The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1899-06-01
Base Ball in Cuba.
lRr Mlas Ilelen Pursell. |

sun was obscurred by banks of
clouds that obligingly failed to
burst. Our diamond was in eXcell-
ent condition, traced out on the
thick green sod in lines of white
coral dust that leaves no sign of
hard fought battles on the clubs
immaculate uniforms. There is a
long grandstand opposite the 3rd
base, built so as to exclude the af-
ternoon sun, and it was filed an
hour before the game began.
There are two clubs here belong
ing to our united suburbs Ceiba and
Puentes Grandes. Ceiba is across
the street from Puentes, and that
boundary line known as Gale de
Real, is responsible for a spirited
but good natured rivalry between
the twin teams. No admission fee
is required at the games, "pelota'
being an institution inaugurated
for the free entertainment of the
people by the leading citizens of
Ceiba and Puentes. A membership
fee is charged, and it is ample
enough to cover the expense of the
games. Challenges from foreign
clubs are not accepted and Ceiba
plays Puentes every Sunday after.
noon.
The teams are made up of the
best blood and Drawn that ever
struggled in the recent war with
Spain, and the same daring spirit
rules the base ball games that ruled
the battles in the mountains.
There was something distinctly
foreign about to-days game particu-
larly during the wait before the
Umpire yelled "Play ballw The
scene was unfamiliar in every way.
On the left there was clear view
of the Gulf of Mexico breaking up
its dark blue glass into thousand
foamy ripples; to the right clusters
of royal palm trees made a tropical
poem of the green fields stretching
from our gulf cliffs to the hills.
Before us rose the ruins of an old
time Spanish villa surrounded by
decaying walls, and beyond that
tapped the white artillery tents.
The grandstaud was crowded with
Cuban ladies decked out in Sunday
attire conspicuous for its lack of
millinery. l saw few mantillas,
but no spring hats, and the darker
the ladies were, the more glaring
were the dabs of powder they wore
to cheat nature in the matter of
complexion. They chartered to
each other in Spanish, and although
L couldn't grasp their literal dis
course, knew its drift. They un-
derstood base ball and they discuss
ed it with jealous enthusiasm.
The bad boy was legion on the
scene, and he crowded hard upon
the coach line in spite of bribes and
threats and repeated thumpings
from the officer in charge. A fakir
worked the crowd for American
crackerjack and there was re-
freshment stand to the right of the
bleachers where robust lunged in
dividual sold warm beer. tortillas,
cigarettes and mangos. | tackled
mangOs in lieu of peanuts and
found them very squashy unpala.
table fruit.
A diminutive Cuban sinner
perched upon joist behind me,
cast slurs on my new sailor which
was patterned off the latest Knox
block,-a hideous diversion from
the hatless fashion of Puentes. My
limited knowledge of the Spanish
tongue was comprehensive enough
for me to grasp the humor of the
situation.
"Mire! Mire" the imp yelled to
brother demon in the field; ;"Mire
Pope, del sombrerits Americans! !!
Miravilloss, ay Diosw which freely
translated meant; "Looky here,
looky here Joe, catch on to the
Yankees head gear! Wouldn't
that jar your giblets thouehw Only
SAY Dios," doesn't mean "Gee
Whiz." But ] didn't mind little
thing like that. / was wondering
where the contesting teams had
concealed themselves.
Very soon heard shout and
saw them approaching along the
road that winds down from the
village between two rows of foot
cactus hedge. Ceiba led the pro-
cession with a gorgeous ensign
floating to the front. Puentes had
no flag, but the uniforms of both
clubs were new and fashioned
similarly. In fact they were