Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-30
USUALLY ENDED
WITH A BIC ROW
Exciting Contests Between the
Unions and Jeffersons
Recalled.

In looking over the days when the game
was young and plays were crude but In
tensely for keeps, you do not want to pass
over those two friendly organiza tons
Jefersons and Unions" said an old timer
as he invaded the base ball den Of The Star
last night.
speak of those days because 1 was q
player on the Union team, and we hated
that JEFFERSON push with all the hatred OF
Muggsy McGraw for the umpire who has
fined him. The two gangs never met on a
lot to play of a game that something like
a small-sized riot did not mix in with the
contest 1t was for this reason, perhaps.
even more than the game itself that q game
between Jefferson and Union always called
out the big crowd. Fight like dogs they
would on the field. but when they met out
side the precincts Of the diamond they
were the best of friends
Well do recall the third and deciding
meeting OF these amateur teams, as they
were called in those days, which contest
took place on the White Lot September 10
1870. 1t was played on neutral grounds.
the one chosen being the home of the
senior Nationals.
The man who made Washington b,au-
tiful. Alexander r. Shepherd was president
of the Jeffersons at the time. ana he was
right there as Official cheer-leader and
rooter for the Jeffersons. He induced a
large number of his official friends to go
to the contest and root long and loud for
his youngsters.
As 1 have said. those youngsters were
scrappers all the way, this time thers
was dispute even before the game began.
The Jeffersons objected to the Unions play
ing Tom Quantrell on the ground that hs
was dropped member of their club. After
Ginning over that for a long time the gam,
got under way with QuantreI playing un-
der protest
For while it looked like a runaway
for US Kids. as We scored to the Jeffer-
sons 2 In two innings. Then our lads get
ting too confident OF success began muffing
the ball. which the Jefferson players were
quick to turn into runs. By the sixth in
ming they had made a score of IS to our 10.
The game should have stopped right
there, as 1t was too dark to see the bal,
but the umpire, who had repeatedly warned
both sides. determined to make them pay
out the full seven innings. The Unions
could get one more ace in the dark while
the Jeffersons got three, enough to give
them the game by margin Of one run.
AS soon the contest was over the JEFF
ferson rooters thronged upon the field and
went after our lads vigorously, so vlgor-
ously, in fact, that we were chased off ths
field and driven off in most unsportsman-
like fashion.
The old Sunday Herald in speaking OF
the game said that the seventh inning
should have been bank, with the credit
of the victory our side. The report re i'd:
The victory was barren one. and the con-
duct of some OF the Jefferson boys while
at the bat in the last inning Was highly
dscreditable. and in strange contrast to
the quiet and gentleTanly manner with
which their games are usually contest I'd
Running into the field when the ball is hit
and interfering with The opponents was
to the national sport. In this
connection 1t might be well to aid that
this was one of the CAUSES that led to the
closing of the White lot as a playground.
The score was the first one in which
base hits were mentioned, and is interest
ing in that reSpect.