The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-06
LOW Comfy GOT
/ l INTO BASEBALL.
The Aged Rooter Recalls the Game
That Ended in the National
Agreement.

! Il hear that the baseball ma gnates Of the
minor leagues are kicking at the new ma
tional agreement ;" observed the fat mar
| to the latterday fan.
Well I myself don't see why any change
/ is really needed. The old agreement has
: done sat isfact DRY service ever since that
famous game way hack in 50 between the
1 l.ightfoot Lilies and the Ringtail Roarers
! when il was first adopt ed. And il il was
good enough for the knights Of the willow
who battled for horsehide honors in those
, days, it surely ought to suffice for the play
/, ers who are at present vainly trying to
| All the footsteps of their predecessors.
whats that? You doubt if they played
any faster bali in former days than they do
now. Why, my dear young man, take for
example that very contest which caused the
adoption of the national agreement-an
extra inning game finished in six innings
Can the present day opponents touch that
for fast hall playing?
How could they play an extra inning
game in six innings? Do you mean to tell
Inc you never heard tell of that contest ?
Well well. we'll Before you undertake
to discuss the national game with any one
else, young man. allow me, for your own
good, to acqLaint you with bit OF base
ball history that thought was included in
every public school course In the country.
Prior to this game there was no buying
and selling of Il mans release He could
work for any one he pleased, and if, along
in { he middle Of the season. some club with a
long wad offered him more dough. there
was not hing to prevent his switchin' over.
Why, in those days Il clean piece of paper
was worth more than one with Il baseball
contract written on it
bot h the Lilies and Roarers had cracker
jack teams tina; year, and interest in the
final game for the Jones county hampton
ship was at high fever heat.
Tie Lilies had offered Cy Priest. the
Rosrers' star twirler, 81 advance in salary.
in consideration of which he consented to
start the big game in a Lily uniform, In
addition to Cy, the Lilies, by a judicious use
of the long green. had also succeeded in
coralling three more of the Roarers' fielding
luminaries.
But meantime the Roarers hadn't been
idle They'd been hanging out monetary
Inducements that caused loyal old Lightfoot
batsmen like Bull Thompson, Stump Green
wood and even Home Run Hankins HIM
self to flop over to the Ringtail ranks.
tho consequence was that when the
Lilies took the field on the day Of the all
important struggle they had every fly
gobbler of note in the country. while the
Roarers, who were ut the bat, had what
was probably the most formidable array
OF fence smashers that ever toed the platter.
4The Lilies managed to keep the runs
pretty we'll down in the first half of the first
inning, owing to their robbing the heavy
Roarer hitters of apparently safe hits by
their phenomenal fielding. But the man
aper Of the Lilies became worried when he
thought OF the sorry collection Of batsmen
hed have when the other side should take
the field.
after the third out, IS more than they're
givin' you if you come back to our side
again
Same to you, Greenwood, and you
Hankins,' shouted the Lilies manager. .
manager, Ten bones advance. to you
If you stay in the box for our side.
AWell, sir, for the next few minutes the
game stopped and became regular base
ball auction. When the bidding was over
and play resumed for the second half Of
men at the bat that the Roarers had had
In their half while the Roarers had the same
makeup in the field that the Lilies had had.
AT the beginning of the second inning
| auctioning again broke loose and when 1t
| was over the managers had once more
snapped teams, To make a long story
short. for four whole innings the same
| men played in the field and the same men
batted against them. each man nominally
changing teams every three outs.
Twas in the fifth inning that the climax
came The score was two all, Bull 1homp-
! son having scored twice for each side,
Home Run Hankins, who was batting for
| over the centre field fence and started off
around the bases like streak of creased
lightning in pursuit of fieeting thought.
Fifty dollars If you Join our team right
now yelled the Lily manager as Hankins
rounded second
kins, still running with all his might,
Seventy-fve It is called back the
Lily manager
"A hundred dollars If yer stick with u.s.
cried the Roarers' manager. butting in just
as Hawkins rounded third
-'Hundred and twenty-five. the Lilies
man came back at him.
ding became SO spirited and the cheering
SO great that 1t was impossible to tell which
side had him.
az offered him $780, shouted the Lily
manager to the umpire. That run counts
for liz
THAT bid was made after he crossed
the plate, protested the Roarers' manager
That run goes to us for S2s5
THAT run doesn't count for either side. v
announced the umpire AS Lightfoot
Lily that man is out for not touching first
or second base. As Ringtail Roarer
he's out for not touching third. II don't
make any difference who he touched home
for, and -
"What's that roared Hawkins, run
ping up and shaking king his fist in the umpires
"'Get of the feld, or PIl---'
What's that; cried Hawkins, still
shaking his fist
The game is forfeited to the Lilies
announced the umpire turning on his
heel
Lilies be damned said Hankins I've
got On the field ar Roarer I'm talking
TO you in my Lily capacity now. you clock
fac ed. dog cared -"
Then forfeit this game to the Roarers,
Get OFF,
We'll, sir things we're in a pretty mess
The score vas tied AT 30, the contest hav-
ing been forfeited to each side. and the
crowd was camoring for an extra inning
Finally the managers got together
and decided to resume play with their
original teams on the understanding that
neither side could sign one OF their OPP
ponents players without hrst securing