Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1902-06-27
Contemplate Trick Of Billings Captain
Disappoints 1000 Baseball Enthus-
lasts at Opening Of New Park.
sHUsTER is A SINISTER
According to Prearranged Plan He Kicks
at Umpire and Game Breaks Up
in Two Innings.

An exceedingly unfortunate tiasco last
Sunday attended the formal opening Of
the new baseball park in this city on the
occasion Of the return game with Bill
lings. It was a propitious day and q
magnificent crowd. For the first time
il its history Billings turned out en-
masse and sent delegation Of between
three and four hundred of it's citizens to
Red Lodge on special train, and this
crowd was augmented by nearly two
hundred people from Bridger, Gebo,
Fromberg, Silesia, Rockvale. Joliet, Car
bonado and Roberts. To accommodate
the excursionists from Bridger and Gebo
special train Of two coaches was run
to Silesia and there attached to the
Billings special, making train of eight
coaches, filled to the vestibules with as
an enthusiastic and expectant crowd
Of baseball fans and rooters as ever at
tended the national game. The sup
porters Of the Billings team came up
with flying colors and high hopes, and
when the game was called al the new
park at 3 o'clock in the afternoon the
grandstand and bleachers contained full
ly 1900 spectators. Everything looked
favorable for an exciting and spirited
contest on the diamond and several thou
sand dollars was wagered on the result
of the game. 70 say that the vast mul-
titude was greatly disappointed and loud
in denunciaton Of the traitorous conduct
shown and dirty work done by Shuster,
the shyster captain of the visiting team.
is expressing it mildly. Under the rules
of the game the home team was entitled
to select the umpire and Attorney Frank
Fox, by and with the consent OF the Bill
lings club, was chosen to fill the posi-
tion, which, under the most favorable
circumstances, is a thankless job. In
deciding upon Mr.. Fox the home team
took into consideration the fact that the
decisions of the two umpires in the pre-
vious Sundays game at Billings had
been manifestly unfair to Red Lodge
and prejudicial to the existence OF har
mony in return game in this city.
With his well-known fairness and prob
|ity Mr.. Fox was selected by the home
team with view of giving the visitors a
fair and impartial show for their money
and their prowess, and when, at the
conclusion Of the second inning, the
Billings captain, seconded by Kelly,
Dwyer and Smalley, set up a howl
against the umpire, alleging unfair de-
cisions and declining to continue the
game unless new umpire was put in,
the diamond was speedily converted into
a bowling arena, as the crowd surged
over the railing protesting that there
was no occasion for disputing the decis-
ions of the umpire and first imploring
and then demanding that the game pro-
ceed to its termination. Captain Shu-
ster, however, was obdurate and de-
] clined to continue the contest unless
there was a change Of umpires, and this
notwithstanding the fact that the score
stood O to in favor of the visitors
Every inducement possible was brought
to bear on the Billings captain to con.
tinue the g-me, but he absolutely re
fused to listen to anybody. A majority
of his own club expostulated with him
in vain and even the efforts of Manager
BENJAMIN of the Billings club provec
futile. It was plainly apparent thai
Shuster had some ulterior motive II
thus terminating the game and disap
pointing the crowd. He either had ,
desire to vent his spleen against thu
baseball association of Billings because
of his inability to dictate the entir'
management Of the club or else he had ,
Job put up to throw the hackers of tn
Billings team down for a consideration
It has been strongly intimated, and ap
parently with excellent foundation, tha
the whole thing was arranged before
hand to have the game break up in
row in case Red Lodge should prove tn
weaker of the two teams. Anyhow, tha
was the outcome of the game, for CaI
tain Storey declined to accede to the de
J mand for change of umpires and M
Fox, after giving the Billings club th
limit of time under the rules in whic
to continue the game, and meeting wit
no responsive action on the part of th
visitors, declared the game forfeited
Red Lodge by score of to O. 1t
/. claimed by many that this decision
favor of the home team ran to the wa
ers that had been made on the gam
, Some of the hackers of the Billings cit
gave up their money without protef
while Others have thus far declined
do % and in order to settle the dispu