Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-11
'tARLY BASE BALL
DAYS At ANNAPO OILS
When Future AdmlraIs Played
the Visiting Teams From
Washington.

s-Tr the early days of base ball tt was
. uordarful thing for our local teams to
MAKE visits 10 other towns and cities, and
our embryo tourists regarded the trip
down to Annapolis, where they met the
future rulers of the sea- as q top-notcher,"
said old Musty Record as he scanned the
copy at the sporting editors desk.
'It was q pretty long trip in those
dimes for Il was like going fishing these
pleasant August days. You had to get up
with the sun If you wanted to reach An
napols tho same day. as the then fast-
going Baltimore and Ohio only had one
train out that connected with that air
limo that worked its way down from the
Junction. and stopped at every signal. Ike
our oId-timc horse cars Of years ago.
"You left here at $50 am. and you ar
rived at Annapolis somewhere near noon.
II you made time so you can easily see
what a great trip it was in those earlier
days Of the game. and what difficulties
were overcome by our athletes to make
trips.
''Thc first team to visit Annapolis from
Washington. and. indeed, perhaps the first
one from any place. was that lively bunch
of amateurs called the Je1ersons. who
were just coming to the front IN 1883 as
> the leading opponents OF their class OF baIl
tosscrs This visit took place on Thanks
kiviug day, so you can see here also that
tn that national holiday base ball was the
real thing. though at this progressive
period II is foot ball. In honor OF the
visit great preparations were made by our
gallant naval officers to make the AFFAIR
a notable one.
1t was the opening up Of athletics at
the Naval Academy after the war, and
iuvltatiOIs had been sent TO Washington
from the commandment of the academy ask
ing President Grant and his cabinet. as
we'll as many other officials. 10 attend the
game. but only the Secretary OF the Navy
and some of his assistants were able to
accept, and these. with a distinguished
crowd from baltimore, made UP gather
ing Of over 1900 people as witnesses of
the first real contest OF base ball on the
academy grounds.
1.-THE Naval Academy chaps called them
selves the Monitors in honor. perhaps,
of the then new craft the navy had made
historic, and their uniform consisted OF
white flannel shirt and knickcrbOckers
trimmed with blue. and blue stockings,
quite surprise for the visitors. as the
JeffrrSous at that time. is most of the
clubs elsewhere, except the famous Red
Stockings. were still wg0r!ng long trou-
sers as a part Of their u' form.
Tn" game was an cN. ytIonally bril-
liant one Tor those days. some Of the
fielding catches Of the mdshipmen would
reflect credit on the best professionals now
hafor. the public, and would warrant ex
ira space in today's vJrite-u3s as phenone-
nal affairs. Midshtpman Calhoun. after
ward Awirdl Calhoun, played his position
Ike I.liOle as he went at. AMI cap
tUr,d everything that came his wa with
the ease and elegance of a seasp"ad player,
Will the baCkstoD work Of Dillingham;
was as good as Dug Allison slowed with
the famous Red Legs of Cincinnati VAIN
wright at left field. was the admiration
of the large crowd. his excellent work
bringing out applause from the Jeffer-
sons.
The Jeffersons won the game on their
merits but IL required the best individual
and collective work of the team to Surpass
that of the middies Their CleaU-Cut work
made them hosts of friends. even among
the young ladies present and every one
knows how hard II is for civilians TO make
an impression on the fair sex when brass
buttons are around.
armory in honor of the Jeffersons and
proved to be one of the most recherche
affairs ever given a the old naval home
{he bellies of Washington. Baltimore An
napols and Anne Arundel county vietng
to make the Jeffs' pass time that would
always live in their memory.
This opening event in athletics at the
academy was soon followed by visits from
the other organizations of Baltimore and
Washington, in which not only base ball
played an important part. but boat races
and other sports were included. These have
been maintained these many years. and It
IS remarkable that 80 per cent OF the mid
shipnen who have figured IN the annals OF
athletics have also filed inches in the his
tory IF our country and became famous IN
war and the development OF the service.
The ore Of that first game 8 worth print
ing as a perusal of the navys team viii
recall names well known wherever a ship
has sailed with the Stars and Stripes at