East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-05-23
BATTLE OF LEADERS RESULTS
IN VICTORY FOR PENDLETON
Great Game Played on Local Grounds
Observation-Disclosures OutpIay
Colts I'm Field Work But Batting
Rally Saves Day for Latter.
Standing of Teams.
. ~s>>>>~~~~>>>>s =

80 = = 80
I'VE have met the enemy and they
are ours" When Commodore Perry
coined that phrase to convey the glad
tidings Of victory, he little wot that
1t would be the chanted refrain Of a
full mouthed chorus of Pendleton
fans almost a century later. But it
happened even so, and the why and
wherefore is thusly:
Frazier's Colts and the Weston
Mountaineers, after several weeks of
vain boasts, taunts and threats. clash
ed in open battle yesterday at Matlock
park, and when the hot smoke of the
engagement had drifted lazily heaven
ward, victory and defeat had been
written into the history of the Blue
Mountain league, and while forth from
the camp of the Colts issued exultant
cries of triumph, in the bivouac of the
visitors a doleful dirge told Of dead
hopes and lifeless spirits, and there
was weeping and wailing and gnash-
ing of teeth -.
The score of s to 8, which is en-
blazoned upon the score books, would
seem to indicate that the contest was
not fraught with exciting rivalry, but
right there Is where figures tell not
the truth, for the game was undoubt-
edly in the superlative class of thrill
producers. In the beginning, the star
Of victory seemed shining for the
Weston boys alone, for, although Har-
Ian was pitching fine ball. the remain
der of the team played in genuine
kindergarten form. Not single
chance was accepted by the infield
until the fifth inning, and by that
time three runners had circled the
bags for scores. AS up until this can
to not one of the Colts had been with
in sight of the home rubber. the spir-
its of the Weston supporters were like
effervescent joy water and there was
a golden glitter from the back gall
lery as they sought to place their
sinners on their champions. However
be il said in passing, that many
kopec that belonged to those bowling
betters now nestles in the pockets of
the sporting gentry of Pendleton.
1t was in the fatal fifth that the
balloon of the Mountaineers began lts
ascension into the empyrean atmos,,
phere. and before il had again settled
upon old.terra firma at the end of the
sixth. the tickle goddess of fortune
had shifted her favors and eight blue
colts had made round trips for tallles.
In these two innings. Slabster Wheel
er. the twirling phenom of Weston
who had been shooting the ball over
the plate in a puzzling manner, came
I'm for his bumps. Ward, Frazler's
new ACQUISITION behind the bat, was
first up and sent out sizzling single
through the groove between first and
second. RAIDER followed with a neat
safrifice, and Harlan came to bat with
chance to start the scoring WIN
a mighty swat he sent the Spaulding
far into the left garden and took two
bases on the hit, while ward scam
pered to the plate, Hays raped the
ball to short and reached first on the
unsuccessful attempt to catch Harlan
AT third. Collins laid one down the
third base lire and reached first, but
Harlan was tagged trying to reach
the rubber Dickson filled the pases
by a pretty single. and then came the
great thriller of the day. Nelson was
next at bat. and his face was not gooo
to look upon as he picked up ms
bludgeon and walked slowly TO the
plate. There was that about MS at
titude that suggested the hero or a
Tip Top Weekly in do-or-die act
His lips we're tightly drawn. his jaw
firmly set, and steely glitter flashed
from his steady eyes. Nelson had en-
dured much during the day Tor the
Weston fans had made him the target
for their jeers and jibes. and ms
proud spirit rankled against his for
mer fellow townsmen. 1t was theh'
with malice in his heart and desire
for vengeance burning in his soul
that he faced the pitcher with two
down. the bases full and the score )
to 1 against his team. The crowd, too,
realized that the crisis was come anu
a hush fell upon the scene, The twlrl-
err glanced uneasily around and then
delivered a bender at the grim fig
ure before him. Nelson stood un-
moved and in stentorian tones the UNI
pire beloved Ball one" Again the
form on the mound unwound Itself
and a second shoot was on its way
This was the one for which Nelson
waited and he swung his club with
mighty force. sharp crack follow
ed and the horsehide globe hurtled
through the air with the velocity or
a comet at its perihelion. The men
on bases were off like hounds slipped
from the leash and when the pellet
had been relayed back to the scene
of play, all three of them had record
ed at the tally pan. AS. he stood
breathing heavily on the second bag,
a smile played over the grim visage
of the Battler and II. was the smile OF
exulting triumph. His honor was vim
dicated and the thought that his deed
had won the game served as a sooth-
ing balm to assuage the pain of
wounded pride.
In the next inning four more marks
were added to the Pendleton columns
when two passes by the pitcher, two
sacrifice hits and a scorching two
sacker by Dickson demoralized the
disciples of Keefe. After that there
was nothing doing by either team and
Weston called the game in the eighth
ip,, In, % La