Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-04-14
THE DIAMOND
SUSPICIOUS OPENING OF NEW
 BALL FIELD

Four Thousand Fans Sec Waterbury
 Defeated in the First Game
 Scores of Other Games.
 Four thousand fans and oyer. all hungry for baseball and all anxious to be- first at the feast. which had been promised them yesterday Eended their Joyous ways out to the new ball grounds yesterday afternoon to see the celebration of the eopening game scheduled between Waterbury and Newark. They reached the new ath- letic field by trolley, by team and on foot. many preferring the latter ex- perience than to wait for the trolleys which could not seem to supply the demand. One hour before the game began the grounds were pretty well filled but when the time for the call ing of the game arrived it was scarce ly possible to squeeze another enthus- fast into any part of the field. They filled the grand stand and bleachers to OverflOwing. They sat along tue top of the fence enclosing the outfeld and like rail birds they presented a picturesque sight. They filled the grounds back of first and third bases until they almost crowded in on the playing field. They sat in the outfieid against the fence and if it had been possible they would have crowded on to the roof of the grand stand. And the free ones. who never pay into a game, they were there too. The little knolls outside the outfield fence. the tall trees in the neighborhood, all held their quota of cranks who had come to enjoy the feast from the out sideDs a9l9 ,tias i8 |
 But it was not an appetizing feast: all had assembled to enjoy. Water bury lost and the meal was made hard of digestion. The frog chorus in the ponds and swamps in the rear of the playing field sang their mOurnful dirge as if they realized that Water- bury was up against it good and hard. But once did Manager Harry smile during the entire battle, and that was when Bill Thompson with his mighty bat smOte the leather to the center field fence. And yet if you glance over. the appended score and consider all hie circumstances you will see that Waterbury did not do so badly afteHeall. Newark has been playing together for several weeks. Water burEanever had the opportunity to even get a little practice game. Those who had indulged in a little throwing and batting were sore and lame. Yes ter1ay the fans or some of them, Ior- got this fact and even Mike McAh- drews was the butt of ridicule, De cause he was not playing like La1ole or a Collins. Let the fans who judg- ed too hastily yesterday just stop and get their thinkers at work for a few seconds and they will be honest enough to admit that they expectei too much from raw recruits, just In from long distance rides and from other occupations than baseball.
 Had Kid Morris not performed some of his old crazy quilt. pitching. had Treat and Fenske been in during the whole game. had Mike McAndrews not been lame and sore. where would Newark get of: Six runs were made in the first three Innings while Nor ris was in the box. Six hits were made in the same time. while in the last six innings Newark scraped off but two hits and those in one inning and scored but three runs. Here was a team fully practiced with no SOTO arms and yet they could accomplish but little with two of our twirlers. True our men did not bat strongly, but they hit the ball, if it was not safely every time. There were but four strike outs on the Waterbury side and all who were present must admit that what looked like safe hits were eaten up by the ginfield of the Newark team. It was ease of bur glary and nothing else on some of the balls hit by the local players. And another thing in connection with tie defeat. Newark reeled of but eight hits and four of these were made by Jones. the left fielder. so that even the Newark players were not eating ID that leather very rapidly To con clude this preamble Waterbury, un- practieed and unconditional, did not do badly at all against the well seq soned Newark bunch.
 But let us to the playing field. sPlay ball." came from all parts ot the crowded grounds exactly as the hands of Maurice Reels sclock in his home just in sight beyond the ield. called the half past three. Play balI' shouted Mike Hickey, the holder of the Indicator. and as Waterbury trOt- ted into the field the fans sat up and let out their first real baseball yell in several seasons. That yell had been bottled up and preserved and like cold wine it smelled good and tasted better. Play ball' came from the freebooters hanging to the limbs of fho rreoS and doing stunts around thp knot holes and play ball' shouted Harry Durant, who realized that h.S one ambition, fosteref for several months. was about to be inaugIlrlted.
 Swander. the Newark center fielder, waited for one of Kid MOrris's straight ones and he swatted 1t for two bases and the first weary sigh came from the cranks. Mahling had smile on when he stepped to the plate but the Kid hit him sO hard in the back that She smile flew over the grand stand. Corkman. the third baseman. went <r1t from McAnirevs to Lachance and Swanler who tried to purioin S1iri was captured hy the assistance E IsariIance. Thaekera and McAn- Nrew-s- The latter then played one old cat with the ball and two juicy errors resulted and MahlinS scored the first run 0f the game Pop Foster. he who once did good things for Bridgeport. was safe on one of those misp'ays. but he could not advance for Brown. the first haSeman. went out from RaxerS 10 I,achance. There was no.h- ing doing in our half. McAnfrews hit the l,an hard but vss nailed by
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