Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-07-09

YIN Base Ball Club
win. They made a big brace in 1889,
however, and after the hottest kind of
fight with st. Louis, won the cham
pionship by the narrowest margin.
1t was a close battle for fist place
throughout the summer, and it was
not until September that the Bride
grooms' succeeded in wrenching the
lead from their hated rivals. The
Brooklyns were dubbed the Bride
groomS' that year because five of them
took life partners in a brief space of
time. Brooklyn had secured Lovett
from Providence, and he, with Terry,
the old standby of the club, were the
heroes of the season. Their pitching,
particularly that Of Terry at the finish,
won the day for Brooklyn. But that
is anticipating.
From the time the Brooklyns took
the lead until the end of the season,
the race with St. Louis was of the hair
raising kind-agonized only forthe root
ers. st. Louis was scheduled to play
its last two games with Brooklyn on
Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and
8, the first in old Washington Park
with its tremendous natural amphithe-
alter with sodded banks, and the sec
ond in Bill Wallace's Ridgewood Park
among the breweries and cemeteries
The Brooklyns played Sunday games
at home in those days. Interest was
at fever heat, and holiday crowd
gathered in Washington Park for
Saturday game.
The contest was accompanied by a
constant wrangle from the very begin
ming; disputes and objections by Comis-
keys men delaying the game almost
into darkness, and resulting finally in
Comiskey's losing his temper and with
drawing his team from the field The
Browns took the lead in the sixth in
ming by one run, and then resorted to
all possible methods to delay the game,
in order to have it called on account of
darkness. The immense gathering of
people took exception to their conduct,
but their yells and hootings had no eff
feet on the visiting team. But Comis-
key and his crew were confronted with
stern proposition. Goldsmith once
the star pitcher of AL. Spalding's cham
pion White Stockings, of Chicago, was
the umpire, and he knew his business.
He realized fully what the St Louis
captain was doing, and insisted that
the play go on.
The Browns were not content with
the ordinary tactics for delaying the
game, but stopped to several dirty
tricks in the effort to win out in the
scheme, which set the spectators fran
tic. The worst of these was an, act by
Mccarthy between the seventh and
eighth innings. He took the ball over
to the players bench aad dropped it
into the water pail, so it would ibe hard
for the Brooklyn pitcher to handle
He was caught at it, and another leng-
thy wrangle followed. The eighth in
ming dragged along, and when il ended
the score stood at four runs TO two in
favor of st. Louis.
About this time Latham took a hand
in the proceedings. Everybody re-
members "Arlie," the clever third base
man of the ST. Louis team, whose anus
ing clownish behavior made him popu-
lar everywhere. On this occasion ne
was alive TO the opportunities. as usual
and in some way secured three or four
candles and an old lantern. These he
distributed among members OF his
team, and when they took the field for
the ninth beacons were lighted and
carried by Curt Welsh in centre field,
Tip" O'Neil in left field, Mccarthy in
right field and Latham at third base
The lantern Latham placed on the
plate. 1t was the one funny feaeure of
the eXasperating contest, and, served TO
put the crowd in good humor momen-
tarily.
In the ninth Comiskey and !'his pitch
er Chamberlain, kicked about the dark
ness with every ball pitched. but Gold
smith stood firm Clark, the Brooklyn
catcher, had reached first base, with
none out; when Comiskey, without
warning, called his men off the field
and refused absolutely 10 continue the
game. Goldsmith gave him the re-
quired five minutes grace and then de-
clared the game forfeited TO Brooklyn.
Under the rules the ST Louis club was
penalized $500 for its act, the penalty
going to the Brooklyn club.
The immense crowd had waited for
the finish, and when ST. Louis players
were driven out of the lower gate in a
carry-aH they were jeered and abused
all along their route TO the bridge
That made Won der Abe mad when he
heard OF it in New York. and he de-
clared that it would not be safe for his
players TO go out to Ridgewood the next
day, Sunday, as they were likely to
be mobbed. Despite that announce
ment the biggest crowd on record jour
neyed out to Ridgewood on Sunday TO
see what might have been the real
thing in scrapping match on the dia-
mond. But Wonder Abe keptthis word
and his team did not appear
An army of 20 1000 persons had been
admitted to the grounds without charge
and when the BnoX lid not take their