The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-03
AVA TEAM WON
Oklahoma Ball ToSSers VictorS
by Score of 2 to |.
WAS A RED HOT GAME
NormaIs TO Play With Friends
This Afternoon.

The half dozen fans who went out tc
the Paramount ball park yesterday after
noon has the pleasure OF seeing one OF
the fastest ball games ever played on a
Wichita field. and they had good cause
10 yell. even II the Wichita team met
Territorial Normal school of Alva by q
score OF TO I. II was game that would
make any fan wear a broad smile. but
there were very few who had that pleas
ure. 1t is a lamentable fact that when
first class teams come long distances 10
play bali the enthusiasts stay at home
and let good game pass. The managers
and players lost heatr and money and do
not care whether they ever bring a ball
team TO this city or not The baseball
teams of this city have never made
enough TO pay expenses when they bring
teams from any distance and this should
not be. Yesterday there were not more
than 100 people on the grounds, counting
players. kids and deadheads, and the
crowd was mostly made up OF the latter
class.
From the call of the umpire to the
end of the ninth inning the play was
fast and furious. and the way the boys
played ball was enough TO make the
heart OF any old-timer beat With joy.
II was a victory gloriously earned. and
the two teams fought for every point
they made. The locals were defeated.
but it was such a defeat that makes
them look big in the eyes OF their sup
porters. The Ava team has played in
this city three years now. and this is the
first time they have ever been given the
setback they received yesterday in the
way of a score. They expected to run
UP a score something like 10 TO 2. or about
that proportion, but when they walked
of the field they had nothing but praise
for the Wichita boys. This year the Nor
mails have played thirteen games and
have lost two. They have the reputation
Of being the heavy hitters OF the terri
tory, but three safe hits were all they
could get off of Tanning. They could hit
his balls sometimes. but could not send
them out of the diamond, and the little
grounders were gobbled up the infeid-
ers so fast that IL left the bases empty
almost all the time. Although the local
team piled up seven errors during the
game, they managed 70 hold the wearers
OF the red and black down TO two runs.
and the run scored by Tanning was on
an error.
For three innings it was "oze. two.
three" and the teams changed. In the
fourth Smith walked up and knocked a
grounder to Pearce at third. which was
picked up all right. but in the throw
to first Pearce had too much steam and
the ball struck the fence and Smith
landed on third before he could be headed
off. Wagner let ball pass him and
Smith scored.
The scoring was all off until the sew
enth. when Finger sent a hot grounder
TO short which Myers missed. and then
the second baseman made a bobble on a
throw from home TO catch the runner
and then Finger scored on another error
by the third baseman.
The local team had a good chance TO
tie the score in the eighth. but Belden
did not show good judgment in running
the bases and was caught at the plate.
Belden was the first man up and he made
a nice, clean single Tanning came next
and landed on the bali 10 short 1t was
grass-cutter the shrotstop should have
handled. but he misjudged the rebound
and let Tanning get TO first. Belden stole
third on the play. The pitcher went 70
sleep and flaming began cutting mon
key-shines between first and second and
had almost reached the second bag be-
fore the pitcher saw him. Belden Should
have scored at this time. as the pitcher
apparently had forgotten there was a
man on third and was about to throw
the ban 20 catch Tanning when he woke
up. and then Belden started home. but
was nipped by BY Boss. Frost sent the
bah down the first base line and the base
man fumbled it and Tanning scored.
The ground was rather rough for first
class playing. Two games had been
played on il last week when il was muddy
and the diamond was full Of clods and
holes and the balls would often strike
these. and IT was all guess work on the
part Of the fieldeTs where the ball was
going 10 land The field had been scraped,
but even that did not remedy matters
much.
In the box Tanning had all the best Of
the game. Had he been given the per
feet support that McGin had the vic
tory would have been on the other side
OF the board. He pitched a winning game.
striking out fourteen men. did not give \
base on balls or make a Wild pitch He
folded his position well. The one thing
the locals need IS more practice together.
The team IS composed OF nine good ball
players in dividually. but in team work
they arc lacking. while their opponents
in yesterdays game showed what long
practice together would do for them.
Every man knew his position and the
knew he was supported BY an
hobnle. The Ava second bssemau and
shortstop PLAYED ali over the diamond
and this counts a good deal IN a game
McGili struck out nine men and allowed
two passes n FIRST and made one awfai
wild pitch. He al not get warmed Up
till about the sixth inning and then his
work counted. The following Is the
score: