Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-12
TEAM BORNE OFF
THE FIELD IN JOY.
When the Nationals Defeated
the AIbanys in an Exciting
Game, Opening 1879
Season.

Il do nor Know OF anything more 'Htef-
esting to read these days than the publica-
ton of the games played thirty and forty
years ago that The Star is giving to Its
readers every sunday morning. remarked
the former base ball magnate Mr.. Michael
B. Scanlon, the other day.
II first broke into the game away back In
1867. and one of my priceless heirlooms Of
that occasion is a card signed by Mr.. John
F. Callen, as secretary, announcing my
election as a member of the old Jefferson
club. They were stirring times. indeed and
as 1 say, the reproduction of those old-time
scores are mighty good reading for us has
beens.'
"Those contests between the Nationals
and Olympics, Unions and Jeffersons we're
great, as they aroused an intense personal
rivalry. Each club had it's large following.
and l remember many incidents where
their loyalty led up to some exciting set
Elements according to the English rules
before the Marquis of Queensbury revolu-
|~tionized such affairs. -
But while all those days were full of
life and ginger, there was none so lively as
the season of 1879. 1t was the year of the
American Association. and Washington was
in the circuit with a team that was gilt
edged in every respect Washington's chief
rivals in the league were Albany and Bal
timore, and the bitterness of their antag-
onism was worse than anything here on the
White Lot, unless it was perhaps. that be-
tween our two junior teams. the Nationals
and Creightons
'srhis enmity between Albany and Wash
ington was a strange fact that was never
explained to my satisfaction. The two
teams seemingly had no more reason to be
special opponents than any other two teams
in the race. but yet every time they crossed
bats something happened. There was al.
ways something to mar the pleasantness OF
the contest, and no matter how the game
came out there was always some fault
found to throw discredit upon it.
'In that year Albany had one OF the
strongest mines on paper that l ever saw
together. each man standing out as star
in his particular position. and now. even
today, do not see an infield to compare
keenan, and Critchley. the battery Of the
team, were virtually giants In stature as
we'll as in reputation, and the way old
man Critch1ey used to shoot them into
Jimmy Keenan's gloveless hands was a
wonder in those times.
1.-THE Nationals were no shiftless bunch
With Levi Meyerle, Billy McClelland. Joe
Ellick and Booth in the diamond they had
a stonewall through which hits seldom
passed. The club in this year developed
two crackerjack pitchers In Lynch ana
Derby while at the receiving end Sam
Trott was considered as good as there was
In the country. - - -,
.sThe teams opened the Season here Satur-
day, April 20, and the contest attracted
one of the largest crowds that had ever
assembled for game The roofing was
the Albany Argus in its report Of the game
while comp1imenting the Washington team
as players and gentlemen. denounced the
crowd in unmeasured terms. This was
little too rash and unwarrantedras facts
showed that 1t was pneaHed Tor. The cons.
test was q mastery exhibition in every re-
spect the fielding of both teams exceeding
anything I have eser seen before or since
Dunlap at second shining oat as the salient
feature Of the long game.
at took twelve full innings to decide the
winner--twelve exciting rounds. that kept
the spectators all the time on their feet
applauding the wonderful plays being exe-
cuted before them, Albany scored right
away the first time up-Dunlap hit safely
and stole second, coming home on Hanlon's
drive to right field.
For seven innings the New Workers kept
the locals from crossing the pan. but IN
the eighth Washington tied the score.
Lynch hit three-bagger and scored on
Booths single.
''From the eighth on there was nothing
but the widest kind Of excitement Time
and time again the teams. would get men
on bases, only to be left there when the
pitching became too effective. In the first
set the home folk crazy by driving three
runs over that won the game. McClelland.
first up. hit small one past Say reaching
first. He stole second. going under Dun
bases. scoring McCelland. Baker went out
on fly to Burns. bat Ellick hit over sec
ond. sending Derby to third. Ellick then
went down to second in time to score on
Bielaski's single to right center.
when the last man went out. the whole
town rushed out on to the field and carried
the winning team away on Its shoulders.
Lynch pitched a strong game for eight
innings. but he began to show signs Of tir-
ing, so Derby finished out the contest. The
large number Of assists credited>to the