The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1914-08-21
1HREsHING OVER OLD STRAW

Little credit is to be gained ragging
over ball games that have been won and
last. and paltry charges of crooked work
IN the diamond are childish unless the
evidence is overwhelming. The losing
side as a rule, is always hunting for a
loop hole, but usually it is his umps
that is held responsible for defeat. 1t is
seldom that the errors of the losing team.
or the good playing of the winning team.
when the score is close. is held respon-
sible for the other side gaining the
victory.
There was a same of ball played at
Chesaw week before last between the
Chesaw and the Oroville clubs, on the
grounds of the former club. The game
would have been credit to any amateur
teams in the state. and the playing was
so equal that Oroville won by a narrow
margin of 8 to .. Two of the best pitch
ers in north central Washington were
pitted against each other. and both did
remarkably clever work. Oroville won
on a fluke, one of those plays that so
often decide a game, and which are la
able to occur even in professional ranks.
1t is such chances that make the game
so uncertain and interesting. But the
Chesaw News charges that Davis. the
Chesaw pitcher, threw the game. Davis
is well known as player in this county
and British Columbia, and is one of the
most skiful pitchers connected with the
sport. 1t was on account of his known
skill that he was secured by Chesaw for
the series of games No such charge so
far as we know, was ever before made
against him, and he has played in a null
titude of games in this locality If ne
was guilty of such an act then fans might
as well eschew base ball in the future.
when Davis pitches, as the game would
lose all interest. If there Is any one
thing that the editor of this paper dis
pises more than another it is crooked,
or dirty, work in sports. The Gazette
would be the last paper in the county to
defend anything that savored of crooked
ball. It would rather that the home club
should lose every game played than that
1t won single game by unsportsmanlike
methods. We do not believe that the
Chesaw players feel that the game was
thrown, for as whole they are a fine lot
Of sports, and know how to put up a |
stif game against any and all comers.
II such charges of bad faith were freely
circulated several days before the game
when 1t was known that he (Davis) had
been engaged" as the News states. it
hardly stands to reason that the Chesaw
club would have put Davis in the box
against Oroville. 1t seems incredible that
Jesse Davis would be a party to a raw
throw down, for should he lose cast as a |
pitcher his occupation is gone. The play,
over which the News is roaring, came up |
as follows, the information from local
players who never play any other kind |
OF ball than clean ball, just for the sport |
OF 1t, and would be the last to take part |
In or defend questionable methods to |
win:
In the last half of the ninth inning
Hart first up, hit to short, who threw |
Wild to first, Hart taking second. Black
Ter reached first on four balls. Bryan /
was nit on the foot by pitched ball, fill |
ing the bases. If that hit was intentional |
It was a mighty fine shot. Bartel hit |
TO left, Smalley taking the fly. Hart had |
70 go back and touch third, so did not |
attempt to run in on the catch. The |
next batter, McDuffy, hit to left Small /
ley captured the fly, and as it settled in /
his hands Hart broke for home. Smalley /
threw short to the catcher. The ball
made an awkward bound over the catch
er's head and Hart scored. Had the
throw been perfect, or had the catcher
.aken the ball on the bound Hart would |
nave been out by yards, ending the in
ning' Surely the pitcher could not be
charged with the score Had he wanted |
10 throw the game all Davis had to do |
was to pass the ball down the groove and |
over the plate to such usually safe bat
ters as Bartell and McDuffy and the trick |
could have been turned
Fardon Is asked for taking up so much /
space on ball game post mortem, but |
on behalf of the home players it was not |
considered just to let the imputation Of |
crooked playing go unanswered