Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-14
DIAGRAM Of OLo GALL FleLD-

| drinks. Betting ran wild. Fist fights
were in order after every game. But
this new game of base ball was, after
all, a most respectable pastime. The
| best families took it UP and, from
the first, conduct at the games was
| such as to permit young ladies to
| attend.
A MONG these still living who
watched those early games there
are some who maintain to this day
that the old-time Nationals of 1867
were the greatest aggregation Of base
| ball players who ever represented
Washington on the diamond. The
regular lineup was: Parker, center
field; Williams and Jones, pitchers;
Wright, second base: Fox, third base:
Studley, right field; Fletcher, first base;
Smith, shortstop; Berthrong, catcher;
and Robinson, left field. Fox and
Berthrong were Georgetown college
boys. They led the team in batting.
Eight or ten home runs in game
were not unusual for Fox, and his
fellow collegiate often would garner
five or six. Williams, considering
the restrictions under which he labor
| ed and the memory which he has left
markable pitcher. According to the
rules OF the game. he could throw
only an underhand ball. Anything
hurled from above the shoulder was
| illegal. He had to depend on speed
alone. Curves and all the other trick.
cry Of base ball were unheard of.
These men probably represented
Washington on the diamond much
more intimately than has any team
since. Their relation was rather that
OF college team to its alma mater
than that Of a professional organiza-
ton to its city.
During July of 1867, having beaten
all the Eastern teams which could
be induced to visit Washington, the
Nationals invaded the West. They
were the first team ever to do so.
| They left Washington attired in
smart blue flannel pants and checked
shirts and the trip was SO successful
that the teams triumphs shared the
| front pages Of the Capital newspapers
OF the day with the trial of John II.
Surratt for completely in the assassi
nation OF Abraham Lincoln.
The first victory came in Cincin-
| natl, where the Washington team beat
the Buckeyes Of that city, So to IL,
| In six-inning contest. This required
three hours, when the game was call
ed to enable the visitors Ito partake
! OF a collation. provided for their en-
tertainment," before their train left
for indianapolis. The game was dis.
tlnguished by four home runs and
the score by innings was as follows:
5 80 p 7 81
0 3 0 3 2 4
Two days later the Washingtonians
engaged the Westerns of indianapolis
and in nine innings, which lasted
hours and 80 minutes, beat them
by the modest score of log to 81, in
spite of the recorded fact that the
Westerns caught more flies than the
Nationals and in the eighth inning
the visitors went out in order on flies
| to the outfield."
Says the sports writer of the day:
Some beautiful hits were made by
Fox and Berthrong of the Nationals,
| one OF the former travelling at least
zoo yards, and upon which a hand.
| some home run was scored. Williams,
the pitcher, is a real catapult. 1t Is
| impossible to tell when or where he
will throw. He throws very wild and
awful peppery, but when he eomes
| to bat his score falls behind any of
| his associates.
'At the close of the game three.
| times-three' and a Tiger were given
| by the Nationals for the Westerns,
indianapolis and the ladies'. The
Washington gentlemen have made
many friends here by their excellent
bearing. McVey of Indianapolis was