Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-07
[GAME WON BY STATESMEN
Correspondents Defeated by "Steam
Rollers With Empires Help.
SCORE IS IA TO II AT FINISH
Nominee Appears at
Critical Moment When Score Is
Tied, But Fails to Break
Deadlock.

awaiting the appointment OF Frank
Hitchcock as chairman, Senator w. Muir
ray Crane yesterday observed that the
republican campaign needed manager
at once. and promptly arose to the
emergency.
He commented on the aristocratic as
sociations of golf, Mr.. Tafts favorite rec
reation, and to counteract any possible
bad effect organized the republican
statesmen here into a democratic base
ball club and challenged the newspaper
correspondents, and the challenge was
accepted.
The game had progressed to the start
of the eighth inning. with the score
tie. Senator Beveridge was on first and
Representative Theodore Burton of Ohio
was next to bat. Capt Representative
Burke of Pennsylvania was in despair
Burton had famed consistently.
At the moment Mr.. Taft. with Mrs
Taft. walked on the field.
"Oh. Mr.. President" called Capt.
Burke. (That is etiquette down here.)
The candidate FASTENED to the players
bench-only every one was standing be-
cause it had been raining and because
there were no benches anyhow.
The situation being explained. Mr.. Taft
shed his coat and faced the pitcher.
Charlie Taft. the candidates son. who
was playing shortstop for the correspond
ents, turned around and frantically
waved the fielders back.
A Foul and . a Fly.
Mr. Taft fouled the first ball. The next
one he met fairly with q free swing.
The ball started to left on a line. but it
stopped short. Shortstop Charlie took
one step to his right, gathered in the liner
and shot it to first. doubling Beveridge:
who thought he had to run and wanted
to make a speech about 1t, but he was
ruled out of order.
Though two were out. the statesmen
gathered in three more runs and won,
Senator Cranes team. the Steam
Rollers" consisted of Senator Crane.
pitcher; Representative James Francis
Burke of Pittsburg. catcher; John G.
Eversman, Illinois. first base; Represent
alive Burton. second base assisted by
Frank B. Kellogg. shortstop: Repre-
sentative George Lawrence, Massachu-
setts, third base; Senator Albert ]. Bev-
eridge Indiana. left field; Representative
William B. Mckinley, Illinois. center
field.
Mr.. Taft was delayed at the hotel when
the game started. and his substitute
in right field was small, black young
representative of old Virginia One of
the statesmen said the substitute ought to
60 far toward squaring the Brownsville
affair. but he regretted it right away and
said he would deny 1t If his name was
used.
The Village Cut-Up.
Senator Crane. besides organizing the
ball club and pitching, was the village
cut-up of Hot Springs yesterday. with
Senator Beverage and Representative
Burton as his victims.
Beverage arrived in the morning after
In engine had broken an axle trying to
pull him up the mountain from Covington.
He was told of the game, but declined to
play.
ii didn't put on these nice clothes to
spoil Them" he said.
That was an unfortunate remark. Sen
ator Crane managed to bring 1t in so
many times that Beveridge sought new
excuse.
Look how it is raining" he said
You can't play"
Crane said it would clear soon.
But the grounds will be wet and
muddy
"That makes it all the easier to Slide"
said Senator Crane.
Beverage gave 1t up and said he would
play
Senator Crane started down to the
village to buy rubber-soled shoes. Mr..
Burton asked him to buy pair for him.
Crane bought No. AS.
While he was gone dozen pickaninniesl
climbed on the hotel veranda and asked
for Mister Burton" He was pointed
out.
"a man down de street said you all
wants some one to play ball." said the
leader.
WAS he a tall. stoop-shouldered man
with a straw hat and a sad expression?"
asked Burton.
Yes. sab. he was a tall man." said
the darkey.
II thought So" said Mr.. Burton. Here,
take this and go away"
The other statesmen, however. insisted
that Burton must be photographed with
the Blackville Nine, which was done.
Statesmen Were Sights.
The diamond was a sea Of soft yellow
clay, so the game was played on a few
tufts of grass that grew on more soft
yellow clay. There were numerous Slip
pings and falls. and white duck pants.
which prevailed as uniform. were what
the ladies call sights" at the end of
Representative Mckinley distinguished
himself by stepping in front of the ball
each time and getting to first base by
being hit. Burton. after vain effort
to make a hit. tried McKinley's method,
but failed. The pitcher couldn't hit him.
Mckinley and Burton are built on dia-
metrically different lines.
The umpire SO outrageously favored
the Steam Rollers that Representative
Burke was forced to admit he had been
promised good job-but he wouldn't say
by whom.
WELL" said Representative Lawrence
last evening. Bryan hasn't anything on
our candidate now Taft has played base
ball. too. We ought to at least divide the
fan vote
1T was quite a coincidence, Mr.. Taft"
said one OF the spectators, that your
son should catch your fly"
Coincidence" Mr.. Taft exclaimed. "It
was most unfilial.'
Charlie Just grinned. These statesmen
can't play ball. he said after the game
That umpire won it for them; called all
Of US out and all of them safe. We can
beat them easy"
Mrs. Taft's comment on the game was
made to Charlie:
That Is the second pair of shoes you
have spoiled since you have been here"
she said.
Cranes Passion for Game.
Senator Crane is a great lover of the
game. Representative Lawrence of Mas
sachusetts. who is with the senator, told
this story about him: ~
when Crane was governor Of Massa-
chusetts he had his staff and the other
omcials OF the state government at his
home In the Berkshires for several days
One day We drove to Lebanon Springs, n.
Y. On the way back we came to a fine
field. and the governor ordered every one
to play ball. He had brought balls,