The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-08-03
Portland's Play Without
\ An Error.
Manchester aud Brockton Con-
tinue to Win.

pitching line yesterday which hasn't
been equalled insthis league this year, and
all things considered 1t is doubtful II the
feat was ever equalled in the New Eng
land organization. Not only did he hold
the opposing team down to single hit
for the entire nine innings but he gave
but one base on balls, and but two men
reached first during all the struggle and
not one beyond. Twenty nine men went
to bat during the game. Wonderful as
FlanAghan's work was he could not have
most remarkable fielding on the part of
the home players. Not an error was made
for the game, and except IN one case.
nothing that seemed likely to be an error.
Sullivan failed to handle the ball clean
ly once but recovered himself In time to
| get his man, and outside Of this there
wasn't tumble in the infield or out, mot
ball was thrown but It went just where
it was intended to; not fly misjudged.
In short 1t was perfect ball playing, In
the strictest sense Of the word. 1t Is easy
TO be enthusiastic Of course when one has
| just witnessed such an exhibition, and
the temptation Is TO exaggerate possibly
the wonders seen, but exaggeration Is
really hardly possible when there is per-
fection and certainly the work of the
Pheuoms was that, II perfection is posi-
BILE In baseball.
But 1t Is not the score alone that tells
| the story of the work of the Portland
players, for the fielding besides being per-
feet was brilliant. Jim Smith played
his position In way no man In the
country could improve upon. He dashed
about In every part of the field after
ground balls, handled all Clearly and
shot them over to first with cannon ball
speed and with the accuracy Of rifle
man. One time he ran half way TO the
plate on slow hit ball scooped it up
while on the dead run, and threw it with
| almost the same motion. 1t was done so
quickly that one could hardly realize the
ball was in Conroy's hands. Suilivan's
work was hardly less brilliant. He made
some wonderful stops, and threw to Con-
roy like an arrow. Noblit was the only
outfleldsr who WAS at all busy for Flana-
CHAN was sending them over so fast that
us
Those which did manage to escape found
Mr.. Noblit waiting for them no matter
were they went At one time he would
be down by second base and at another
back into left or right field. Pulsifsr
got two flies, one of them after hard
run, though he and Nolbit were together
and either might have taken 1t.
The team which, Portland presented yes.
tsrday was by all odds the fastest from a
fielding standpoint we have had this sea-
SON. In the outfield were Pulsifer, Mob
lit and John Smith, while the diamond
was guarded by Sullivan at third, Jim
Smith at short, Spratt at second and Con-
roy Of course at first. For the first time
this season we had fast man at second
base, aud while he had only one chance,
the good results of the change will be
| seen In future games. Behind the bat was
the new man Nelson, who halls from
our East Douglass farm and whose work
yesterday gives promise that va shall not
miss Neighbor loft. Nelson Is q stocky
little fellow, built good deal on the
ground, but splendid baokstop aud
judging by his work in practice has an
arm on him that needs no favoring.
Thanks to Flansghan, the Pawtuckets
didn't do any base RAINING and Nelson
therefore had no opportunity to show
what he could do during the play. At
bat he was the only Portland player who
failed to hit safely, butshe swung at the
ball we'll. and drove it when he met 1t.
Once he got it over right field fence, but
just outside the fiagpole.
In the eighth O'Connor Just managed
| to get In front Of his long line drive to
right center. The hitting powers of the
Pawtuckes team were weakened some
what of course by the absence of Whiting
who Is laid up from injuries received the
| day before but when such men as Wiley,
Lepine and Weisbecker could do nothing
with Flanaghan 1t Is pretty safe to say
that Hobart would have proved no great
assistance to them. A new man Greene
played right field and took what came to
him. Bones work was rather of on the
| whole, but outside of shat Pawtucket
played Q, bod ball.
Portland won the game In the second
inning when a lot of base nits aided by
three errors ana assisted further by q
base on balls, nettsd US seven runs. The
fun started when Clark fuubled little
Jim Smiths bit, and sullivan and Pull
sifer followed with singles. We oontin-
ued to make 1t warm for Mr.. Callahan
until eleven men had been at bat. That
inning Of course put the game In our
hands beyond doubt ara from then on the
sport oonsistst chiefly In Watching the
visitors struggle In yasn TO bresk she