The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-06-17
COLLEGES CELEBRATE 51ST BASE
BALL GAME.

BALL GAME.
Williams and Amherst Observe First
Meeting, which the Latter Won by
Is to 30.
Amherst, Mass-The Williams
Amherst baseball game last week
marked the fifty-f1rst anniversary of
the first game between the two teams,
and incidentally the same anniversary
of intercollegiate baseball.
| Extracts from a newspaper Of July
| I, 1859, give a rather whimsical &C
count of the game and the causes
which led to it. The game took place
at Pittsfield on July /, and was won
| by Amherst by the overwhelming
score of 70 to 80. The two balls used
in the game are at the present time
in the trophy room.
This is how it came about:-At a
meeting of the college, directly after
chapel, motion was made that CAM
herst challenge Williams to a friend
| ly game of ball, to be played at some
intermediate spot on or before July
T." which was passed by strong ma
jority. A challenge was Immediately
sent and accepted for thirteen picked
men of each college to meet June II.
The rules and regulations stated that
each party should use its own ball,
and it must always be caught on the
fly, siXty-fve runs to be the limit OF
the game The Pittsfield Baseball
Club offered it's grounds for the game,
and July l was appointed as the date.
1t is interesting to note the man
ner of selecting the men for the game.
The men were chosen by ballot from
the students at large"
There was some attempt at uni
formity of dress, as ''the Williams
team was all dressed alike" and wore
belts marked Williams but the ap-
pearance of the Amherst team was
decidedly undress. The only attempt
at uniform was the blue ribbon which
each man had pinned on his breast
1t seems that the question Of profess
sionalism entered even into the first
game, as it was "rumored that the
Amherst thrower was the professional
blacksmith, who had been hired for
the occasion"
The Amherst ball weighed two and
half ounces and was about six
inches in circumference. The Williams
Dali Was dDOuI SCNCL A1lSASS ~ SAA
conference, weighed about two ounces
and was covered with light colored
leather, so as to make 1t seen with
difficulty by the batters.
About eleven o'clock the game was
started, with Amherst having the first
inning. and at the end of the second
inning the score stood Amherst,
/: Williams, 9. Amherst grew des-
a+ hn nn1 of tho fourth
Amherst led, and continued to do so
until the end of the game, sometimes
having three TALES to one for Will
liams. After four hours OF steady
PLAYING, in which twenty-six rounds
had been played with undated in
terest on the part of the spectators,
the game was decided finished and
Amherst was declared a winner by
a score of 73 to 80.
No gloves of any sort were worn
at this time, nor was there any
thought of masks, breast protector or
any of the baseball paraphernalia
which is used now.
1t is often remarked nowadays that
the players in times past used to play
each for himself, without any regard
for team work, but the following eX-
tract proves that this was not so:-
THE throwing of the two parties
was about equal, the catching OF Am
herst superior, but the pivot on
which the whole game turned was the
drill. Every Amherst player had
bound himself to obey all the COM
mands of the captain, let the result
be what it might, trusting to his over
sight. The game was a silent one, no
unnecessary conversation was car
ried on and every man played as IL
the reputation of the college rested
ON his getting a tally. ALI this drill,
however, was not attained by frequent
meetings of the club, but by placing
one man at the head"
The news OF the game reached Am
herst about eleven o'clock that night
by a special messenger, who went
through the streets shouting, Am
herst wins, 70 to 32!" The students,
who had tired of waiting for report,
had gone to bed, but they were soon
aroused and sent a special embassy
| to President Stearns, asking for per-
mission for a general celebration. The
president was absent, but permission
was given by Miss Stearns for such an
important event as this, so bells were
rung, bonfires lighted and the night
spent in cheering for the victorious
players.
Of the Amherst men who played In
that first game but two are now living
besides the Amherst umpire. +. +.
Tower, go, is now a clergyman In
Poughkeepsie, N. Y; Marshall u.
Cushman, 81, can be found at the Pat
ent Office in Washington, D. c., and
the umpire, L. r. Smith, SO, is now
United States Senator.