Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-01-04

OMaAtcy ana Joe A.. N4aE&Eazn
CHALLENGE
This Is TO give notice that kbe
WaIkegvflIe baseball team win gsgav
the Butte team for bah, bat and
IL bottles Of beer. III Butte prefer.
we VIII play them for nothing em-
cept to prove which city has the
best team. Put up or shut mp."
The above announcement appeared
IN 9 Butte newspaper on Nay Gay in
1880. Butte accepted the challenge. The
contest is believed TO be the first inter-
city baseball game played in the ter
ritory. And IL you want TO know which
team won. 1t win be necessary to con-
tinue reading this story, as the CO.
authors are not going to reveal too
much information in the first two
paragraphs.
Be that as It was
Butte and Walkerville baseball play
ers and fans had a mad on at each
other back in May, 1880. WalkerviIle
boasted that it had about the nsftiest
busch Of ball players this side Of the
Mississippi river. VAUDEVILLE was an
important city. The Alice mine was
working and the Walker Bros, with
Marcus DAILY as manager, had put In a
real honest to goodness assay office and
were building q stamp mill. It was
planned as a 40-stamp mill. increased
to so before it was half completed
and then they began to talk Of max
ing 1t a 60-stamp mill. This was due
to the fact that the lode was getting
better and bigger as the working at
tanned depth. They had private the
atricals and other things.
IAN that Walkerville needs" q Butte
commentator said, els a brass band, a
newspaper and city government. ;"
Butte was just trying out its first city
government and felt important, too
Besides it had a newspaper. And a
band.
Best Ban Team
"You may have q city government"
Walkerville retorted, but we have the
best ball team this side Of" They
didn't mention the Mississippi but
locality that isn't referred to except
by clergymen, place where the Mis-
sissippi would be powerleSS to extin-
guish the fire.
Butte intimated that it was quite
some distance this side Of the unmen-
TONED locality, but 1t had pretty good
team, too. VAUDEVILLE sneered at
Butte's baseball proves. Butte scoffed
at Walkerville's claim to baseball great
ness.
your pitcher couldn't hit the plate
with handful Of sand and your base
men couldn't catch a balloon. AS for
your base runners they can't keep up
with an ore team pulling full wagon"
were few of the taunts flung at the
players on the hill-the real hill in that
day.
VAUDEVILLE fans called q mass meet
ing. The outrageous remarks of the
Butte fans were repeated with horror
and Indignation. Numerous plans for
revenge were discussed. Finally q bril-
liant mind conceived the idea of cl1al-
Longing the Butte team to a baseball
contest. Butte was modest. It was even
coy. 1t remained silent but composed
Another affront to Walkerville. Butte
hadn't even acknowledged its ch&ls
lenge. "
Walkerville sent a committee to the
Butte paper with q challenge. I'VE
viii smoke them out" the committee
declared.
The printed challenge caused verbal
garages in both municipalities. The
Butte team met in q popular thirst
1arlor one night Pep talks by players
md ardent fans interspersed rounds
u drinks. A committee was dispatched
o Walkerville to accept the challenge
md arrange details. The committee
vas empowered to notify the hill gang
hat sufficient amount of money
would be posted to cover the items in
he challenge, In the event Butte lost.
Besides playing for a bat, ball and
2 bottles of beer; Butte would play
or the territorial championship.
Negotiations Made
1t was well after midnight when the
ommittee returned, jubilant at con-
luding all negotiations satisfactorily,
S well as peacefully. The game was to
e played ON the first Sunday that it 4
idnt rain or snow. The scene of the
attic was agreed upon-the race track.
/ new race track was contemplated
nd VAUDEVILLE wanted to delay the
anne until it was built and instead of
race meet, the dedicatory program
Vould be a baseball game. Then too,
he players would have ample time to
ractice for the big event, that had a |
championship at stake. The Butte COM
littee wanted action Immediately. They
lsisted as the challenged party, the |
lutte team, was ready to go any time.
o favorable Sunday was awaited. Es
The third Sunday OF May was clear
nd cold. Long before the time an 3
ounced for play ball" q crowd had I
altered at the track. No admission I
as charged-both teams wanted their
'iendS to be on hand to see them
lay, and to be ready In case of I
NIGH hoalEA n