The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-02
Worst Ball Game of Season at
Association Park.
Both Joplin and Topeka Played
Stupid Game.
TROUBLE FROM FIRST.
Regular Umpire Failed to Ar
riVe-PIayers Ofhciate.
Alderman Knocked Out of Box
at the Start.

Topeka enjoys a distinction now
which it never had before. Perhaps
Kansas City owned the honor last
gear-perhaps Washington in the
American league. But both of those
towns can now hunt the deep, rank
verdure, for Topeka is at the lead.
Write it in big, black, bold letters,
and underscore every word: "The
worst ball game ever played in the
world took place in Topeka on Thurs
day. June 1, between the White Sox
and Joplin Miners" That is what
the new found honor amounts to.
(AtchisOn papers please copy.)
All of the blue ribbons for stu
piditys dumbneSs and 1nenecUVeneSS
were gloriously smashed by the ilI-
putian dwarfs from the Missouri
mining districts, who wear sweater
vests, labeled with a big -, and the
hoDefu1s of one Thomas Sheards with
their whitewashed calves and dirty
shirts.
Somehow or other it started off
wrong and could not be righted. The
absence of q. regular staff umpire had
considerable to do with it, perhaps.
Deprey missed connections and did
not see Topeka at all on Thursday
afternoon. So Nicholas Carter and
Skinny Horton were victimized as the
unfOrtunates to run the contest. They
had trouble all the way through. I'M
minent fights were as thick as nor
nets after a yOkel who disturbs their
nest. Carter and John Fillman
squared OFF several times to go 20 or
so rounds, but it all resulted in
smoke.
The upshot of the whole business.
however. was that Joplin won by a
score OF to B. The Miners got more
hits and more errors. But they fast
ened an extra notch in their per cent.
column despite their failings.
tTessie" Alderman proceeded to
hand out the game in the first round.
He went up in a balloon, and failed
70 take his parachute along. Abbott
hauled him in while the initial in
ming was still in progress, anchored
him to the bench, and called on Long
Tom Hughes to finish out the contest.
Thomas did so, but the calf had fallen
into the well.
-Four hits, one a two-bagger, were
collected off Alderman's much
Wanted curves in that fatal begin
ming and the Miners made three
runs thereby. In the second round
they got two more hits, Dick Brown
made an overthrow Of first, and Jack
Henry pegged one to center field in
an effort to catch a base thief, and
brace more of pick handlers
warmed the frying pan In the sew
enth Hughes handed a pass and
allowed two hits, the last a double
and it meant another pair of marks
another error by Brown in the eighth
a hit by Horton and long fly to
right by Bayless. one more tally was
added.
Topeka started in its half Of the
first to catch UP with the Miners and
made two runs by a couple of hits
as many errors and a slam in the
stats which Pitcher Smith delivered
to Dunn. In the fifth QuigIey was
passed and ran home on two errors
made by the selfsame Smith, who
baubled grounders and threw bad tC
first. Then in the sixth three hits
were made, the Miners contributed
three errors, one of them dropped
fly by Sullinger, and the White SOY
hurried two OF their band over the
rubber That ended the scoring.
In the sixth inning Smith showed
such unmistakable signs of getting
very weary and nervous that he Wen
out of the box and Skinny Horton
supplanted him. The Highlander
Jared somewhat better.
The feature of the game was
running catch of a fly by Crum il
the ninth inning. 1t was one of The
best performances ever seen at Asso
citation park