The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-06
DUFFY'S FIRST BALL GAME.
NOW B0sToN'S BlsEBALI CAPTAIN
cor INTO THE PROFESSION.

He was Picked Up by WnIly EesHenden
for the Salem Team in 1ese-His Debut
Was Marked with Poor Playing, but
the Next Day He Redeemed Himself.
BosToN. Nov. 5.-when Capt. Duffy OF the
champion Boston team went in TO catch In one
OF the closing games in Baltimore. few OF the
~rooters. and for that matter few Of the players.
knew that the captain was no stranger TO the
position. and that once upon a time back In
SO he was heralded as a coming backstop. IL
was In that year that DUFFY first broke
into fast company. and tho story Of his
first game. while not exactly n source
Of pride to the captain himself. In re-
called with considerable amusement by
the oldtime baseball cranks Of q certain Mas
sachusetts city. Salem. Mass, was the place
where Duffy flrst electrified the baseball world.
and II was In the early days OF the same New
England League whose dismal wind-up the
past season will be remembered. "wally"
Fessenden. afterward prominent as a League
umpire. was manager Of the team that year
and was endeavorinR to get major League base
ball out Of a selection OF has beens' and
country stars. Fessenden pride6 himself on
his ability to discover finds In green mate
rial, and he was constantly on the lookout for
players OF this kind.
Salem never shone particularly as a baseball
city. yet would give a winning team fair sup
port. but as the majority OF teams that had
represented that city had occupied low po-
sitions In the race. the position Of manager
was not exactly a sinecure. To add to wal
ly's'' troubles he had for a hacker q certain
old ball crank by the name OF George vickery.
George had a little money. and found many
good opportunities to use It,. he had several
very original ideas as to the correct manner OF
running a ball team. which he put into execu-
tion regardless OF the way they affected the
men under him. One OF these was q desire to
obtain good material at very low salaries. and
another vas that by boarding the players at
his own house he could save money Us we'll as
keep a strict watch on the men.
Fessenden was continually begging for new
players and more money to pay them with. but
the old man was close-fsted and refused to let
go, Fessenden worried along for about n month
after the opening Of the bali season until. be-
coming disguised, he started off on q still hunt
for new players. Among other places. he Wis
tied Springfield. Mass. where q crowd OF ener-
Eetic young players were struggling for sufi-
cient money to nav their board. The catcher
for the team was a young man. very chunky in
build and with n very serious cast OF counte-
nance. He caught easily and gracefully and
made very little work OF II. Fessenden was
struck with the young fellows appearance and
after the game was over closed a deal by which
nv SNbA 'tO SSehN hAoh . NAS"oS " tNtO
sum OF S25. The young man was none other
than Hugh Duffy. then fresh from a mill at
River Point, r.. L.
The deal was made without either the knowl-
edge or consent of Vickery. and when Fessen-
den showed up at Salem with his i" ind.' he
was greeted with a storm of reproaches and
curses by the old man. who utterly refused at
Duffy was to be added to the Salem team.
Fessenden finally persuaded him TO give Duffy
a sdif his b S,sKfr ana SdfT # he % di9 pay not 4u show W a a T we'll
the lye-dollar-a-week part was to be omitted.
AZ OF this happened the day before DECORATION
eatchers. Jimmy o'Brien. .aiterward with the
Decatur. H.. team. officiating in that capacity.
siderable discussion F~essenden assigned Duffy
to- cover the middle garden. ,.
street grounds. which: while hardly M to the
standard OF the Polo Grounds. were the best in
The f infe hpa ao were n f lIiei9 ssadi ~ a AM. hiaF VA, iep Is,d
! out on level ground. But the outheld. ~partlcu-
larry, centre field. was a barren waste, 4 fair
the fence. 50 much 50 that the centre aeideerr in
Two games were played on Decoration. Day.
the morning game withthe Lynn team at Lynn.
Salem. Duty did not play in. the morning. but
made his first appearance, in the afternoon
sBe erms Of the the League ks q eeS Were az a t fairl sl@ stso aaso c msm.
positions in the League were numbered among
man; and Nike Sweeney. sfterward a pitcher Of
considerable note, played second; Lynn went
4 out sailing to , centre asld; DnEy vas KS
wheree he thought the fly ought to drop. But L
didn't. and instead went over his head and
grounder to the inleld. The third man up
| ~~~~al m anu ar rf~hN haalr ~ oAaAnI hnaa
Duffy was playing well in. got his hands on 1t
and then dropped it, Error numb Der two.
cry was tearing up and down the foul line like
an insane man. and alternately cursinE both
d 4saiy aRd tnem BdtSl and TSe s sTG q Mss he Ssa T9q rsi
tired, and salem, went to bat. The frst three
men reached their base. two on infeld hits and
Her, was his chance to redeem himself. but lie
failed to connect. and after carving three large
bench, Vickory and, FessNnden. both made
sarcastic remarks. and the young fellow looked
Us II Z w va n the i same e' ali iI tSr t q the game. Duffy
had five chances In the neld. and all OF them
easy ones, but not one 81 them did he accept;
times. and went out the other time on a weak
lnfeid grounder, The Lynn, team won out by
quite an important factor In their run getting.
It was after the game that yicksry got in his
think Of, and DISCHARGED both him and Fessen-
Tor hiring him; His parting admoniton 70
sphere was wood chopping. and he advised him
to stick to that trade and forget baseball.
Duffy and Fessenden stayed In Salem that
night in the hope OF something turning M. and
in this they we're not disappointed. One OF the
periodical changes Of ownership was effected
that evening. Vickery selling out his interest to
appointment merchant. Fessenden heard OF the
ShSnf e. e eRe f bSiFy h and S EG1s Ps snntSse tr faf
stipulating that II Duffy did not make a better
showing they would ask for no recompepse.
anything quite bad enouGhto say Of Dpfry and
he, received a hard roasting, But the River
Point boy bided his time. and when the after
moor arrived resumed his old place In centre
field, accompanied by a chorus OF groans from
soon. Once more did Latham line the ball out
to centre. but this time a drive right, over
second base; Duffy started with the ball and
safely. but. falling at full length, in. the effort
The crowd was astounded, but believed u an
catch demoralized the Lynns. and they were