Palisadian., 1915-01-16
GEORGE JOHNSON
WRITES FROM INDIA.
Palisade Boy Tells of an Inter.
esting Game of Base Ball in
Bombay Last November.

George A. johnson, a Palisade boy
who went to Bombay two years ago
this month, writes letter to the edi-
or of "The Palisadian" which is re-
produced eXacly as written
Bambay, Nov. 18th, 1914.
Dear Mr.. Logan:-
For the purpose of New Years
story and also little baseball chat
as you sit with your feet half way in
the fireplace, and the snow balls
bouncing off your roof, | contribute
the following:
BASEBALL : ALLIES VS.. NEU-
TRAILS
The Giants and White Sox during
their World Tour a year ago, did not
perform on the sunny fields of India.
The natives were Therefore deprived
of chance to witness the national
game of u. S. A. and Japan. How
ever to somewhat assuage their grief,
two teams locked horns one fine Nov
ember morning of the present year
in which l am writing. One team
was composed of sturdy little Japs,
while the other comprised nine AM
orleans who claim varying ages from
twenty to forty years, and who left
their native heath for twenty to forty
reasons. The nucleus of the Ameri-
can was in India when the World
Tourists passed south of this land of
variety, but had as yet found no op
ponents. This game | am referring
to came about Unexpectedly and
quickly. The Japs were discovered
playing solitaire baseball one after
noon; they were challenged; the game
came off four days later; and the
Stars and Stripes were victorious to
the tune of II to 9. The score in
dicates little of the real performance
of both teams. A Jap kept the score,
but | guess he was not equipped with
sufficient carbon to record anything
but a skeleton of the game. The
umpire and the players were on the
very best of terms, in fact so friendly
that there was good natured rivalry
to excel in the error column. Through
the courtesy of the Bombay Gym
khann, we secured an excellent field
of play, in fact probably the smooth
a baseball on. Another important
point in baseball is to have bases,
balls, bats, gloves, ETC., and these were
entirely supplied by the Japs who
were the proud possessors of every
thing necessary. Our equipment con-
sisted of one so cent ball, and another
ball too old and worn to tell of it's
value if it ever had any. The game
was one big laugh from start to
finish, and if you were acquainted
with the personnel of our team, 1
could make you burst open with
laughter. The game started at 7.30
a. m. and the ball was little hard
to handle for the first half of the game
owing to dew on the grass. Our
spectators were fairly numerous, and
one saw Americans on the side lines
explaining few points of the game
to Englishmen and Scotchmen. The
Jap team had many ardent rooters
from their native land, including three
or four Japanese ladies'. Parsees,
Hindus, and Mohammadans looked on
with puzzled faces. Old Sol soon got
to work, and it was very hot work
for both of US. AS no one else ever
performed in the box, l was selected
to do the fiinging, and started the
game without having thrown a ball
in over two years. The fact that my
arm was not even bit lame the next
day, is something for eminent doctors
to explain. But it was not so with
my legs and many of the fellows
could hardly walk for the next three
or four days. The Japs worked two
pitchers, but our fellows, who are
used to hitting little golf ball,
simply knocked that baseball all over
the field. remember reading an
account of a game between the young
ladies across the Hudson, and the
place on July Fourth last, | believe.
The account showed that Miss Eloise
McClave was Eat bat" four times, and
got five hits. Well we didn't bat as
heavy as that, but met the ball fairly
quite frequently Reverting again to
the pitching, no one was hit by
pitched ball, and thus no diplomatic
questions arose as to hostile inten-
tions on either side am enclosing
photos taken after the game. We are
now considering the advisability of
sending home for an equipment for
two teams, as we think our English
cousins here in Bombay would enjoy
learning the game If you happen
to have an old copy of the 1898 or
1910 rules you don't want, why just
send it along with the next Palisad-
ian. The line up, and score by in
nings was as follows:
Japanese team. Position. Amer. team
Yamamasu Pitcher Johnson
Kawamura Catcher Sherwood
Yebihara Short-stop Houchins
YanO LIST Base Neeper
Mimura End Base Miller
Sasada 3rd Base Grant
Yamamoto Right Field Pelton
Takayanagi Centre Field Reasoner
Kaneko Left Field Malone
Score by innings
America .... 2 A 30 0 2 3 1 o 5-17
Japan ...... 2 0 0 0 1 q 8
This being strictly baseball letter,
l will come to close after wishing you
and yours full nine innings of health
and happiness during. the New Year.