The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-08-14
By n. II. MORLEY.

manner. each club looking out for itself
and all bent on making a creditable
showing
The season OF 1905 saw some Roadway
being made toward the organizing OF
amateur leagues. and the Sunday School
League. with ten clubs. entered the field,
followed by the Commercial League OF
eight clubs and the District League with
eight clubs
1t might be well to state at this point
that one Of the chief reasons for the
failure to organize amateur leagues was
the lack OF facilities In the way Of play
ing grounds. and there was more or less
opposition on the part Of some Of the
authorities to the playing Of baseball on
the vacant lots of the city.
The three leagues mentioned started the
season under most suspicious conditions.
but before the race was half run several
OF the clubs in the Commercial League
dropped out and others were formed 20
take their places. The season was not a
successful one, and the title Of cham
pions was clouded by charges made by
several OF the other clubs. In the Dis
trict League dissension in the ranks sue
ceeded in wrecking the organization and
the race was abandoned
The Sunday School League enjoyed a
most successful season and its triumph
did much toward helping the sport in
1904. The interest In the race for the flag
never Jagged for an instant. and a high
grade Of amateur baseball was main
tanned at all times. The Gunton-Temple
team finished In the van and were &C
corded the title Of champions.
Roosevelt Boosted Sport.
The season Of 1904 started and ended
most brilliantly and to ex-President
Roosevelt must be accorded great
measure Of the credit This ardent ad-
vocate Of the outdoor life authorized the
throwing open Of the White Lot TO the
amateur baseball players Of the District.
Up TO this time these grounds had been
forbidden them, but acting under In
structions from the President. the COM
missioner OF buildings and grounds plan
ned and laid out three magnificent dia-
monds. Reconnaissance mcfarland was
present at the opening of the season,
making a short speech. and delivering
the first ball. The venerable Father OF
Baseball" Henry Chadwick. and Nick
Young the ex-presldent Of the National
League. were also present. the latter be-
coming a regular attendant at all the
games. Official sanction being thus
given the sport. It Immediately grew in
popular favor and came 70 the front
with leaps and strides
The Sunday School League was the
outgrowth OF the healthy rivalry which
sprang up between the athletic teams OF
the various churches. dating back as far
as 1901 and 1902. when an effort was be-
ing made to promote athletic exercises
for the young men. In 1901 and 1902 the
Fourth Presbyterian. Gunton-Temple.
and Temple Baptist churches maintained
baseball teams, which, although they
were in no league, occasionally PLAYED
games with each other The interest be-
came so pronounced that the managers
Of these three teams met and talked
over the possibility Of organizing league
and other churches being Invited to join,
the federation was completely organized
in March, 1903, under the names Of the
Amateur Athletic Association OF the
Churches OF Washington.
The league was made up Of Gunton-
Temple, Fourth Presbyterian. Temple
Baptist, Sixth Presbyterian. Calvary
Baptist. and Wesley Methodist Episcopal
churches. The first schedule ran from
May IS to July %, and the season was
a great success in every way. All the
games were played al Columbia road and
Lydecker avenue northwest D. p. VOL
haupter was the first president. and the
Guntcn-Temple team won the champion
ship after hard fight
In December Of this year invitations
were extended to certain other churches
and the league was organized with
twelve clubs for 1904. Fourth Presbyterian
winning the flag and Gunton-Temple and
Foundry being the runners up tied for
second place. George A. Provost was
president that year and was reelected
in 1905
Divide Teams I'm Two Sections.
With so many teams in the organiza-
ton. It became unwieldIy. and a plan
was formulated whereby this could be
remedied, the twelve clubs being divided
into two sections. A and 3. Section A
played on the lot at Columbia road and
Lydecker avenue and b played at Four
teenth and A streets northeast. Gunton-
Temple again won the flag in section A,
while Fifth Baptist took FIRST place in
the B section. In the pay-off Gunton-
Temple won hands down FOR the final
honor
In 1906. with r. w. Bolgiano president,
Foundry won the flag after a hard race
with Calvary Baptist. only one game
separating the teams at the close OF the
year. At the close Of the 1906 season OF
the Sunday School Athletic Association,
Frank A. Carpenter organized the present
Sunday School League. the Ninth street
team being the only club from the old
| organization 10 throw in its lot with the
new circuit Mr. Carpenter was the first
president. and the league was composed
OF the following teams: Ninth street
Christian. Rhode Island Methodist. Waugh
Methodist. First Methodist Protestant
and Bethany. which joined afSer the sea-
son had started and which won the pen
nant from Ninth by one game, after the
latter had lost the play-off Of tie
game with Rhode Island Methodist. The
teams composing the league in 1908 were
Grace Baptist. Ninth Street Christian