Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-30
THE FA|R-FOUL HIT
OF FORTY YEARS AGO

Well, l must confess this Is scientific
base ball. and glad that our modern on
springs of the old Nationals are guilty Of
giving the exhibition quoth Old Timer
at last Tuesdays contest at National Park
when the locals won such a remarkable
game from st Louis. Now. Just observe
this game. Here Is a team winning from
one that outbats them more than two to
one, and team, too, that IL touted all over
the circuit as the fastest thing On grass
and all due. they say. to playing the game
as It should be played; in other words,
playing scientifically. Now. we played base
ball back In the old days with a sort of
scientific principle, but, of course, did not
have 1t all arranged In the way tile modern
athletes roll 1t off. But the old way in its
day suited the case and was just as good
as the style now In vogue. We didn't know
the hf-and-run game then, nor did we
know how to bunt, but we did know how to
slug for keeps. and in place OF the modern
bunt we had the fair foul hit down to a
nicely. Now, this fair foul play of the old
days was scientifc-just as scientific as the
bunt of the present day. This fair foul
was a ball hit down either first or third
base line in fair territory. but which cross
ed over into foul bounds before reaching
the bases. 1t was clean hit, and assure
you 1t required all the skill of the finished
ball player TO make the play, and it was
only the best of them that could work it
to perfection.
well do j remember the game in 1858
between the Nationals and Excelstors of
New York played on the White Lot" con-
tinued Old Timer II think it was umpired
by that skillful player and veteran Col NJ.
Emmett Ureil. There was an immense
crowd In attendance, including President
Johnson and his Secretary OF War. Gen.
John NJ. SchofeId. as well as Mr.. Edward
Thornton, the British minister and staff.
The White Lot was beautifully decorated,
the stands being festoored with flags of
every nation, while in the long row of viii
lows encfrciing the field ,.ere Streamers of
white bearing legends of Welcome Excel
sior's and Our Guests The game was most
exciting; at the beginning of the last half
of the ninth inning the score was 81 to IS
in favor of the Excelsors. George Wright
of the Nationals reached first on his hit
and went to third on Billy Ffetcher's two
baser to right. and then Study came up.
He was the best fair foul hitter then IN
evidence He nailed one down third base
line that fair fouled SO much that before
the leftfelder could get in the crowd after
the ball all three men scored. his tied
the score but 1t was then plain sailing.
and the Nationals won out by score of
80 to 81.
I'm oiden times the rule was to play ball
the best you could. catch everything in
sight and keep the ball going all the time.
When Mike Scanlon broke into base ball
as a manager of the famous Creighton
team, a Junior organization in those days
that was iuvincible and from which such
professionals as Charley Snyder, Joe Ger
hardt Sadie Houek Paul Hines and Ed
Nichols graduated, he insisted first of all
that all should be able to hit the ball; and
this principle he followed later On when he
became manager of the real first professional
National team. We were hard losers in our
days, but loyalty prevailed. and no matter
how badly we were trouneed, there were no
yelps against the players. nor did they
get any uncalled-for criticism from the
newspapers, nor were umpires ever treated
to abuse from players or spectators"