Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-05-30
Baseball.
A Comedy Of Errors.

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Field this season, the locals were
defeated by score of 10 TO 0, and.
finally, on refusal Of the Bethel
Military Academy team to continue
play, were awarded a forfeited
game by a score of 9 to 0.
The game was continual wrangle
from start TO finish.
/ Armstrong, captain Of the visit
ing team walked from the diamond
on four separate occasions, calling
TO his team, Come on; let's quit
right here" all because he didn't
agree with the umpire.
The support given Burchell was
miserable. eight of the ten runs
being unearned. The score card f.
/ shows sly eafe hits by each team. /
Armstrong was fairly supported. I.
but the team behind him could not
connect safely with Burchelrs de-
livery.
BurchelI finally lost his nerve, .
and give mp trying, and was ready F.
20 play the baby" act with Arm
strong when coaxed back to the
diamond.
The first complaint made be Cap T.
tain Armstrong was that BurchelIs
corkscrcw delivery was illegal. .
The umpire failed to seeit that way. /
as he had the best baseball author
ity in this country on his side, but.
rather than see the game end I'm
tiaSco he forced Burcheli to make
straight-arm delivery.
The next complaint was ON
strikes" Captain Armstrong.
who Is "a pitcher himself, seemed To
imagine that he was the only person
on the field who was competent to'
Judge the difference between ball"
and strike.
His next comlaint was I'm regard
to an ''infeld fly" In order TO
give the spectators a look tor their
money, the umpire again reversed
his decision and called Albert
Smallwood out. For the benefit
of interested ones Including Cap
tain Armstrong; we quote the rule
on this particular play:
Rule 81. Sec. S.-The bats
man is out, if. before two hands
are out, while first and second or
first, second and third bases are
occupied, he hit a fly ball, other
than line drive, that can be
= handled by an infelder.
As there was only one man on
b base Foley AT tirst,) the rule did
. not apply, and Smallwood was safe.
The complaint was made In the
last half of the seventh inning.
after the first half had been played
in drazzling rain. When Bur
b chell wanted to have the game call
ed, the umpire Informed him that
the fact of the ball being wet had
nothing TO do with the case. rs the
ground was entirely fiji Tor play.
This occoasioned great merriment
p TO the opposing pitcher, who sta
toned himself ON the base line and
'guyed" Burchel'S efforts to
handle wet ball. When the last
half of the inning started Arm
strong, after two men had reached
first safely, refused to continue
: the game, although the umpire
insisted that the inning should be
r finished.
e After a childish delay. Arm
e strong called his team from the
field, and the game was declared
forfeited to Borryville, 9 too.
, Burchell was pitching great ball
o until his support went up in the
air, and struck out seven men in
5 the first three innings.
!, Armstrong hadeNcellcnt control.
but used very narrow curves. only
:. five men going out on strikes.
T The game was unsatisfactory in
e every way. 1t was disgusting to
the spectators who had paid their
money to see q baseball game. 1t
4 was demoralizing to the home team
to lose 4 game which Burchcll
e should have won. And Ito Judge
from Captain Armstrong; rag
chcwing) it was unsatisfactory to
the Bethel team.
1t is unfortunate that the Bethel
D school closes ON June 6, as the pco-
: pie here would like to have the two
q teams meet again. in order that
: some intelligent idea As to the re-
q lativc strength of the two teams
e could be gained.
L 1t was stated 10y member of the