The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-13

reproduction of baseball games IS called
The National League baseball ma
chine" Its success is due to improve
ments in electricity. aE
The stage of a theater in which a
game is reproduced is transformed in
appearance into a baseball field. The
entire diamond and outfield are shown
in realistic manner. The players are
represented by wooden men dressed in
baseball uniforms. The, men at bat are
movable figures who run the bases,
swing at the ball and do pretty much
everything done by their stalwart coun-
terparts in flesh and blood, except to
kick at the umpire.
e OF the feeders the only movable hg-
ures are the pitcher and catcher, who
raise their arms in delivering and re-
ceiving the ball in life-like manner.
These figures are nearly three feet
high.
The umpire is there with his black
uniform, and the coachers, too. who
wave their arms frantically when there
are men on bases, the audience sup
plying the necessary noise. The OPP
posing sides are distinguished by lights,
the home team wearing illuminated
jackets.
The ball is represented by an cleo
trio bulb, a small frosted affair which
appears in the hands of the pitcher
goes out, reappears in the catcher's
hands or is hit to the field, as the case
may be. Foul balls are indicated by
green bulbs, These electric light bulbs
are suspended in the air and each
fielder holds one in his hands. There
are also a number of them on the
ground, so that the direction of the ball
is continually shown, one light being
constantly visible.
These bulbs are governed by a man
at a switchboard out of view of the
audience, and he is very busy indi-
vidual during the two hours that the
average game runs. He receives a re-
port of every play made by telegraph
operator sitting near him, and while
Tebeaus men are at bat, say in Boston.
the little men representing them are at
bat at the Columbia, the plays being
practically simultaneous In addition to
making the plays just as they are made
far away, the switchboard operator, by
a system of flashlight signals. indicates
to Wha. are known as the truck
boys" underneath the big ball field just
how and where they are to run the fig
ures.
These wooden base runners are fast
ened to a long rod which runs under
meath the false stage to four wheeled.
rubber-tired truck which runs on a
miniature track. A system of electric
flashlight instructions enables the boys
to know just what to do with the bat
tiers and the base runners. When the
little cars are moved the mems legs
work almost as rapidly as those of
real base runner, giving a life-like APP
pearance to the figures.
nvIt nyni
from the switchboard 70 the various
portions of the field, and underneath
the field to the signal boxes of the
truck boys. Besides having to manipu-
late all these keys the machine oper-
ator works the arms of the pitcher
and catcher with one foot, which is
kept near a treadle connected with the
battery.
A muff is indicated by a red light.
For instance, a fly is hit to outfield.
The ball is shown, after being struck
at by the batsman, in mdair in what
fielder's hands and lights and If he
drops the fly red light appears at his
feet. A tumble by any of the infielders
is shown by Pickering white light.
1t does not take a baseball crowd
two minutes to solve every play shown
by this machine. 1t is, in fact, easier
to follow the ball and call plays than
at an actual ball game.
On either side of the stage there is
a large board with the names of the
players of each team in big white let
ters Opposite each players name is an
electric light bulb, one team being des-
ignated by a white light and the other
by red light When a batter comes
to the plate the bulb opposite his name
lights, going out at his retirement, or
when he becomes a base runner. In
front of the stage and just behind the
catcher is what is called the "indica-
tor" 1t registers balls, strikes runs
and outs This indicator is also ma
nipulated by the operator at the big
switchboard. Upon entering the the
alter at any stage of the game the spec
tator can see at glance who is at bat,
how manv men are out, how many
strikes or balls have been called on the
man at bat and how many runs have
been scored that inning. There is moth
ing left to the Imagination. Each bats
man carries his bat with him. He
drops it between his legs the moment
he becomes a base runner. Another
feature which closely follows the actu-
al sport at the baseball park is the
posting of all the other league games
by inning on a fence at the rear of
the miniature ball field.
The following description of the
Spanish game of pelota is furnished by
Ex-Governor Thomas 7. Crittenden,
,rboSa rasidnnce in the CITY of Mexico