Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-07-17
WATERVILLE,2 2; BELFAST, I.
And, Say, Didn't We Show EN- How
to Play Ball!

WdltlNlHt utltdtcu Dtlldol III tHC
third game at Belfast, Wednesday af-
ternoon, by a score of to l, in one
of the prettiest and hardest games of
the season for either team. But, say,
it was a tough fight! Along about
1890 in the forenoon some one thought
it would be a good scheme to have Il
special train run in on the boys and
cheer 'em up Il bit, and some tall
hustling was done to accomplish the
little surprise. But it was done, and
an engine and three cars went scoot-
ing out of the station Il little after 1
o'clock in the afternoon, bound for the
3eacoast. There were nearly 100 en-
thusiasts on board and it was truly
surprising how many found urgent
business in Belfast for the afternoon
and how convenient that special was
for them.
Word was sent ahead by wire and
the game was held until the train ar
rived. There was nice little pot
ready for the hackers of the Belfast
team, but they went into their holes
and none of the long green stuck out
where a hold could be laid on it.
The two previous games were pretty
tough ones but this one beat them
by a mile For eight long innings
Waterville couldn't get near Il run.
while Belfast had one in cold storage,
and then? Well Mr.. John stepped
quietly up to the bat and after hav-
ing Il try at few good ones met one
that suited him square in the eye and
landed it over the left field fence.
Nolan had been just ahead with a
single and had just a little easy jog
home ahead of Mr.. John. Then didn't
that special trainload get gay. Ii
ever a crowd from Waterville was hap
nv it was that one. But there were
two innings ahead and tough ones at
that, as this happened in the first of
the eighth. Goode started Belfasts
half with a two Dagger. Things looked
decidedly blue for Waterville about
that time, but "Cy'' had his head with
him as we'll as his arm. Ring, Duck
worth and Graham came up and Tanned
rapidly in succession. 1t took just an
even dozen balls to do the business and
Waterville stock went up like Il
balloon.
Girard and Mcconnell, the first two
men UP in the ninth, both went out
on flys to center field and Phelan was
cared for by Goode and Mcdonald.
Belfast came to the bat for her last
chance in the ninth with a do-or-dle
expression. Doherty was first up ana
smashed out "A two-bagger. But when
they got to cutting these caperS Mr..
John took a reef in his trousers, let
out another Joint in his arm and let
EN- sail. And they sailed some. I'm
less the batters got foolish and reached
for them they had to cut the plate,
as the umpire didn't seem to realize
that it had corners as well as a CEN
ter. But they went over all right
when they had need to and looked like
peas all right, all right. After Doherty
got his double, Colcord put one IN
Phelan's clutches and WaterVllle leli
better But with one to tie ana Two
TO win. a man on second and but one
man down was not particularly
pleasing combination TO face.
Mcdonald made ii a great deal wor5"
by taking a single AID advancing Doherty
10 third. Miller was next man up anu
had his Jaw set as if he meant TO DO
something. He got two balls and tWo
strikes and then smashed at a beauty
and missed it. Johnson was next man
I'M and was n bad one under the condi-
tons He let bad one go or one that
the umpire thought was a bad one, ana
missed a good one. Then he popped a ut
tie one into the air and landed 1t fairly
in Coombs nit and it was all over. Then
wasn't Waterville happy? Well. say, eV-
cry man in the crowd was millionaire.
But Belfast has a ball team. The homo
run was the only thing that saved Water
ville's scalp. They found a pitcher out
''in the long grass that gave the Water
vile boys a heap of trouble. In another
game they can probably bat him over
the lot but in this one he was invlnCibie
most OF the time. He threw underhand
mostly and had lots of speed and fine
control. He worked hard and steady and
managed to keep his head Waterville
could only touch him for three with 4
total of six. although he struck out bu;
four men Somehow Waterville couldn't
seem to PUT steam behind the ball wne1
they hit it.
But the umpire and the fences made .
worse combination than the pitcher Tn
fences all around the field are about a.
near as they well can be. and fair sized
hit usually means ii home run unless the
tielders have the holes all located and
can get in and out quickly enough.
The umpire is doubtless a jolly good
| fellow after you come to know him. but
Waterville really thinks he ought not t.
| hold an Indicator. He was fairly good