Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-28

should say. IN Franklin PARK, for we built nice
frame barracks there, for some months prior to
our joining the Army Of the Potomac. The
entrance to the camp was on street, midway
between Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets,
where the guard house was located. On .
recent examination Of the tee found my
initials without much trouble, Is wen Is the
initials Of . number Of our men. The guard
house was . square frame building about IS
feet square. It happened that was in the
guard house with Q dozen others for having
gone down TO o theater one night without nav
ing secured the necessary pass or leave Of
absence. We were kept there several days as q
punishment. We found that we could climb
out through the roof Of the building and get
up into the tree without being noticed BY the
guard, and We spent considerable Of the time
there. It was then that the whole Of our party
cut olir initials in the bark Of the big poplar
that sim stands there as . silent witness Of
the days when we we're younger than We are
today. The big r. r. just rs the limbs fork
out, and which are easily seen from the foot
walk are the initials Of Prank Ryan, who was
one Of the best soldiers IN our regiment, and
who afterward. with Coal Oil Johnnie, made
millions by the discovery of coal oil I'D In Oh
Greek, Pennsylvania. After the 12th Regiment,
New York Volunteers, left Franklin Square the
Sd United States Infantry was barracked in
the quarters we built there, and saw plenty
OF evidence In looking up in the same tree that
there were some young men in that regiment
also, for as any one can see they carved their
initials on the back Of the upper limbs, as well
as their company letters and regiment num-
ber.'"
A FTER the Civil War was over and things
\ began to adjust themselves, there was
renewed interest In base ball; new clubs were
formed and new players were developed and
the game became even more popular than ever.
AAA~asA
Washington. and 1t was not unusual to see
similar announcements in The Star to the fol-
lowing one which appeared on July IL, 1866:
Base Ball-At a meeting of the Gy.nnastic
Base BAN Club held at Bradys Gymnasium
last evening the following officers were elected:
President. Abner s. Brady: vice president. Frank
Myers; secretary Amos w. Abbott; treasurer,
Thomas B. Nolan; directors Thomas c. Lebo,
George A. Schriver. Frank b. Keys. The
grounds selected by the club are near the
terminus Of the Seventh Street Railroad and
are the best In Washington and the same as
occupied by the Olympic Base BAN Club. The
club composed Of the best athletes of Bradys
Gymnasium, has been organized within the last
10 days and has already over 30 members, and
win no doubt give good account Of them
selves when in practice, which they commence
at once"
For the Information of the newcomer is
might be said that Bradys Gymnasium was on
the south side Of old Louisiana avenue between
Ninth and Tenth Streets now being cleared
by the Government OF all Of its buildings and
was next to the famous old guard house, well
known to the early residents. At that time the
Seventh Street Railroad ran to its barn be-
tween street and Florida avenue, and was
the only line to run that far north, the Ninth
street line running only as far as M street,
while the Fourteenth street cars stopped at S.
PY 1867 Washington had developed a team
y that made real bass ball history 1t was the
National Club. quite likely reorganization Of
the one which played so well seven years before.
It's players were composed mainly of Govern
ment clerks and included: George Wright,
shortstop and team captain; W. F. williams,
pitcher, law student; Frank p. Norton catcher,
clerk in Treasury; q. A. E. Fletcher first base,