The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-29

"Jrp to the third came the
deruge," quoted the Ordinary Scribe
in the commonplace way referring TO
the game out at Broad street park
yesterday afternoon when Steve Grlf-
fms Colts trounced Harry Griffin's
Spiders to a 1873 score.
But even at that the game. was not
so bad. The score was the largest
that has been made around Rich
mond for some time, but worse games
have been played than that put up
by the college boys yesterday. The
specific game does not present itself
to the memory at the present time
but there must have been worse
games played somewhere in the an
cient history of baseball.
Stage Fright Assists.
The final score was the result of
stage fright and nervousness more
than it was caused by the difference
in the ability of the two teams. OF
course this difference was well mark
ed, for Steve has gathered together
a rather competent aggregation of
ball tossers for the coming season.
but the one thing that stood out
above all others at the game yester-
day was the inability of the Spiders
to forget the people in the stands, and
the fact that they were playing pro-
fessionals. Most of them were abs6-
lulely unable to keep their minds on
the game. The result was that easy
flies dropped to the sod and Stoves
salary seekers hung out the safe sign
around the initial station Later, as
Il general thing, they managed to
stick spikes into the rubber which
marks the home plate. Wild throws
gave the basemen plenty of exercise
after the outfielders had got theirs
chasing the long drives which several
Of the Colts managed to get off the
college twirlers, and a few instances
of pure boneheadiness could be
traced directly TO the fact that the
Spiders would not believe that they
were in a ball game.
But with the nervousness of mex
perienCe there was quite bit of real
playing intermingied and this kept
the game from being what the score
would lead a reader to believe Of it.
Several Of the college men showed up
well and especially SO with the stick.
They got after Busy in lively fash
ion at several different times during
the game and raped out a hit or two
among the many flies to the out
field.
The fielding feature fell TO the lot
of X. Lewis who Is making heroic
efforts TO make Harry Griffin believe
that he is the best man out of the
SblQGE 4tiA HSfl HPS1t4blit TIE yOIHA~
ster awoke the band Of faithful
students who were still in the park
during the fifth inning with a run
ming catch the like of which has sell
dom been made by a college player.
Newton was up and was taking his
part in the general hrOadside which
the Colt batters were giving the
Spide~ twirier, and with two and two
on him started a straight offering in
the general direction Of the left field
fence. Lewis ran backward and in
toward center field, but the wind
caught the ball and turned it toward
the foul line. He managed to get
somewhere near it as it fell and lung
ing to one side got his hands on 1t
and held tight. Considering the
windy currents the catch was I'M
usual and was the inspiration for a
cheer from the dozen faithful college
rooters in the stand
None Of the Spiders were able TO
gather more than a single hit off the
professional pitchers and the team ran
up total of four bingles. Most of
the men hit the ball, however, and
some OF the drives were for a con-
siderable distances, forcing the Colts
to exert themselves so as to prevent
scoring.
Colts Take Things Easy.
During the first two innings the
Colts took things easy and calmly
waited the break of the game 1t was
generally admitted on their bench that