Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-04-29
WE WERE OFF
 WITH A RUSH
Meriden Fell the First Victim to Waterbury-But We Lost
 Arthur Nichols.

ing of the baseball season for 1908. | Meriden was the opposing team, ana, in the old days, the name Of Merl- l den spoken to Waterbury fan was like shaking an auction flag ln front of bull. There were many Meriden fans present too, who did not forget to root and root hard' when 1t looked as if Waterbury was due for a sudden flight skyward. When the preliminary practice was over, out from the players bench walked Martin Scully, the acting mayor of the city, in the absence Of Mayor Thoms, who was down ill New Haven getting his bumps from Senator Billy Kennedy. Martin limbered up bit to get a few kinks out of his arm and then shot a twister toward the plate, that brought back vivid recollections of the old Rose Hill and Monitor days. Some said that the honorable presi- dent of the board had intended the shoot for someone else, but MT "Ump" Rorty got it, after doing little stunt around the plate. Then the lump with naughty gesture waved Martin to the bench, called in his familiar voice play ball. and the season was fairly opened.
 Waterbury began hostilities early and in the first inning we scored twice. Bastian began by walking free and twice more during the game did he do the same thing. A sacri- See, Nichols two sacker and La
 chances pretty single sent Bastian and Nichols over the plate. One more came in the third on another pass to Bastian, sacrifice and bad error by Accorsini at first. Two more were added to our side in the seventh. Nichols, the first man up, was hit, as described later, Lachance was safe on the wild throw of Ro- barge and both came home on Bron- kie's stinger to center. Our last came in the seventh on a single by Fitzpatrick. balk by the pitcher and a cracker by Swander to the left garden. Meriden scored only in the seventh on a free pass to Ac- corsini, the failure of our men to cover second on the next ball hit. a single by Robarge and another by Cote which sent Accorsini home.
 So many hard things have been said about Cooney Rice as a ball
 player, both in-rthe press and by word of mouth. that it seems as if the biblical quotation of "heaping coals of fire upon the heads of his enemies" would he very appropriate, after the game Rice put up yester- day in the outfield He certainly was the star of the day and there is no denying the fact that he saved the game, too, for had some of those difficult flies ever got by him, Meri- den would have been, in the hunt good and hard. He had four put outs and three of these were of the star order. The first came in the fifth. when Dr Cote smashed a winger toward the score board be- tween right and center gardens. Rice showed the fans that he has not been wrongly named. sprinter. He
 nailed the ball on the dead run, while almost every fan on the field cheered him. Quick as a flash he scooted the ball to Captain Fitzpat-
 rick and Robarge was pinned down for the double play. Rice's next catch came in the seventh in ming, while playing center field in
 place of Nichols. who had been in-
 iured. Bridges hammered out this one and again did Rice get under it after speedy run. There were two men on bases al the time and a miss
 would have cost dearly. Again did
 the fans cheer the play. His last one came in the eighth inning and
 was hot one from the bat of John
 Golden. Cooney came very near spelling all his good work by taking notice of some remark made to him
 by fan in the bleachers. He was
 promptly pulled back by Eddie
 Swander. before there were any
 blows struck and Manager Durant
 advised him. to get next to himself and not lose all the ground he had
 gained by his excellent work in the field.
 One of the sad features of the day
 was the injury to Arthur Nichols. as popular a ball player as ever donned a uniform. Nichols had been
 smashing the hall good and hard. his first time up. netting him a two sacker. In the seventh inning. he tried to get out of tho way of an in- shoot from Taylor of the visitors. but the ball hit him on the right fore arm and the hat fell from his hands. He started at once for tho bench and from the look on his counte- nance. he must have realized him
 self that he was seriously hurt. Dr
 Hayes was quickly summoned from the grand stand and he took Mich ols to the dressing room for an ex- animation. Every fan waited snI-
 iously for a report and when the word was sent out. that Nichols arm was broken between the wrist and
 elbow. there were many sad hearts all over inc field. It vas a pretty tough piece of luck 10 happen right in the beginning of the season and is a had blow to the Waterbury
 team. The injury will keep him out Of the game for al least two
 months. if not longer.
 Nichols is veteran at the game and during his career he has had inc misfortune 10 break his riEh,
 arm five times. Tho first came as an amateur while playing at willi- mantle. his home town. Later Mex
 went to the big league and three times during his stay In the majors ! tho same arm vss broken While a member Of the Chicago sfam he was struck by a pitched hall. fhrovn Ly Pitcher czrrick of the Giants and
 while at indianapolis he wzs in- iured fn inc same manner hS Pitcher Hedges of MiIvaukee- The
 other break vas duo 10 q collision ] at Boston. Nichols vas at that time