Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-03
WHEN NATIONALS
BEAT LAWMAKERS
Notable Base Ball Game Played
Forty Years Ago on the 18th
Street Grounds.
Champions of the South Defeat
ed the Crack Northern Club in
Ten-Inning Game.

| In the summer of 1867 the National base
ball club babe farewell to the White Lot
and sought new grounds on the block
| bounded by 10th and 18th. S and I streets,
| At that time the place was vast black
| berry patch, the only habtation in the vi
cinty being long row of two-story houses
| running from 14th to 18th streets on T.
| The main entrance to the Enclosure was
| from 18th street, and passed through the
| apple orchard of a truck farmer named
Cammock The means of reaching the
! grounds from downtown was by the rapid
| transit of the bob-tailed cars Of 14th street.
which at that time out far the
Boundary. now known as Florida avenue.
On the day of the game. however, but
little reliance was put in the car service.
and every coach. wagon, cart and convey
ance of any description was brought into
play to take the people out to the country
grounds.
This change of location from the time
honored White Lot brought with it change
of policy. Where the Nationals strongest
platform in 1866 was no gate money, here at
the new grounds they were found doing
great business at the turn stakes. The
! latter emitting the purchaser to "cush-
ioned'' seat just behind the catcher.
The press not catered to in those
days. the home club supplying merely
small table where the reporters baked in
the sun as they tried to keep up with the
| frequent "tallies.' Such things as special
wires and reserved section for press and
telegraphers were unheard of; nor was there
the melodious music Of Get your official
score card"
Champions of the South.
| The Nationals won many creditable vic
tories in that year. their great western trip
opening the eyes Of sporting America not
| only to the possibilities of the game. but
also to the prospects of the champions of
the south annexing the title of "Chlm
pions of America This view of the mat
ter was taken by Father Chadwick in
his Sporting Chronicle the leading base ball
organ of that day. who said. after having
taken the western tour with the Washing
tonians, that they were collectively the best
players in America and would win the
championship title.
At this time the Unions of Lansingburgll,
N Y, or as they were better known the
"Haymakers," were regarded as the best
team in the north. They had defeated the
Atlantics of Brooklyn. the Mutuals and Eu-
rekas of New York and the Athletics of
Philadelphia; hence it was that their meet
ing with the Nationals. conquerors of west
and south was looked upon by all devotees
of the sport to decide the best team of
the year.
The game was played here September 8.
1867. in the presence of an immense crowd,
u
to see the game. The contest was exceed
ingly brilliant from start to finish. 1t was
the first time in the history of base ball
| that a major league game had to go into
extra innings for the decision. The Ma
tionals won out in the tenth inning.
This game also marked a new era in the
relation of the press to the sport, for it was
the first game to be telegraphed in its en-
tirety to the newspapers of New York and
Philadelphia.
It was in the eighth inning that the Ma
tonais caught up p with % the aa ,ya and
ming neither side could send a man over
the home base. In the tenth, the game
grew intense. as the following. a descrip-
ton Of it from the Herald, indicates
Exciting Tenth Inning.
Abrams. the first striker on the part of
the Haymakers. was put out by Fletcher
Flynn out on a fly by Williams at right
field. Leavenworth struck a ball to center,
made his first. and afterward his second on
q passed ball. M. King struck q ball to
| third base, missed by Hodges, and King
| made his first. Ward struck high ball to
Parker at second, which was terribly mufY-
ed by the latter. While Parker was shak-
| ing his hands Leavenworth and King got
home. 8. King out on first base by Nor
ton and Fletcher. leaving Ward on third.
Two runs for the Haymakers and breaking
| the tie.
The applause which greeted the result of
| the playing of the New Yorks was hand
| somely acknowledged by the Washington
| ians. The cheers were long and loud and
| the Nationals took their positions at the
| bat with the best wishes of their many
| friends, but with some misgiyings as to the
| result Smith, the first striker. sent a
grounder to center field. Hodges out on
| first. Williams struck straight bali to
| center field. making his first and bringing
| Smith home. Wright sent q red hot ball
| to left field. on which he made his first
Norton by a good hit to center made his
| first. Berthrong sent q grounder to left
field. bringing Williams home and making
his first. again tieing the score. Wright
skyscraper to center field. sent Norton
home ana made his third. Parker sent a
/ ball red hot to left field, made his first and
brought St6dley hoins. Fletcher out at
| first. Side out with Ave runs, concluding
| the game by q score Of 81 TO . In favor OF
l the Nationals. The announcement by the
umpire Of the result OF the game was re-