The San Francisco call., 1903-01-05
AMERICANS LOSE
BY ONE TALLY
Leahy Saves the Game
by Blocking Jones
at Plate.
Dick Harley Makes Two Spec
tacular Catches in
Left Field.

The Nationals won at Recreation Park
yesterday afternoon just because they
were industrious and began to get into
the running as soon as the game was
well under way. On the other hand, the
gentlemen from the other league soldier
ed during the early periods of the strife, and
along about the middle Of the battle they
tried 10 make one big rake-off and win
The game without going through the for
rnadty Of a Garrison finish
They got started at this little graft,
and might have got away with il but for
The prompt action Of the native back
stop. Mr.. Tommy Leahy. He was right
there with the big block which prevent
ed one Jones from yenturing too near
The home plate, and thus the score was
lot tied up. Score, 6 TO ..
Fine weather and expectations of a
ball game equally as fine brought OUT
the biggest attendance that has greeted
the Eastern strangers since their arrival
IN the land of the Golden Gate The
grounds were well filled, the attendance
numbering close 10 5000.
II was certainly a gratifying game al
-he finish. though when the start was
made Il looked bad. All the errors were
committed during the early stage of the
trouble. and no good plays were executed.
This made the big crowd feel rather sore
Al first but when the lads began 10 an
lex a little ginger and DO a few fancy
stunts the fans were satisfied anu lmme-
oiately began 10 do some shouting.
Mercer got TO the plate for the Ameri-
cans in the opening round on single
and an error by Mertes. The Nationals
did not mind this at all, and in their
half Of the second commenced TO treat
Mr.. Mercer TO a few walloping tributes
cleared the boards which mark the limit
of the center garden. He was followed
by a host Of others. who succeeded IN
batting in four more
The American team became just a trihe
ratified while the assault was in prog
ress A couple Of costly errors proved TO
be as valuable as base hits, and sent
run or so over the rubber. Johnny Burns
committed his first mistake since casting
his lot with the team by trying TO throw
Irwin out at the plate and making a
bad toss Of the ball 10 Sullivan
The Americans could not get jerry 10
the kind Donovan had until the sixth.
Then Jones led off with a smack over
third base. and Davis responded with
single. Jones began TO tear around the
sacks like antelope. but a relay throw
from Tannehill 10 Mertes landed square
in Tommy Leahy's mitt and he blocked
Jones at the plate.
Jones insisted he had beaten Tommy at
his own graft. and made a brave at
tempt 10 convince Umpire O'Connen OF
the fact. Nothing doing" said Jack,
and the incident was closed after a few
brief remarks from the gallery
Then COughlin came through with
hit that brought Davis around. Harley
responded with one that helped COughlin
along 10 the plate. This made the score
6 10 4, and in the eighth round three
more solid swats brought in one more
The ninth produced nothing, so the
Americans We're all through
Dick Harley showed the fans he could
&C some in the field when he is feeling
right. in the sixth Leahy sent out
short one TO left that looked ike a sure
hit Harley went right after the ball,
and cOrralled il before il could connect
with the ground. The crowd yelled with
delight They nearly went wild a mo-
ment later, when Dexter hit one in the
direction Of center field-the kind that
are never caught. Harley, however, was
right there again, and executed one Of the
most wonderful catches ever made on
the field The score: