the Yankees wouldn't have him;
said they liked the good, old man.
But they'd scatter too much sulphur
for the holy vatican.
As 70 umpires. twas decided, after
jslwing long, to pick
The Lord-with Him as umpire neither
side could justly kick.
Well. amid a lot of s~crapping and q
heap OF hin n blat
The game at last was opened, with Sa-
gasta at the bat. 30
Now, Sagasta was a batter-you have
heard of him no doubt:
Say! he took the shine of Casey, for he
never yet struck out.
He had faced the ablest pitchers, such
as Bismarck. Gladstone. Blaine;
More than one Of them, twas rumored,
had received from him a pain.
Curves of every style and fashion-he
was onto every one;
1 Every Ddll ne SiukBtu WSIt LiPPih6 iAhN
a bullet from a gun;
| As to in-shoots, as to ~out-shoots, all the
inns and outs he knew;
To the mysteries Of drop balls he quick
ly found a clew.
Oh, he smashed the ball like lightning.
and ne let 1t go at that
1t had to go like lightning with Sagasta
at the bat.
Well, he thought he'd struck a pudding
of the genus known as plum;
To tell the truth the Yankee club was
slightly on the bum.
Mckinley in delivery at times was
weak and wild;
And Woodford's work at second was a
fright-to draw it mild.
Laid off was Catcher Sherman-hadn't
caught for quite a time;
Indeed. some years had interviewed be-
tween him and his prime.
For felders-Johnny Long, Russie Al
ger and the like;
The fancy of the grand stand, II they
tried. they couldn't strike.
In fact the team lacked training: hadn't
rid itself of fat;
Especially twas shaky-with Sagasta
at the bat.
On first Lee doomed a giant, though,
the Yankee of them all.
Twas worth the whole admission fee to
see him grab the Dall.
Hot ~grounders? In his fingers all the
hottest ~grounders froze;
He caught all sorts of and flies;
he reached the widest throws;
He covered half the diamond; he was
everywhere at once,
Bracing up the Yankee fielders-he'd
put ginger in a Ounce.
To see him play, the grand stand, say
Il went clean crazy mad:
The bleechers yelled and screeched n
screamed with every lung they had.
And when he wasn't moving, ne was
always standing pat
Lee never got excited with Sagasta at
the bat.
Observe, Sagasta's at the bat, Nc
Kinley's I'm the box.
Mckinley starts the pitching i'm a style
quite orthodox.
He twists himself all out of shape; de-
livers hot the ball:
'Twould suit q batter twenty feet or
such a matter tall;
He tries again; an out curve; it's out
a rod at least;
The grand stand loudly murmurs; the
kids yell Judas Priest!"
Again he tries; a drop ball; 1t drops
upon the plate:
Sagasta sneers-suggesting that he
give it to him straight;
Now little Day. the catcher. with a mo-
ton like a cat.
Squats. expectant, at the rear of old
Sagasta at the bat.
It's getting down to cases-wiil he get
his base on balls?
Is the pitcher going to pieces? The
secret fear appalls.
Mckinley rubs the ball In sand; he
takes another brace:
The ball flies sure and true at last, and
at a fearful pace;
Sagasta strikes-he lifts the ball-he's
running down to first
The Spaniards dance for very JOY,
they're yelling fit to burst;
But what is that the umpire cries? a
foul Come back. come back!
Come back here. Sag. your hit. you see.
is sadly out of whack.
We've got a righteous umpire, We know
just where you're at
You're not at first at all. for stiill sa-
gasta's at the bat.
Blu refusing to go back. begosh. he's
II n Yankee ntervenes. ell punch
him i'm the head.
The Yanks accept the blum. hooray'
they've jumped the Spanish gang
The game is now transmitted into one
of bin and bang.
Slug we Yankee sluggers-1ust see the
Spaniards drop;
Wherever there Is lighting. the Yankees
are on top;
And look at that. the umpire the LORD
IL on our side
He is taking pounds of vengeance ou
of every Spaniard's hide!
To the Lord and to the Yankees. every
man lake of his hat
Theren be no further trouble with Sa-
gasta at the bat.