Evening star., 1945-08-26

how the game made out, and knowing
The Stars Sunday audience would be
equally interested, turned over the pages
until he came to June 7, 1860, and there
he found the result, 40 to "a, the Ma
tionals being on the short end and the
Excelsiors of Baltimore the victors.
Evidently the baseball season was
about as long then as it is at present,
for on September II of the same year
we find two local teams-the Nationals
and the Potomacs-crossing bats. The
Star grew rather enthusiastic in its ac-
count of the forthcoming game as pub
lished on September 8, and went out Of
Its way-85 years ago-to make a pre-
diction which time has fulfilled to the
fullest-and baseball is, and probably
will be, the American national game. y"
Lady Spectators
Some folks also seem to think that
the attention given by the ladies to
the game is matter Of recent years,
but the account which follows shows
this to be far from the case, since from
the very beginning members of the fair
sex have been enthusiastic rooters
whenever it was known that two good
clubs would meet, and for verification
we submit what The Star said Sep
tember 8, 1860:
I'VE are much pleased to see that
this manly sport, until lately confined
to the North and East, is beginning to
be duly appreciated in our Southern
cities. Combining grace quickness and
strength in the requisites for a good
player. it gives an amount of open-air
exercise that can be obtained In no
other game that we know of, and in a
community where the large majority
Of the young men lead so sedentary
lives. as In Washington, it has long
been desideratum.
Last spring the Potomac Club-which
is the pioneer organization Of the South
played several interesting and closely
contested matches which gave a great
impulse to the game, and now we have
here three thoroughly organized clubs
the Potomac, Nationals and Pythians
besides host OF minor organizations.
"On Tuesday next the Potomacs again
try their skill against the National Club
We are informed by amateurs that
these clubs are both in fine playing con-
dition, and were never more evenly
matched than now, and we advise all
anxious to see closely fought and
exciting game to be present at sharp 2
last matches cared well for the softer
sex and gave them as good accommo-
dations as the nature Of things allowed,
to say nothing Of the good looking COM
mittee of five who looked so gallant
and so warm. They were rewarded, too,
for all-or nearly al-the ladies of
Washington lent their presence to en-
courage their champions"
An Early Baseball Story
And the game came of as scheduled,
and The Star in its writeup placed. in
history not only one of our earliest base
ball contests, but recorded for all time
the names of the players who took part
in the contest, and besides gave de-
scription of the costumes worn by the
players, matter the historian appre-
ciates, since old accounts of current
events are rarely satisfying as to details.
This is The Stars account of the
game:
"Baseball.-The match game between
the Potomac and National Clubs-An
exciting match game between the first
nine of the Potomac and National Clubs
was played yesterday afternoon on the
grounds of the Potomac Club, situated
south of the Presidents house For
some time previous to the commence
ment of the game the executive COM
mittee charged with the duty of receiv-
ing invited guests were actively en-
gagged in that capacity, and at the time
set for the game to begin a large
crowd of ladies and gentlemen had as
sembled to witness the exciting sport
about to ensue. The opposing mines
were as follows: On the part of the
Nationals-Messrs. Brown. Hibbs, Cor
man, French, Dooley, Beale, Wright.
McCanant, Benner. On the part Of
the Potomacs-Messrs. Smedberg, Big
ger Robinson, Trook, Hartley, Wood,
Mitchell, Camp, Wise.
'The Nationals were dressed in deep
blue pants and jackets and red belts.
with Jockey caps and chamois leather
CATERS well clogged at the heel and
ball; while the uniform OF the Potomacs
consisted of light gray dress of similar
fashion in all respects. both sides pre-
senting very fine appearance, ex-
hibiting as they did some of the best
proportioned thews and sinews in this
community. The preparations having
been perfected. the word was given to
play, and the boys went at it in fine
style. The playing was good on both
sides, many fine strikes, runs and
catches being made. On the part Of
the Potomac Club, Messrs. Wood. Trook,
Hartley and Bigger batted exceedingly
well, and Mr.. Mitchell exhibited splen.
did running, often making 4 base while