Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-11
BASE BALL MEMORIES
WHEN THE NATIONALS WERE
THE WASHINGTON CLUB.
George Fox, Billy Williams, 'c:1
Stud'' and Othe;; Who Did
Great work.

In the halcyon days Of my youth, about
third of century gone by" said an
old citizen who was recently discussing the
base ball situation with party of friends
among whom was representative of The
Evening Star, Il was as thorough crank
on the game as any fan you can pick up
anywhere on the bfeachers' bench at the
present day. I generally went early be-
cause I liked to see the boys timber up
throwing the ball before the game was
called, and in my coign Of vantage on the
grandstand it was cold day, indeed, that
l did not find myself in the very best Of
company. There would frequently be found
enjoying the gladitorial diversions many of
the most prominent residents of Washing
ton. The late Sir Edward Thornton, minis
ter from England, Secretary of the Treas
ury Boutwell,, Senator Arthur Pue German
(himself no poor player in his day., men,
bers of both houses Of Congress, during
the long sessions, heads of bureaus in the
various government departments, and prom
lnent tolk generally were present at almost
every Dig game that was scheduled
The Nationals Of this city at that time
could hold their own with any of the bats
men In the land. Then. as now, many Of
the clubs had well known sobriQuets to
distinguish them. and the games, though
fully up to the mark in points Of skill, dis
c1pline and eagerness to bear off the honors,
were seldom, If ever, marked by such rough
house demonstrations as have of late years
justly cast serious reflections upon several
clubs and players.
II recall one OCCASION" said the self
confessed ball crank, when the Nationals
engaged In joust with the celebrated
'Haymakers,' club from northern New
York somewhere either Troy or Syracuse,
believe. The late and sincerely lamented
Billie Williams was pitcher, and a sawed
OF little fellow, whose name I do not just
now call to mind, was shortstop. I think
he is now an artist in Boston. Studley, Old
Stud as his admirers affectionately dubbed
him. was captain of the nine and played
out in the field. George Fox was one Of
the stars; the late Bob Drinkard was UNI
pire on that occasion, and there were other
well-known players-in the game. Most, If
not all, of them were employees in the
Treasury Department, and on this partic-
ular occasion Secretary Boutwell, was on
hand to see his boys cover themselves all
over with glory I particularly recollect
one little incident connected with this game
few moments before 1t started crowd of
the sports who accompanied the 'Haymak-
ers' were walking past the grandstand in
joyful anticipation of seeing their country
boys mop up the earth with the Nationals
dapper little fellow who was with them
with fist full of greenbacks. waved them
in the air and yelled out, One hundred to
fifty on the Haymakers.' This was more
than a young physician (now among the
elders in the medical fraternity In Wash
irgton) could stand. He produced instanter
a fifty-dollar note and the bet was made.
The Haymakers didn't have a ghost of a
chance. The Nationals administered to
them the worst defeat they had met that
summer. Their hacker was not SO jubilant
when the end came but he was game to
the core, and as he handed over five crisp
twenty-dollar bank notes to the doctor he
said, My friend there must have slipped a
cog somewhere but never mind, better
luck next time
"Oh, there were batters in those days
equal to any in the land today. and daisy
0fIf q VIyif
the speed of a Pennsylvania railroad loco
motive. And now comes another little In
cident in my memory. 1t was one day in
September, and there was grand crowd
present. At one stage of the game, and a
rather critical moment it was, 1t fell to
George Fox to go to the bat There were
three men on the bases, and George. with a
cigar between his teeth, sauntered some
what leisurely up to the plate. oh. throw
that cigar away and play ball. said Stud
ley. George threw away his stogie. hit the
first ball. and aw;y it went over the fence
somewhere near the Potomac. 1 guess. 1t
brought all the men on bases home, and
Fox himself made home run. 'Hows
that for playing ball. Stud? said George
Old Stud grinned. That's what we came
out here in big omnibus for he said.
1.-The Nationals once tackled nice-look-
ing set of athletes from Richmond" went
on the old crank. 1.-The southerners showed
up very well. They were handsome set Of
youngsters, and were arrayed in too nice a
uniform to get the whipping that was adj
ministered to them. The score in favor of
the Washington boys was somewhere in the
neighborhood Of 60 to II. Richmond was
not in it. At another time the Nationals
went into the field to test the mettle of
colored club who called themselves the
Cuban Giants Giants they certainly were
and a fine-looking set Of players, but they
were made to take a dose of medicine
equally as bitter as those from Virginia's
capital.
"Ah. me! Many of the noble old guard
that once had the medal for championship
have passed into field beyond the present
What great thing 1t would have been"
he said. in conclusion, IF their nantes
could have fallen upon the club now last
on the list of the American League"