Mesa free press., 1900-12-21
BASEBALL WAYS IN MONTANA.
Rivalry Between Great Falls and Hell
ena Caused Queer Demonstration.


Rivalry Between Great Falls and Hell
ena Caused Queer Demonstrations.
"Base-b ball is about the only thing that
can distract the attention of the Mon
tana people from the Clark-Daly feud,"
declared travelling man who was sit
ting in the rotunda Of downtown
hotel. Last year the battle for SUI
premacy was between Helena and
Billings. Helena won in the last half
Of the ninth inning, when the catcher
knocked the ball over the fence for a
home run and brought in the winning
run. The people of the capital city
fairly went mad with enthusiasm.
Judges, ex-governors, county and city
officials threw their hats in the air and
embraced one another as long-lost
brothers. One newspaper wanted to
nominate the catcher for State Treas
urer. Incidentally the spectators tossed
him over the screen 500 in silver. Bar
beers shaved him for nothing, he was
fairly showered with proffers Of shoes,
cigars and hats, and in addition the peo-
pie would not allow him to work all
winter.
sThis year the season was divided
with the understanding that the win
ners Of the respective sub-seasons
should play five games for the cham
pionship, and 1t was my good fortune
to be there at the time Of the play-of.
Helena won the first half and Great
Falls the second. The first two games
were played in Great Falls, each club
winning one. Then they went to Hell
ena, and Helena won the Sunday game.
Monday 1t showed, but they were
bound to have it settled, SO a force Of
ing the snow from the grounds.
"But to go back to Great Falls. Great
Falls won the first game played in that
city. That night the town was paper
ed with facsimile posters of what was
to be the first page Of the next morn
ing's issue Of the paper. The form
was frozen in thin coating Of ice and
placed in front Of the newspaper Office,
for the purpose Of illustratin the base
ball phrase, Freeze 'em up But Great
Falls lost Saturdays game.
''Then the Great Falls people char
tered an excursion train and went to
Helena, accompanied by drum corps,
megaphones, bells and tin horns, to at.
tend Thursdays game, which wound
up in row and was declared forfeited
to Great Falls, to 0. The umpire was
arrested and was still In Jail when left
there ON the charge of carrying con-
cealed weapons, 1t being alleged that
after the game he obtained revolver
and a knife and threatened to do some
body
1.-THE clubs now being tied, it was
necessary to play the fifth and decid-
ing game. OF course, each club wanted
the game played in its own city and no
agreement could be reached. Feeling
was running pretty high, and it was
finally decided to play the game in
Butte. Great Falls won on a forfeiture,
the Helena catcher becoming so angry
over what he termed rank decisions
on balls and strikes that he threw the
ball over the fence.
after having witnessed the great
struggle decided to see it out. When
stopped in Helena every one wore q
long face, while just the contrary spirit
was encountered in Great Falls. Great
Falls citizens would not let the players
walk to the hotel, where banquet was
to be given. The triumphant club was
placed in carriages, the horses were I'M
hitched, and the people pulled the We
hicle with long ropes. The players will
live In luxury the remainder Of the win
ter, dare say. Why, during the play
of even the Clark DAILY feud was al
lowed a respite. That is sacrifice thai
cannot be understood In the effets
East. &c Chicago Inter Ocean.