Imperial Valley press., 1908-12-05
IMPERIAL LEADS
 DESERT LEAGUE Four Teams Closely Punched And All Five Closely
 Matched
El Centro Team Loses to HoltviIe On Errors--lmperial and Calexco Win Hot Games Scheduled, For This Week-Umpire Question Is Satis- factorly Settled.

This week finds the baseball situa- tion in Imperial Valley more interest ing than ever. By defeating Brawey Sunday, while Holtville was applying coat of whitewash to El Centro, I'm perial goes into first place. CaleXico Is second and Holtville and El Centro are tied for third. Brawley, playing good ball, but losing by narrow mar gins, brings up the rear
 So closely punched are the teams that the results of this weeks games may bring about an entire reversal of positions Fl Centro will play Calexi- co at CaleXico and with a strength ened team will endeavor to arrest the victorious progress of the Border City nine next Saturday. On Sunday I'm perial will play Fl Centro in El Cen tro, and the fans predict that the big gest crowd of the season will witness at that time hot fight for the leader ship of the pennant race. Holtville will play Brawley on the same day and hopes to creep up step farther in the percentage column.
 HoItvIIe's Fine Playing.
 The game at Holtville Sunday brought no satisfaction to the big crowd of El Centro rooters who went ever by special train to see the local team go against the great Browning who now does the twirling for the Rastsiders. Browning was there with the wing all right and allowed his opponents but three scattered hits. Burness got one good single and Hutchinson another. Harkins, the first man at the bat in the fourth inn ing, smashed out double between center and right, but could get no farther, the following three batsmen being easy outs.
 Trippet pitched his first game for Bl Centro and he, too, made good. Because of execrable support, he was compelled to pitch fifty per cent more than should have been necessary, but he never weakened and held the Holt vile men down to three hits Holt ville's three runs were due to errors and almost every man on the team contributed to the error column.
 Browning's wonderful pitching Shep- ards timely hits and the general good fielding of the players were the fea- lures.
 A conspicuously satisfactory feature of the game was the umpiring of Twomey, professional umpire from the Pacific Coast League, whose de- eisions were invariably prompt and ac curate
 The special train service over the HOltOn Inter Urban was excellent. The big crowd of rooters was handled quickly and comfortably and good time was made on both the outward and return trip Such satisfactory railroad service makes trip of this kind pleasure instead of a discom- fort and Assistant Manager Robert Moore is to be congratulated on the completeness of his arrangements.
 Hard Hitting by Locals.
 The game Saturday between El Cen tro and Santa Barbara was walk over for the home team by a score of nine to two. Fl Centro was ctraO uth anad hwy E,o ctorI,y and NNoIIc of Imperial. Marshall started in to pitch for Santa Barbara and for three innings had the home batters at his mercy, striking out eight of the first nine men who faced him. Easterly started the trouble with a terrific drive over the center field fence in the fourth Ordinarily it would have been home run, but perfect fielding cut it down to a three bagger, liar kins, Mcclellan, Burness and in fact every man on the team began to hit, and with the help of few errors by Santa Barbara drove Marshall out of the box and made life burden for his successor. It was a strong team which the locals presented and one hard to beat.
 Other Games.
 Sunday morning Imperial played the Santa Barbara Merchants team a sev- en inning game, defeating the visit ors 3 to 8. Andy Broadbent was in the box for Imperial and allowed the visitors thFee hits and struck out