Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1901-08-02
Billings Sent Fine Band and an Immense
Excursion to Red Ledge Sunday As
a Return Compliment.
GRAND STAND COLLAPSE
Two People Sustained Broken Legs and
Thousand More Witnessed the
Comedy Of Errors

A commendable spirit OF reciprocity
was last Sunday exhibited by the good
people Of the enterprising city Of Bill
Ilings on the occasion of the return game
Of baseball played on the Red Lodge
grounds between the two clubs. ln pay
ment Of the thrcc-repeated compliment
given Billings by big excursions from
Red Lodge, the Magic city chartered Il
special train and came up III style, IL
was d tine excursion ot Jolly citizens and
served to cement the friendly feeling
that exists between the residents of the
two county seats The special consisted
Of seven coaches and Thu seating capa
city of every car was taxed 70 its utmost.
The eXcursionists numbered nearly
400 people and the crowd was met at the
depot by 4 large delegation fred Lodge
citizens, headed by the Miners City
band, which generously turned out free
OF charge and welcomed the city, guests
with music's voluptuous swell. lit was
the largest and best natured crowd of
visitors that tile city ever opened ts
gates to give royal welcome The Dil
lipgs Brass band ,s fine a musical
organization as can be found anywhere,
brought along fifteen pieces and delight
ed everybody with the rendition Of
numerous excellent selections. A pleas
ing feature Of the event was the splendid
street concert given BY the Billings band
in the evening in front Of the Spotford
hotel. II was a delightful symposium Of
music and each selection received d
hearty encore from the assembled multi
tude.
But the game Of ball at the park in
the afternoon WAS different. 10 start
with the anticipated pleasure was nlarred
by the collapse Of the improvised and
1,ss94,y ennNstrustes s'.!,ss3d seats ti1at
served tho purpose Of agrand stand. The
collapse occurred just as the game was
about to be called. Every seat was oc-
cupied and it is the greatest miracle III
the world that out of the BOO or 400
people who occupied the structure none
met with fatal injuries and all but two
escaped with whole bones. These two
were DR. Parberry, the wealthy and
venerable WpolgroWer OF White Sulphur
Springs, who sustained a compound
| fracture OF the bones OF his left ankle,
and Roberts lady, who also suffered
q broken leg.
After the excitement consequent
| upon the collapse Of the grand
stand the ball game was called
and ii took three mortal hours To
put an end to the series Of errors and
! write victory Oh the banners Of the home
team. This is the second defeat that
! Billings has suffered this season at the
hands of the Rcd Lodge champions and
it is not likely that conclusions will be
again tried unless the Magic: city canim=
port foencn+ worthy Of Che willow as
welded by the "coal diggers," 1t was
apparent at tho start that the two clubs
were nowhere evenly matched, for the
first time Red Lodge went to- bat five
runs were piled np. and after that the
game was 81 easy that the home team
became somewhat careless and made
numerous errors. . number Of brilliant
plays were made. however, by the young
stalWarts Of Rock creek and the work Of
the battery, Fleming and Hilton. was ex
eellent, the catcher demonstrating his
ability behind the bat ID great shape
Frank Rose, captain Of the club, was at
his best and the way he had OF placing
safe hits and two and ee-baggers was
no trouble to him. lie made two earned
home runs. although Umpire Rhodes dc.
clared one of the long hits d foul. Al
the conclusion OF the game the score
stood % to II in favor Of the home team
HERE IS THE STORY.