The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-25
University Lands A. &
NJ. Four to Nothing.
A GALA DAY CROWD
Fifteen Hundred People, Including
Hundreds OF College Boys and
Girls, Lend Excitement, Dash
and Enthusiasm to Fine
Contest.


It was perfect day, the semi-holi-
day of Easter Monday. 1t was a game
that was either "corking' or "kerfect-
ly" grand accordingly as the adjective
came from one of the hundreds of
college students or from their fair
sisters of the b. F. u. the St. Marys
School, or Peace Institute.
All these were there in force:
special train full of rampaging youths
from the university flying colors, root
ing systematically. wild after a while
with the knowledge of victory the A.
& M. College, EN- masse, valiant to
the end; delegations from Wake For
est and other colleges, drawn Raleigh
wards by the athletic event of the sea
son: and rooteretteS, hundreds OF
them, banked on the bleachers in a
riot of hats. lavish of giggles and
hand-clappings, inspiring of heroic
diamond deeds and side-iine witt
cisms.
The tiers of seats We're collegiate to
a nicely. Flags fiuttered from fair
hands. Megaphones spoke the defiance
of brazen lungs. Locks loosened by
enthusiasm fiuttered almost like the
colors in the breeze. The applause
inc soprano The players slid and bat
ted and dived for bases in clouds OF
dust. The much abused welkin rang
and rang again. 1t was base ball at
its best, delerium at its topmost pitch
beauty at its most daringly enticing.
A great day-a great game.
An Overlooking Crowd.
The crowd included almost every
body. They were all there. For hours
before the game the laboring street
cars pulled slowly to the grounds,
packed to overlooking with laughing
women, smoking men, moving chariots
of color. At almost every corner the
cars stopped and dismayed crowds
stood for a moment until the impos-
Slble came to pass and room was made
somehow for the additions. the women
sitting sometimes three deep in
seat, the men holding on TIC projecting
portions of the cars anatomy by tooth
and nail. Carriages rolled along be-
side and past the belabored cars, filled
with maidens and their college friends
old-time sports from the City, college
youths moking big cigars and import
ant with the fate of Alma Mater strong
upon them. At the ground the people
simply overlooked. There was not
square inch of space on the seats when
the game was called-and still they
spread themselves along the side-lines.
banked in clusters in the field. filled
every point of vantage. In the middle
the diamond cleaned with its red clay
like a scalped section of u tulip bed.
The people stood about 1T like the
frame to the play. The players by
contrast with the dimensions of their
audience. looked like nimbIe ants as
they swarmed over the ground in prac-
tice The ball-that little white
sphere on which two thousand hearts
were set-f1icked across the space OF
green and yellow like a comet of the
sunlight. The people. on holiday.
looked and gossiped and cheered and
sang. Spring was there with both
feet and base ball had arrived.
College Song and Banter.
From the side-lineS the rival rooters
cheered ana gave the coiiege yeliS ana
sang the college SONGS All Wds as III
snoulu be. Megapnone hends beloved
noarSe taunts Wnicn, thrown across
the separating diamond, TOOK good Ell
Iect Oh the opposite side. Wmle the
answering shout along was audible
from whence they came. Amid TINS
prenminaIy the grand STANDS palpl-
lated with ribbons and mowers ana
maintained q strict neutrality except
IN color. But presently the University
Il
hymn, half carol, with a touch OF sere-
maze about it:
peace To you, St Mary's too!
''Oh. Is. f. u, peace 10 you!
st. Marys too.'
Inc a. " MS were somewhat
stunned by this but took it out in
"itah. Rah, Raining everything IN pet
ticoals on the field, and III the middle
of the tumult somebody called time
The Potent Mr.. Sitton.
Instantly there was quiet. The Uni
versity players trotted briskiy TO the
held. The Umpire took out a brand
new white ball. Eskridge, of A. u NJ,
(. StaIwart, gamy-looking CHAP, took
position at the bat. Sitton, of the Uni
VerSlty, faced him. Mr. Sitton made
some passes with his arms. uncurled,
there was a CLEAN of white, a thump
when the bail hit the catcaers glove
ana MIR. Eskridge was leaning on his
bat as the result OF a vicious stab at
the ambient-or was it ambulatory p
airi Twice more did Mr. Eskridge biff
at the point ut which he thought the
cleaning ball was located and twice
more missing, sat down upon the
bench.
Whereupon the University howied
delightedly and the A. & M. responded
with cat-calls as a damper to too-pre-
vious enthusiasm.
The experience of Mr.. Eskridge was
the motif of the game. 1t was Sitton's
day. Man after man went down before
his curves. OF the twenty-seven A.
q NJ men retired during the nine in
nings, he struck out seventeen, put
out one. and threw out five to first
base. He allowed only four hits. scat
tered through as many innings. two Of
them made by one man. The A. & M.
batters could not remotely solve his
curves nor calculate his speed. Sew
eral of them struck out three times
out of three times at the bat. several
others retired twice each by the three
strike route. Mr.. Sitton was all there
with the goods. What curves he
doesn't know are not in the book. The
crowd had read of the spit ball. Mr.
Sitton showed it in all its glory. Be-
hind the cover of his protecting glove
he could be seen to work ominously
his salivary CLANS.
Watch out, watch OUT" would yell