The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1921-08-24
Forty-six Years Ago
(From the Herald. August 25, 1879
Base Ball


Base Ball
The long expected game between
the Blackstones and the Court House
Clique came on at the Fair Grounds
on Thursday last. So many believed
the whole thing a hoax that the
crowd in ATTENDANCE was not so
large as might have been expected,
but those who did attend witnessed
the rarest fun since Jack Falstaff so
nobly vanquished the nine men in
Nbuckram on Gad's Hill.
The Weather
was arranged expressly for the game
and the huge black cloud divided at
the appointed time and the sun shone
brilliantly as the game was called by
Capts. McHenry and Gregory, who
rode into the grounds like veritable
Don Caesar de Bazans and before
whose approach all made way.
The Ball
with which the game was played was.
bought of Wayne Griffin on three
months "tick," the sum being secur-
ed by formidable replevin bond.
The Roll Call
All the members were on hand
Except Morton. who. was putting up
hay preparatory to Joining the
Changers, and Barrett, who is operat-
ing coal mine either in Alaska or
Louisville, nobody knows which,
For just Cause
Judge Baird had-been chosen UNI
pire, but coming into the grounds
with the cover of yellow-back novel
sticking out of his pocket, he was &C
cused of having read the rules of the
game, and Of course was promptly
,disbarred.
A Conditional Umpire
DR.. Griffin was accepted in his
place, because he consented to act
provided the game should be con-
tinued from day to day until an in
ming on each side was played.
The Bone OF Contention
Much fuss was made over a uni
form, all the members wishing to
wear striped stockings, except Rowe
and Strother. whose extremities re-
fused to hear of any such arrange
ment.
A Surgeon Employed
DR.. Griffin agreed for the sum of
eighty-six dollars to repair all broken
bones, binding himself to open a
hospital at the end of the game. How
much he lost will appear later on.
They Get Down To Their Work
The Cliques went to the bat with
Murrell at the home base, and just
such batting as he did probably never
has been seen, for what he was try
ing to hit no one exactly knew.
batting Extraordinary
His bat was like Pickwick's gun,
pointed in all directions. and when
he struck he shut both eyes and
trusted to luck, which always went
back on him and left him wondering
why everybody didn't tell him to run.
Gregory's Triumph
Capt. Gregory followed Murrell and
3 faced the ball under a broad grin,
resolved to do or die. He blazed
away at the ball with a, grunt, gave
fearful strike, sending the ball by
a neat mathematical calculation one
foot and seven-tenths. AS he broke
and run, his rotund figure swayed in
the sunlight. while a game of seven
up might have been played on his
long buster streaming behind The
crowd yelled, clapped hands and fair
ly roared when the gallant Captain
reached first base. Being familiar
with the game the Judge thought. as
he had started to run he must keep
right on-seeing which the Black
stones essayed the task of putting
him out. Hubbard threw the ball
to Fogle and missed him about sew
-enty feet; Hill got hold Of it and IL
? he threw at any one at all. he missed
by one hundred and forty feet. The
ball kept passing and missing in
geometrical proportion, Gregory, in
the meantime forging ahead this
bald head rejecting the prismatic
colors of the rainbow,) like ship in
the trough of the sea, wallowing.
pufing and grinning. Haynes final
ly got the ball and deliberately sat
down on it. but long before this the
Judge had got home and scored a
run, feat over which his posterity
may shed tears of fond remembrance.
alcHenry Shows EN- A New Wrinkle
When the Blackstones came to the