The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-08
Anaconda Ball Players Take the
Kinks Out of Their Muscles.
HOW THE BOYS SIZE UP
Running Talk About This and That Con-
corning Players-Y esterday's Con-
test but Poor Practice-Must
Look to Their Stick Work.


Alerts, a Junior team of this city, was
10 to d. but this score should not have
been SO large-neither on the one side
/ nor on the other. The regular team
made II runs in the first inning. and the
4 Aierts made a couple of runs during
\ the game that they We're not entitled 10.
4 After the first inning the game was a
fairly good one to witness, and nearly
800 people, counting boys, We're on the
grounds and seemed to ENJOY them
selves. A heavy rain storm came up in
the third inning, which spoiled the game
I for both players and spectators for a
time. but after The rain passed the sun
came out and the rest of the afternoon
was fairly good. barring a raw, cold
wind and a dsagreeable sensation of
WetneSS.
King pitched three innings for the
4 regular team, and during that time
7 demonstrated the fact that he is the
\ same old King, and that he can Fitch
as good ball as ever he could. This
southpaW will make his mark during
the summer. After the third inning
i Lebeau, the regular pitcher of the Lone
q Stars, went in and finished the game,
i showing up we'll. The practice yester-
is as strong, if not stronger, than she
! ever was in the position where it was
/, thought at first she would be. weak
Y behind the bat. The boys wondered
/ for long time where they were going
! to get catcher this year, now that
Freeman and Griffith are no longer in
the city. Finally the problem was
solved in Storey, well known as a foot
ball player. Yesterday was the first
time the cranks of Anaconda had an
opportunity to see this new catcher
and they are satisfied with him. His
work demonstrated the fact that he is
catcher, and a mighty good one at
that. He is one of the shiftiest men on
his feet in the team, and his move
ments behind the bat are like light
ming. Besides, he is a Splinter, and
few will be the fouls that escape him.
1 Judging from yesterdays batting,
rather poor criterion, it is true, Storey
II at the stick is as good as any of them.
All around, it may be said that Storey
is an acquisition that will lend strength
to the Anaconda team where strength
is most needed.
Another new man who tried his mus
cles with the team yesterday is 1nman.
He played at first yesterday, and did
4 all there was for him to do. which Was
i not much. He is said to be a remark
ably fast o1ttielder, and has an arm
that would be worth a fortune to a pro-
fessional. He will probably be placed
& in the outtield as soon as Doc" Elmer
son takes his old position at the initial
4 bag.
The other members of the team who
played yesterday were the Pirates old
standbys-Burton. Lloyd, McHale and
Kicoyne. There is no need to say that
4 they played well. That is always I'M
derstood. The only criticism that can
4 be offered there is the fact that Kill
ss coyne made two errors, which should
not have occurred.
An With reference to the Alerts. it may
be said that they are in need of prac-
tice They need it badly. Those of the
ii infielders on the junior team who ac-
cepted chances have. nearly all or
them, errors to their discredit; and
errors, too, that were in nearly every
case objectionable. or course, the
i Alerts would have made a much bet
ter showing, SO far as the score is con-
cerned, If Sicily had gone into the box
FL in the first inning. But as it was, they
put Tucker in for the first, with the
result that the regular team made II
4 runs in that one inning, which accounts
& for the big score. This was not Tuck
er's fault so much, however. as it was
+ the fault of the very ragged playing on
the part of the team behind him. Only
two hits We're made off Tucker, one a
4 single by Klcoyne and the other a
three Dagger by Inman. The reason
for the enormous score in the first in
ming was errors. There were seven of
them, one alone letting in three men-lf
not four-there was no counting OF the
blue racers around the square ring.
Tucker hit two batsmen and sent two
others to bases on balls and altogether
the inning was a costly one for the
Alerts. But when Skely was put in
4 the box things were different. The
team was switched almost completely
around, and the boys behind him
seemed to take courage and go at their
work better. although errors. clearly
the result of lack of practice, were
Il numerous throughout. Skelly certainly
81 has the making of a good pitcher. He
has speed and curves. All that is want
/ ing is an experienced catcher to coach
him and to assist him in gaining con-
troll.
A team. really no bouquets can be thrown
in this mornings running talk. to the
II heavy men who have performed at the
nlate in years gone by. OF course, The
N day was bad: it was the first time the
BOYS had been out and their eyes We're
Off and the like, but excuses don
ral,nt when base ball is on the card
There were strike outs that were sur
nrises and there was feeble hitting
when there ought to have been hard hit
ting. Some of the most reliable OF tht
old teams batters We're baited by Skel'
IN on balls that went soaring two feel
above their heads-not once-Dut twice
and even thrice.
Heretofore Anaconda has won hel
games on her batting strength. There
is nc denying that. Time and again 3
game has been pulled out of the fire IL
this place or that by hard hitting. II
is the one essential that this city'S team
must look to for victory. The players
can hardly depend on their fielding
however good il may be, no word ot
criticism is offered on that score-Wher
b they can get together, by reason OF
their occupation, burt once a week. No
& there is no reason To change ones mind
about the factor that has heretofore
won AnacOnda's games. 1t is the same
hitting. There is no reason to predict
that this years fielding will be better
than lact years, OF that of the year be
fore The conditions are the same;
there is no opportunity for practice