Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-15
UNKNOWN IN EARLY
DAYS OF BASE BALL
"GIorious Uncertainty of the
Game" Brought Reproach
on Old Nationals.

1--WE did not have the present-day glorious
uncertainties clustering around the game of
base ball back in the pioneer period of the
sport as team was expected to maintain
its FORM and If 1t were a championship out
fit, to win victories with all the regularities
Of an eight-day Clock was old Musty's
ejaculation as he squared away for his rem
iniscences last night.
This observation Is brought about by the
tired feeling l experience when see these
modern athletes seesawing day after day.
trailing clubs winning from the leaders with
the ease that the old Nationals used to
trounce the Jefrersons back in 1861. and there
are thousands of people like me who think
that the Athletics. being the head pushers,
ought to be ashamed to lose game to the
tail wager
This uncertainty of the game was not
we'll understood in the early history of the
game. and the first instance on record of
this uncertainty came near causing a huge
scandal in the ranks of the playing fra
ternity of those days; and strange too our
own local Nationals were particeps, but not
crimtnis. as some Of the Interested parties
tried to make out. 49,. .
1T was during that famous opening I'D of
the west by the Nationals they being the
first eastern club Of note to make an ex-
tended trip into that region, and the SEQUEL
was anything but pleasant to the members
of the club who made the trip with the
players.
There was strong rivalry in the west
over the sectional championship. and Just
before reaching Chicago the Forest City
club Of Rockford. ILL.,. had surrendered the
trophy to the Excelsiors of Chicago after a
spirited contest and the Chicagoans thought
they had fighting chance to defeat the I'M
conquered Nationals
''The Nationals played the Rockford team
In Chicago. and much to the surprise of the
country the latter gave the Nationals their
first defeat 20 to %. The result gave the
Excelsiors of Chicago ample time to recover
from the surprise and to go around with q
chip on their shoulder. telling every one
what they were going to do to the Nationals.
But right here is where the first illustra-
ton OF that glorious uncertainty came into
the game and caused our Chicago people to
sit up and take notice. 1t was the first great
match between the east and west the cham
plons OF the new section meeting in OPPOSE
ton the reputed champions of the south, as
well as one Of the greatest teams then In
existence q, CO.
test. for the Excelsiors had lost their heads
and We're going SO far as to offer odds in
favor OF their side. On the day of the con-
test the largest crowd ever known to be
q poi n " sec q DdSe Ddil game gain
cred to cheer the local team. Unfortunately
there was not any cheering for the Excel
siors after the game was once under way,
as at the end Of the third inning the score
stood 80 to 2. the Nationals to the disgust
of the crowd and the chagrin Of the Excel
siors making twenty-ons runs In the third
inning.
THE crowd did not take kindly to the talk
OF uncertainty Of the game, as 1t yelled out
during the last stages. Fraud Sell out
Gamblers. etc. and the next day the press,
particularly the Chronicle. openly charged
Rockford game In order to help the gam
blers that followed the club around the
country, thus showing that the uncertainty