Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-28
A Most Exciting Inning-Triple PLAY
by the sailors.
(CorrespOndonce ID a. Dlsnaich1

Correspondence OF the Dispatch)
| SAN JUAN, May 15.-Among other in.
novations on the Island OF Porto Rico n,
which American energy is respousfhls
are outdoor sports OF various kinds rvs-
| the top OF Moro, that sacred. well .cns,d.
! ed pile, whose mysterious precincts Vera
| never before entered by other than Oh.
! GERS and soldiers OF the Crown. bas been
| invaded and a tennis net stretched hehnl
It's froN ming guns. Every week The lrea.
| plain just below and south, at Of Jteca.
| tie Is the scene of activity such as Tia
| stately D0ns OF the past and the apathstt
| Porto RCan Of the present never dream.
| ed OF. Here army and navy meet on nh.
baseball diamond. each SIDE represented
| by well-drilled teams
No more ideal spot could be selected
| for the game. Girdied by sea walls, bC.
| hind which the breakers sing. and swept
| its entire length by cooling breezes. the
rolling surface tlattens toward the centre
In an even plateau forming natural
| amphitheatre. Tents are pitched 20 shell
, ter the daintily-gowned spectators who
flock 10 the ground and cheer each side
impartially, though the game Is played
with much earnestness.
game as a little private diversion. but So
much skill has developed that the inter-
est has extended 10 officers and the Amer
lean public generally. The work OF the
picked teams has reached a professIona.
standard, and regular match games aye
being played for the championship. Las,
week the pennant was captured by The
sailor boys, though their competitors
work was in every way worthy OF Their
mettle.
The Nashville had arrived i'm the h1r.
Dor, and to make credltable showing
Ok their prowess before the officers AM
crew Of the little gunboat, which boals
the honor OF having fired the first gun
OF the late war, both teams prepared ilf
their best work They played excellent.
~. The base-running on both sides wa
not up TO the standard, but the fielding
was excellent and batting good. The
excitement was intense when the score
was tied at three runs, and remained "a
tie until the seventh inning. Al ms
point the army catcher received an INJURY
TO his knee, and having no substitute,
continued to play in partially disabled
plight.
In the next inning the sailors. clinchd
the victory, by making five runs ID
hopes OF the army had been dampe-l
in the sixth inning, when occurred o..
rare thing I'm baseball, a triple play. 3
cond and third bases were occupied, VICE
a low-line fly 10 left was hit. il SCENE!
safe, but it was captured, and both gl'
ners were put out by very fast work CO
the part Of the sailors.
The scene among the spectators az ms
stage was wildly funny. The crews OF
the Panther and Nashville, who lined ne
sea wall broke into enthusiastic cheers
dancing and gyrating fantasticaliy Wh.e
the broad collars and bell-shapcd tfol-
sers of their snowy uniforms Alti1I@
in unison with their movements. 4le
women under the tents were on hef
feet. waving fans and handkerchief
while officers joined in dignllied applause
it has been an incentive for amoitio4
on the part OF both teams. and the tram
ing goes on with the object OF doing lA-
excelled work In the future. This "oI1
be an ideal spot for the early spring
training Of professional teams. ana
would provide an object lesson for tHs
Porto Ricans, whose physical CONDITION
would be intellectually benefited by W,
adoption Of American athletic sp'''
along with our national principles
CLOTILDE PIbARD THOMAS