The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-21
WASA CLOSE ONE
Topeka Drops the First Game
to Springfield.
Lone Tally Decides a Pretty
Baseball Contest.
THE HITS WERE FEW.
BuntOn Helped Himself Out of
Tight Places.
Olmstead Kept His Hits Better
Scattered.
THE HITS WERE FEW,

The local team in their last exhibit
tfon with Spec Hurlburt at the helm
dropped the opener of the last Spring
field series by a score of L to 0. The
game was a close one throughout but
was marred somewhat by wrangling
over what were claimed by both teams
to be raw decisions of Umpire Ed Heck
who made his first appearance in an
Empirical uniform on the local grounds.
There were several questionable decls-
ions In the pinches which consisted IN
bad balls being called strikes on the
local batters.
Fred Olmstead, the star of the
Springfield slab, who has been purchas-
ed by Charles Comiskey for use on MS
worlds champion team of next season
was working on the mound for the Visi-
tors. Olmstead had everything yester-
day. In fact IL was about the pest
performance he has ever put on before
O. Topeka audience. Ten strikeouts
were amassed on the local batters which
tsstihes to the fact that the locals did
not bat very much yesterday AT that,
however, Olmstead was hit harder than
Bunton but he skillfully managed to
keep his hits scattered so that after the
first inning no two were secured to-
Qether, He was especially steady In
the pinches and this GOODNESS along
with the blunders of the umpire tells
the story of the locals defeat.
Bunton's twirling would have won an
ordinary game but one scratch hit which
Olson and Hurlburt allowed Davis to
run after when either of them could
have reached it with ease allowed
solitary run to cross over and win the
game. Twice with the bases full Bun
ton proved to have the goods ana
might have won his game, had sharper
fielding characterized the play Of his
The Springfield team plays a snapper
game OF ball than they displayed on the
locals grounds at any previous time
I'D 10 OF
them I'D a lots and several new faces
with the team make it much stronger
Risley himself confines his attention TO
the management OF the team and aAoWs
work of captaining the team and the
additional duties of masticating the rag.
Tommy, however, is very quiet
The work which the MidgetS made
count for their lone run came in the
fourth inning. Welter was the first man
to face Bunton and a single was the re-
suit. Cole surprised everybody by hit
ting through the left side of the inf1eld
for base. Murray's sacrifice put the
runners on a notch and Smith popped up
a little fly back of second base. Olson
or Hurlburt who was playing in close
should have fielded the ball but Davis
was allowed to try for it after running
in from right field with only a possible
chance of reaching it. This sent Welter
across the rubber for the only run of
the game.
BunIOn gave re1dT kdDle pllcnln8
performance in the third inning when
he retired the side without run after
the bases were twice filled up. Smith
hit little grounder about ten feet from
the plate and Erwin in throwing to Abb
bolt threw the ball into the rear of
Smiths head, allowing him to reach
first. Tonneman tried for a bunt but
Bunton in trying to catch Smith at sec
ond threw wild and two men were on.
Olmstead singled but Smith was held
at third. Cuthbert hit one to Bunton
and in a fast double Bunton threw to
Erwin who in turn threw to Abbott,
catching Smith at the plate and Cuth-
bert at first. In order to get the bases
full again Bunton had to walk Risley
and did 1t without the least hesitancy.
Then as a capper to the climax Reed
swung at three Of Bunton's foolers and
retired the side.
The best opportunity which the locals
had to score was in the sixth inning.
Olson started OF with safe one. Alb
bott sacrificed Olson to second and Err
win hit into flelder's choice in which
no runners were put out of commission.
6urlburt walked, filing the bases with
only one out. Runkel famed and Raglan
aid likewise but 1t required a couple of
very badly called strikes to do the work