Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-22

manager, he made proposition that seemed
to fairly glitter with small-score possibilities
1t was this:
In the first innin' only home runs count
in the second only five-baggers in the third
only siX-baggers; in the fourth only seven
baggers, in the fifth only ght-baggers; IN
the sixth only nine baggers; in the seventh
only ten-baggers; in the eighth only 'leven-
baggers; an, in the ninth, to score the winnin
run if the game was tied, you had to go round
the bases three full times-a twelve-bagger
a. think thatn hold these here horSehide
slaughterers for period, says old AnaniaS
when he turned in this resolution. And it was
adopted unanimously.
There was a whoop from the pitchers when
the new rules come out. but the batters didn't
feel very brash. They seemed to think that
the directors had gone little too far, and they
took last long, lingering look at some par
game was played
:" We were playin Smashville in the first
game. and they had a strong team; but in the
very first innin' Cless Corey our first baseman
leaned up against an in-curve and put it into the
next county. That gave US a lead They
tried hard to overcome it, but they weren't up
to hittin' five an six an seven baggers, even
off easy pitchin, an they failed.
Things along till the ninth, and our
run looked big as a mountain In the ninth
innin', when only twelve-baggers counted, two
men flied out quick, an a big slab-sided
guy, their ketcher, got hit with ball and got
to base.
There was nuthin' dangerous in that-two
out in the final innin', an man on first with
leVen more bases to go-even if Wagon
Tongue Willyums up. | may say that he
the only batter ever feared. But didn't
fear him now, for he had to knock it so far that
he could run three times around the diamond
an he was never noted for speed. Our pitcher
WASH afraid either, and gave him two beauties
over the pan an fooled him on both The
crowd was goin out.
As the pitcher swung for the last ball his
foot slipped an the ball didn't curve an inch
just sailed up over that plate as big as two
houses.
Crack l saw the wagon tongue come
round, a white streak shoot at old Bilson
Butts on first, saw him throw his hands up in
the air, an the next minute he was rollin' over
on the ground Wagon Tongue Willyums was
scootin' for first, the ketcher was goin second,
and loud derisive yell that cut me to the
heart came from our part of the audience.
We all rushed to where old Bilson lay on
the ground His glove had been torn off, and
his eyes was shut an he was gasping for breath
The rube ketcher had swung third on his first
round, an was hittin' the base path like a
runaway deer. Wagon Tongue was putin at
second.
And the ball We turned Bilson over We
patted his clothes, we looked into his cap, I'M
der the base-bag and down his throat The
ketcher had made his second round, an was
nearin first putin bit, when Bilson opened
his eyes, Wagon Tongue was distanced, but
still movin fast
60 The BALL! We all yelled
a. In me Shoe says he, kicBin his left foot up.
We got his shoe off as the ketcher rounded
third. Our ketcher was stampin on the plate
an yellin' for the ball ike mailman, an the
crowd, plumb crazy, was fioodin' the field
Alas! There was the ball in the heel O.
Bilson's shoe, sure enough, but it was druv
into the shoe nails so hard it took cold chisel