Waterbury Democrat., 1902-06-06

 spite of rowdyism and bad umpiring some of the best ball was played sseu down here this season: Meriden hnalS ly won out in the tenth, thesscore being 5 to 4- It was a fight to the finish and the home boys succeeded in landing the knockout blow.
 By losing to Meriden yesterday the Ponies are again only tied for first place. The Meriden fans seem to en- joy rowdy. ball playing, and the more | trouble there is the better pleased they seem to be.
 So it was yesterday. The Ponies realizing that they had crowd, players and umpire against them, went into the game with a determination to ''do or die" They did not play the 'ssnile ana look pleasant, please, game that gen. eraly characterizes their work in | Springfield.
 The trouble started in the latter half | of the first inning. Larkin, the first man up, lifted the ball nearly to left | field fence It struck the ground once and bounding, struck the fence about six feet beyond the foul line. From l all appearances the ball also struck the ground outside the foul line before l it bounded.
 Umpire Morrissey, however, said the ball was fair, in spite of the vigorous kick registered by the Ponies. In this inning. when tucker came to bat, Joe Connor jollied him about Larkin's hit. Joe told Tom that he must be crazy if | he thought the ball struck fair. This made Tom mad and be lost his l temper. He squared off and was going to hit Joe. The umpire, Manager Con- nor and several of the other players rushed in and for the time being all trouble was ayefted. Meanwhile Tom was given his base on balls, was al- l lowed to steal second because Larkin was on third and later was nailed off third by Joe Connor and Francis. This, of course, did not improve Tuck CTS temper.
 In the next inning came his oppor- tunity. After Owens had made two- 1 bagger Joe Connor sent a swift ground CT to Tucker. The latter captured the ball and reaching first ahead of Joe who was running fast, deliberately gave him the leg. Joe was thrown to the ground heavily and turned con- l plete somersault Joe picked himself up and limped to the bench without saying q word to Tucker It was evi-
 
 1 ing.
 Roger Connor was next up and he was given his base on balls. Naturally he was much incensed over Fuckers teratment of Joe and when he reached first only to find Tom standing on the bag he gave Tom shove. Tom start ed to strike Roger, but the latter ward ed off the blow and then he led for Tom, but the latter protected himself. After a brief sparring match several other players, together with the um- pire, rushed in and the trouble was over.
 Umpire Morrissey ordered both Roger Connor and Tom Tucker out of the game and they left it under pro- test. Meanwhile great chewing match was entered into by nearly all of the members of both teams, coached by the rougher element of the spectators.
 When it came to substituting a base runner for Roger Connor Manager SIi1- Ter put up most ridiculous kick. claim ing that Roger was out of the game and no runner should be on first. ! O'Connor finally took Rogers place, but another exchange had to be made soon, as it was O'Connor's turn to bat
 Meriden scored the winning run in the tenth with one out Durnbaugh opened with a hit to center field. Ken nedy let it get by him on a bad bound and Durnbaugh stretched it into a two bagger. Then came an out. which put Durnbaugh on third, and a single by Delaney gave Meriden the game. The score:
 Springfield 1000 004O0 OOO4 Meriden .......1 0 % 1-5
 Batteries Hoffman and J. Connor; Durnbaugh and DoWnie.
 Summary, First base on errors, Meriden l, Springfield 2; two base hits, Downie, Larkin, Durnbaugh, Owens. Francis; sacrifice hit, Delaney; hit by pitched ball. Flanagan Bradigan; stolen bases, Tucker, Durnbaugh, Hoff- man, J. Connor; double plays, Francis. Owens and E. Connors, Hoffman. Ow- ems and E. Connors; struck out. by Durnbaugh ?, by Hoffman l; bases on balls, off Durnbaugh 2, off Hoffman ?: wild pitches, Durnbaugh, Hoffman; left on bases, Meriden4, Springfield s: um- pire, Morrissey; time, 1h 45m; attend ance 350