The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-07-30
FIRST COLLEGE BALL CAME

shires, nevertheless the game in some
| respects was not unlike the ball of
| today. The style of play known as
the inside game" and brought to per-
lection by the Giants and the Cubs,
was an important factor in the strug-
gle.
/ The pivot on which the whole
game turned says an old account,
speaking of the Amherst team, twas
the drill. Every player bound himself
to obey all the commands of the cap
tain, let the result be what it might
owing to his oversight or cunning.
| The game was silent one and no UNI
necessary conversation was carried on.
Each man played as if the reputation
of the college depended upon his
scoring a run
With such discipline, which rivaled
the well known theories of John ].
McGraw in the matter of playing the
game, it is not surprising that Amherst
got her all the credit shrdl urdluoio
got more than twice as many runs
as it's opponents While the funeral
silence which prevailed might not be
looked upon with favor today, never
theless the team work was all that the
most eXacting manager might ask.
Balls Like Pumpkins.
Since victory or defeat depended
on the captains strategy and cunning,
the situation demanded considerable
ingenuity on the part of the leaders.
Each side had its own ball. differing
in size and weight from that put in
play by the other team. The Am
herst ball was six inches in diameter,
and weighed two and half ounces.
The Tall can still be seen in the trophy
room in Pratt gymnasium at Amherst
and it's lumpy surface presents a cur
ious contrast to the modern base balls
which represent Amherst victories in
subsequent years. The Williams ball
was seven inches in diameter, and
lighter, weighing about two ounces.
The Williams captain, with infinite
cunning, had the ball covered with
light-colored leather, 80 as to make it
be seen with difficulty by the batters,
as the account says.
After Williams had accepted Am.
herst's challenge thirteen men were
selected from each college to make
up the team In picking the men, abili
ty seemed to be of secondary impor.
lance. The honor of playing was sc
great that only the most popular were
deemed worthy of entering the strug-
gle. The players were chosen by ballot
from the students at large, and it did
not matter whether they could play
or not. The Pittsfield base ball club
offered its grounds for the game, and
July was the day appointed.
When the teams took the field they
appeared as if going on fishing ex-
cursion. The men put on their old
clothes and prepared to rough it. The
account says that the williams team
was dressed alike, and wore belts
marked Williams" but that the APP
pearance of the Amherst team was
decidedly undress." The only attempt
dl uilllOIiH Was the Dlue IlDDOi
which each Amherst player had pinned
on his breast
From the very beginning of col
legiate base ball it seems that the
question of professionalism was an
issue. In the first game which was
played the rumor was circulated that
"the Amherst thrower," as the pitcher
was called, was a professional black
smith who had been hired for the oc
casion" Judging from the size of the
balls player of more than ordinary
strength and stature was doubtless
needed. The professional twirler
however, did not bother with puzzling
curves or spit balls, and apparently did
not have a great deal of speed. If he
did, the catcher must have been a
man of considerable courage, for he
wore neither mitt, mask, nor chest
protector All of the base ball parap
hernalia which is now used was lack
ing
The rest of the team played with
bare hands also. but doubtless there