Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-07-22
BEST PICNIC YET.
SAY The CROCERS
Two Thousand Enjoy Outing and
Sports at Linwood, Not an Acct
dent Marring the Day.
FUN FROM MORNING TILL NIGHT
Annual Ball Game Between J0bbers
and Statesmen Interrupted by
Rain and Score Disappears.

Tired out but happy, 1000 Jolly
pleasure seekers who had spent the
day at the annual picnic Of the Rock
Island retail grocers and butchers at
Linwood, returned to their homes ear
~ last evening. and everyone declared
that the outing had been the largest
and most successful that the associa-
ton has ever given. It was fun, fun,
fun, and then more fun, from the time
the first boat load of excursionists left
Rock Island at $50 in the morning on
the steamer Sidney, until the crowd
dispersed at the boat landing at the
foot Of Nineteenth street after the re-
turn trip. The largest crowd that had
ever left on morning excursion from
the local deck was aboard the good
ship Sidney wzen it started down the
river, and the picnickers took baskets
for their dinner on the lawn. Fully
500 more made the trip in the after
noon and hundreds went down in their
autos
The annual baseball game between
the jobbing statesmen and the grocers
and butchers, which was the big draw
ing card in the long list Of athletic
events, was a grand success, giving the
hundreds Of fans who crowded the
base lines all the thrills and friIls OF
major league ball. The statesmen were
having everything their own way and
had run up safe score Of 8 to 0
when old J. Pluyius took it upon him
self to interrupt the proceedings. AS
the first few drops of rain fell every
one ran heller SHELTER for shelter and
the porches Of inn and dance pavilion
were soon crammed to capacity. In a
few minutes the skies cleared as quick
flOcked back to the diamond where
the battle had already started anew.
Horrors! Score Book Gone.
But in all the excitement caused by
the storm a most important document.
the score book. had mysteriously dis
appeared and the frantic search by
the interested combatants. as well as
uOn-cOmbatants, failed to reveal it,
This was, indeed, regrettable, for per
haps the statesmen were not really
ahead to 0-but why worry about the
score2 They had come 10 play base
ball and they still had all the nipple
ments of war. And so they went ITO
it" again. But from that on it was q
hopeless task to keep them straight,
but, speaking without prejudice, the
statesmen had little the better OF the
argument. At any rate. it was classy
ball and some real big 1eaguers were
in the few innings that were
played
While the ball game was the big
diversion, there were plenty Of amuse-
ments for those who are not baseball
fans Hundreds took advantage OF the
good music at the dance pavilion and
the older folks, as well as the young.
essayed forth on the floor and walked
and trotted and hesitated to their
hearts content. At $50 d prize waltz
drew a score Of couples and some
mighty clever stepping" was shown
The judges picked the winners from
separate couples, and the lucky ones
were Mrs. B, Mummert OF Moline and
Arnold Schmidt of Davenport. The
winners were heartily applauded
PAGES for All Glasses.
The athletic program was run off
as scheduled and the events were all
closely contested. There were races
for men. women and children, married
and unmarried, fat and thin There
was not quiet moment The last
event Of the day, the boys free-for-all
pie eating contest. was a gorgeous
affair and the kids buried their faces
into the black raspberry pastry from
ear to ear, The judges were unable
TO make a decision in this event, so
many were the contestants, but the
boys were satisfied. figuring that they
were all winners anyhow.
The steamer left the park a few
minutes before Z, and the return trip
in the cool of the evening was enjoyed
by everyone. Picnic suppers were
spread on the deck and the soda foun-
tain and candy stands did a thriving
business. The orchestra hit up the
strains of popular dance music and it
was no time at all until the boat passed
under the Crescent bridge. and locked
at the foot of Nineteenth street.
Below is a list Of the athletic events
with the winners Of first, second and
third places in each:
Foot race. girls under 12-First,