Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1917-06-28
4 RED HOT BALL GAME.

A-n6O 6uVu 0Aee OAWUGs
The Red Cross ball game, be-
tween the business men of the
North and South sides of Erie
z street, was pulled off yesterday
afternoon before a large crowd
of ball Cor bawl) fans. 1t was a
red hot contest from start to
finish, more particularly the
start. No one under 81 years of
age was allowed to participate in
the game proper, although the
entire assemblage got in on the
decisions of the umpire. 1t would
be a woeful waste of space, in
these times of concentrated con-
servation, to enumerate the va
rious players, as nearly every
business man on the street par
ticipated before the game was
finished. The stellar attraction
was the we'll qualified and effic-
lent umpire, Mr.. Marcus Aurelius
Burke, ex-big league player and
umpire from Guthrie Center, who
officiated with dignity and i'm
partiality. Owing to his wonder
full efficiency and the woeful in
adequate technical knowledge of
the throng, his decisions were
loudly and strenuously pro-
tested, in fact the temper of the
assemblage reached such stage
of riot at one time that a rope
was produced, and the umpire
would have been roughly handled
but for the interference of the
police. The most vicious of the
players was Roy Mason, who
lunged at the umpire, but was
seized by other men and choked
off the field. DR.. Bowen, one of
the spectators whose sympathies
and money were for the South
side, became deranged in his an
ger and rushed at the placid UNI
pire, using base ball bat as
war club, but was restrained by
the efficiency of Abraham Dan
iels, chief of police.
Up to the fifth inning it was a
give and take game. Then the
crowd became so threatening that
Judge Dewell volunteered to quell
the turbulent seas by umpiring,
and Mr.. Burke went to the
mound. After three wild throws
over the grand stand, he was
physically disqualified, owing to
right and left subglenoid dislo-
cations and contusions of the
meduila oblongata, and had to re-
tire to the bench.
81 At the beginning of the next
inning T. M. Gilmore was hit by
ball between the mask and the
skin guards, the resultant thump
being heard over the entire field.
In the same inning j. B. Barrett,
who never even witnessed ball
game before, strained the liga-
mentum nuci in his neck by jump
ing four feet in the air in order
to stop a grounder, similar to the
way cat pounces on a mouse.
Many more instances could be
given of the intimate knowledge
of the national pastime by the
players, but space forbids. The
final score is being tabulated but
remains an algebraic x, although
it is though the final figures will
give the victory to the South
side.
An added feature to the after
noon's entertainment was the
classical musical program by
Prof. M. A. Burke, who enter
tanned the ladies with his mouth
harp and rattle bones, playing
the Evening Star from Than
houser and the death scene from
Faust. His rendition of Under
the Old Apple Tree was truly
pathetic. His realistic imitation
of steam calliope was truly re-
markable. His efforts were
heartily applauded by all.
The Red Cross ladies refresh
ment booth certainly made a hit
with the crowd and a neat sum
was realized to add to the treas
ury.
If you see business man
limping today it is a safe ques-
ton to ask what position he
played. They all played, and they
are all about twenty-five years
older today.
The success of the afternoon
was almost entirely due to Mar
Gus Aurelius Burke. Pictures of
Mr.. Burke, the worlds renowned
umpire, may be obtained at the
j. D. Brown & Son drug store.