The record-union., 1899-09-22
HOW THE gifts WON.
And Duffee Also Won the Great
Gridley Derby.

Last Wednesday the Gilt Edges
played an exhibition game with the
Gridley team at Gridley, and easily won
very one-sided game from the Butte
County champions The boys return
ed home yesterday morning and report
having had a very enjoyable trip The
weather was something fierce,'' the
mercury going up as high as ITO de-
grees and threatened to blow the top
off the thermometer.
A large crowd witnessed the game,
and though they had but one chance
to root they were very well pleased
at the way the Gifts played Fitzger-
aid, local amateur twirler, was taken
on the trip and did the box work for
the Gilts. He pitched nice game, and
has in him the material which makes
stars in the baseball profession. His
fielding support was faultless, and the
boys batted superbly.
Immediately after the ball game rhe
horse races were run and the sport was
greatly enjoyed by the multitude which
had gathered from all parts of the sur
rounding country. The first race was
a tame affair and seemed to have little
effect on the crowd, who were out for
bigger game. The great Butte Coun-
ty derby was to be the next race.
Excitement ran high among the peo-
pie who stood in the paddock-eacn
and every one speculating as to what
chance his favorite steed had.
No one in particular, save the mem
bers of the Sacramento team and q few
others paid any attention to the small
group OF men at the further end Of
the enclosure who We're debating upon
the merits and faults of a big black
horse called Blackstone The owner
had entered the animal in the race,
but, owing to the fact that the horse
had on a previous occasion killed a
jockey and also had a bad habit of
jumping barbed wire fences, no one
could be found who would ride Black
stone.
1t was then that j. Fong Duffee made
hero of himself and won the admira-
ton of every sunburned Gridleyite
Fong stepped boldly up to the owner
of the steed and said in a firm voice.
I'll ride that horse in this race, ard
what's more I'll win on him. The
farmer was taken somewhat by sur
prise, but recovered sufficiently to say
do you mean that in earnest?" "You
bet he does!" volunteered the Gilt
Edges in chorus
Then, b'gosh, git right up on the an
inal and let's see wot We kin do" This
from the owner Fong took off his
shoes and sprang to the horses back
and galloped up in front of the admir-
ing crowd; there came many very
complimentary remarks about the great
jockey from the fair sex, and Fong
''swelled up" as he waited for the
post bell' Said he: "Tod Sloan can
ride in Englnd, but old Fong has 'em
all skinned in Gridley."
At the post he did some very clever
maneuvering and when the word
was given he came on with a flying
start, shot to the front and was never
headed. He finished in fine style. while
the band played They're After Me-
ish was never before seen in Gridiey,
and the people cheered themselves
hoarse
At the dance in the evening the sole
topic of conversation was Duffee ard
his great ride on Blackstone The ball
game and Mike O'Connor's cake walk
were both back numbers. This has
been the second time that Duffee has
distinguished himself in Gridley; the
other occasion being in 1896, when the
original Gilt Edges played there. Fong
made a number of impossible" plays
at short and to this day the people are
talking of that game, which lasted
eleven innings. No one knows when
they'll stop talking now. Following is
the score of the ball game: