Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-14
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Continued from First Pageo
some time was a leading figure in the
Cincinnati team. That Fall both
the Nationals and the Olympics
were QUILTED with new uniforms.
The latter appeared at the next game
with white flannel shirts and pants,
blue cords down the pants legs and
buckles just below the knees, light
blue stockings, white skull caps trim
med with blue cords and blue belts.
The old English letter o was embroid=
cred on the breast of each shirt. The
Nationals also were given white fan
mel shorts and pants, but the stock
ings were plaid and the caps and belts
green. The shirt breasts were en-
broidered with the old English letter
n in green thread.
Some of the other diamond uni
forms, as described by Washington
sports writer's of the period, We're
White Stockings of Chicago: White
shirts with the letter G. embroidered
on the breasts in white silk, white
! stockings, blue pants and blue caps.
Mutuals Of New York: White shirts
and pants, blue belts and green leg.
gings.
THE olympics, after a successful
home season in July, 1871, went
on a Western tour. Evidently they
had replaced the Nationals in popular
favor for the time being. The trip,
however, resulted disastrously. They
lost two games to the White Stockings
and one to the Forest City team of
Cleveland, an aggregation they had
beaten easily when it visited Wash
ington.
I'VE can only account for this lack
of success" says the Washington
sports writer of the period, by giving
credence TO ugly rumors which pre-
vail in base ball circles to the effect
that our boys were demoraliZed from
the day they left. What is needed is
a cool, clear-headed captain who viii
make them abstain, while on tour
from drinking"
That same year, however, marked
the end of the semi-professional status
of the two Washington teams. Late
in the Summer the National Profes
sional Association was organized com
prising Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago
New York, the Olympics, the Hay
makers of Troy and the Forest Cities
of Cleveland. The next Summer tht
Nationals were admitted to this circle
and the Capital was represented b,
TWO professional teams until 1875
when the present National League
was organized. Then the best ele
ments of both teams We're forged int,
a nine known as the Nationals"
The development OF professional
base ball in Washington is another
Il l..
sixties, as the scores indicate. wa:
different in several essential detail
from the national sport Of today. TIL,
regulation bali weighed 6i2 ounce
and was 1912 inches in circumference
It was composed of 2I2 ounces o
hard rubber. wound with warn AM
covered with leather. When such
ball was hit squarely it was likely +
mean a home run. The pitcher de
pended entirely on the speed of hi
underhand throw. He stood behind
line IL feet long As feet in front o
home plate. He could throw from an
point behind the line. Take AS man,
steps az he wanted to and make an
number of preliminary motions Hi
object was Ito pitch az near as pos
sible to home plate" Sometimes h
gould stand at the extreme left of tn
12-foot line and sometimes at the eH
treme right. The bearded Col. JOne:
they say sometimes would take 10 O
II steps before releasing the ball.
The batters. 1t is obvious, were i
a much better position than is tn
case today. But so were the fielder:
A ball caught on the first bound wa
equivalent to "A caught fly. Their
also We're two chances to catch fou
when it came down and when
bounded II have seen" says or
gentleman who remembers some {
The early games. IAN infielder run /
30 feet 10 catch a ball on the frs
bound and put out the batter" Thel
was no position base ball" Bot
the outfielders and infielders arrange
themselves about as they pleased.
Under these circumstances the be-
IF defensive teams was helpless befoi
on aggregation Of powerful batter
They could only stand shoapishly ar
watch balls soaring over their head
while the score of their oppohen