The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-21
Standing of the Clubs.
National League.
American League.

was opened in Indianapolis yesterday aft
ernoon but it could not be termed an
suspicious opening for several reasons,
chiefly among them being the fact that
the Indians carried off the small end of
the score The sky, too, was hazy nearly
all day, which caused hundreds Of people
who generally attend the first game to
STAY away. During the middle Of the after
noon, when victory seemed certainty
for the Indianapolis team, the clouds broke
and showered i'll fortune on the home team.
1t was then that the tide turned and the
final result was to 6 in favor of Cleve-
land.
About 1000 people took chances on getting
wet and went to Washington Park. The
fact that there were only five cars wait
ing at the park to carry the large crowd
down town when the game was over was
due, it is said, to sudden shrinkage of
power.
The people had different solutions to Of
fer for the loss of the battle and after dis
cussions pro and con had been carried on
for some time the consensus of opinion
showed that if Cleveland had lost In
dianapolis would have won.
OLD PLAYERS GREETED.
The players of both teams, especially
those whose faces were familiar to the
indianapolis enthusiasts. were greeted with
hand-clapping. and when the Indianapolis
players marched to the field from the club
house amid the playing of the band and
cheers from the crowds they looked like
pennant winners. Both teams made a
natty appearance, the Indianapolis men at
tired in their white uniforms and the Cleve-
land players in gray.
The game bordered on one of those nerve
wrecking contests and it was hard on both
the players and the spectators for neither
had been trained up to point where they
could ward off nervous prostration re-
sulting from a close score which might re-
suit in either team carrying off the vic
tory. The nervous feeling came in the fifth
inning when the visitors began their scor-
ing and a presentiment of trouble stole
over the spectators. The strain was weak
ening especially to Keilum, who was in
the box, and he gave way under 1t, allow
ing the Cleveland men to pile up four runs
and get the lead before the side was re-
tired From that time on 1t was give and
take until Cleveland. through errors of a
more or less excusable nature, came out
victorious.
bers of either team had lined up for real
duty and they were on their mettle, but
indicated a lack OF training and practice
that was very noticeable Manager Wat
kins said after the contest that for the next
few days the team possessing the luck
would win, as all of the clubs are about of
equal strength and will not be able to
show their real PLAYING ability until they
have had the opportunity to get into bet
ter condition and perfect their team work
The outfielders yesterday had trouble owing
to the soft condition OF the outheld, and
when they started after a hard NY their
running was impeded by having to carry
extra weight their shoes. 1t was largely
due TO this that the outfelders had errors
charged against them.
A DISASTROUS INNING.
The most disastrous inning to Indian
apolis was the seventh, when Cleveland
went in and sent three men across the
plate with only one hit being made in the
inning. An unfortunae punching of errors,
also largely due to the rough diamond, was
responsible Hickey had hard work in pick
ing up a bunt hit, the ball flirting with the
fielder by dropping into a hole In the
ground as Hickey reached for il. Later on
Dammann threw to Kelly on chickering's
bunt hit and the runner got between the
ball and Kelly temporarily, causing the
big first baseman to drop ii when il landed
in his NIT. After all these misplays little
single scored enough runs to win the game
The most brilliant star of the game was
Seybold, Indianapolis new centerfielder
His stick work and playing in the field was
the kind that made the fans forget the
temporary shortcomings of other players
who have occupied the garden for the In
dams. The first time he stepped TO the bat
he swung and met a hard one full on the
bat and IL sailed fairly over the left field
fence bringing i'm one run ahead of him.
His stock went away above par and kept
going higher when later in the game he
plunged into the air while running back
into deep center field and gathered in a
hard hit from Pickering's bat that looked
safe. Madison. another new acquisition TO
the home team, acquitted himself ably
Hartsel had hard luck I'm left field, missing
one easy chance and making short lump
after another hard one that went for two
bases. Flynn's work at second was all that
could be desired. Heydon did well behind
the bat and when White made the only at
tempt during the game 10 pilfer second
Heydon made a beautiful throw to FLYNN
catching him by several feet.
A VISITING STAR
For the visitors Bue.ow was the bright
particular star, owing to his stick work
In the first inning be sent a hard one TO
the left-fieId fence which was good for
home run. but In turning third base he en-
countered "a piece OF sod and was unable