The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-09-02

STORIES OF VERNON
Local Ball Team Comes In
For Great Praise
ITS BIG RECORD AT FAIR
tits An Organization Made Up
OF the Homa Town
Boys

Vernon Center, Aug. 31.-The three
ball games and the speakers at the
Blue Earth County fair at Garden City
last Thursday and Friday were the big
drawing cards and features OF the fair.
Two games were scheduled for the
first day, Vernon Center VS. the Jack
son Lake club, at one O'Clock, and Rap
idan VS. Good Thunder at four o'clock
1t is said that one OF the largest
crowds that has ever Witnessed a ball
game at the fair was On the lines and
on the bleachers long before the
games started, to cheer their favorite
team to victory.
In the game between Vernon Center
and Jackson Lake the fair board was
called upon to name the winners. at
ter some controversy over the umpireS
chosen. An umpire to call both balls
and strikes and also to umpire the ba-
SEES was chosen. The fair board was
very fair in their choice and named
Mr.. Just of Rapidan. The ground rules
were soon agreed upon and the game
started. The local boys were up to bat
first. Zenk, the famous southpaw,
who pitched such a splendid game
Sunday before, was in the box, TOR re-
yenge. He went into the box with
high hopes of victory, but it was evil
dent before he had finished the Sec
Iond inning that he was not up to his
true form. The local boys had their
batting clothes on and were determin-
ed to smash the old pill over the eat
ing house or over the trees and into
the river When-the game was over
and the official scorer counted the hits
it was surprising wnen he announced
nineteen. Noonan was the same in
vincible star on the mound as he had
been in so many games before. His
support looked like stone wall with
Jennings on first; Cafhey on second
sixteen year old kid" Holderman on
the far corner. The field was taken
care>of by Babe, Jode and Oscar.
Although the ball grounds are more
like an ocean wave, the boys proved
themselves feet footed and seemed to
be everywhere the ball was. Babe,
the old veteran of many battle, pulled
down three nice ones. Zenks sup
port was not quite so good even the
old war horse Jim Sharp, missing a
couple of easy ones. They say that
thirteen is unlucky. but that was the
number of scores put over the home
plate. The jackson Lake boys only
were able to get three hits on OF
Stub" which netted them two runs
of the purse and an opportunity to
play the winners of the Rapidan Good
Thunder game on the following day
Time was called and the program al
the speakers platform was called. Al
ter the program was finished the UNI =
Lpire called the game. Hank Evans
had the umpiring all to himself.
The agreement between these teams
twas that both teams were to use home
players only. When Good Thunder
Iappeared on the ground with three
Ihired players Rapidan felt that they
kwere not being dealt fairly with
They made no-great protest though,
land went on with the game. And by
1.-THE way, Rapidan has given Good
summer. We believe If the Indian
town had stuck to its agreement II
would have been "skun" again.
The Rapidan boys were game and
showed considerable class, but the
odds We're against them and the score
Twas II to g. All was excitement fol-
it meant that the game on the morrow
would be hard fought one. The line
mp was Vernon Center VS. Good Thun-
fder. ~. ...,..-.
Friday both teams were on the
grounds. Good Thunder had with them
Tour new players, pitcher, first base
Hman, short stop and right fielder. The
fRgreement had not been lived up to
and the Vernon team refused to play
unless the two players from Mankato
fwere eliminated. Good Thunder would
twas then left to the fair board and
mot play il they could not use these
1.-TWO particular players. The matter
they ruled in favor of Vernon Center
Finally the board made the request
that the differences of the two teams
be compromised. We say it was no
compromise though, 1t was simply all
hog or none. The matter of an UNI
pire was left to the fair board and
they named Merit Meixell of Lake
Crystal He was not fair In his de-
cisions.
After the game of the Sunday before
we thought Good Thunder showed real
workmanship, but after the games al
the fair, we have changed our minds
Some sharp fielding was done and
the local boys really showed the most
class in the field. And they had the
support OF the great majority of the
fans. It showed how the uninterested
folks felt The collection Of ball play
ers made two scores in the sixth inn
ing and four more In the eighth, which
made the score to 0.
We lost the game, but we retained
our sportsmenship, and we believe
that Good Thunder can take no glory
IN the fact that they run in the most
scores. Let the whole world know
that the Vernon Center team received
the sixty percent Of the purse.
$4,000 Loss In Store Fire
jackson, Mimi, August 31.-The
general merchandise store OF Dahl &
Rasmussen at the village of Peters