The mirror., 1919-08-21
M. S. P. Baseball Record
for Three Years

This year, 1919, is the sixth season of
M. S. P. baseball, the Saturday baseball
privilege having been granted the inmates
in the spr,ng of 1914. During these six
years the baseball team has become the
chief summer attraction in the recreational
and amusement department of the in
stitution, and the prison management, re-
alizing that the inmates are just as keenly
interested in the great American game as
the most ardent fans on the outside, have
spared neither pains nor expense to make
the M. S. P. team the equal of any anna
fteur organization in the state. To this end
hrst-class diamond has been laid out, the
very best baseball equipment it is possible
to get was bought, and uniforms procured
that for utility and appearance are second
TO none.
But these things are minor considers
tions: the principal thing is the team itself.
At first. during the seasons of 1914 and
1915, a team was chosen in a sort of a hap
hazard fashion from among the 800 or 900
men with no great attempt at a regular Or
ganizatlon; but Notwithstanding, large
percentage of the games with outside teams
we're won even then. With the opening of
the 1916 season, however, the team was
built up as a regular organization, with a
manager in charge, and practice hours ev-
cry DAY when weather and other conditions
permitted.
All men who were ball players, or
thought they were, and aspired to play on
the team, were given a tryout, and from
this large amount of material the regular
team was carefully picked. Today the
M. S. P, as prison team, is in class by
itself. From all information that we can
gather from various prison papers there
is not another prison baseball team in
the country that would be able TO break
even with the M. S. P. in series of games
were it possible 10 bring them together.
The main reason for this is, of course, that
this prison is so situated. being only two
hours travel from the large cities of St.
Paul and Minneapolis. that a great many
high-t lass amateur teams, and some semi
professional teams, too, are usually anxious
to play at least one game here during the
season, so that as a general rule the
Nj. S. P. is pitted against teams that are as
strong, if not stronger, than what they are
themselves. Besides there are numerous
small town teams in the neighborhood that
are the equal, and sometimes the superior,
of the city teams. Playing against all these
strong teams, therefore, gives the Nj. S. P.
no lack of opportunity to prove itself
worthy of being challenged for baseball
honors by any of the strongest of amateur
aggregations.
During the three seasons of 1916, 1917
and 1918 the M. S. P. broke a little bit
better than even. They played 81 games
| with outside teams, won As and lost 36,
giving percentage of $50. Including the
game of August 16, 1919, they have played
since the beginning of 1916, SO games with
OUTSIDE teaInSs won o4, lOSt IA, percentage
.551.
Following is the record of number of
games played, won and lost, with percent
ages, and the lineup at the opening and
closing game of each season for the years
1916, 1917 and 1918, and date, name of
team and score for opening game of 1919:
Games played Won Lost Pct.
1916----27 ii 13 .519
The opening game was with the Stark
els on May 6, but no regular record was
kept of the lineup until May 20, when the
All-Stars played. This game was won by
the M. S. P. Z to 6.
Line-up-Page IS, Lew RI, Fan ct, Brad