Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1889 — GREAT BALL PLAYING. [ARTICLE]

GREAT BALL PLAYING.

EXTRAORDINARY GAME BETWEEN CLEVELAND AND CHICAGO. Fifteen Innings Played Amid Great Excitement—Chicago Ties the Score in the Ninth, and Again in the Thirteenth Inning, and Finally Wins. [CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE.] The game of ball which was contested in this city on Friday last between the Chicago and Cleveland teams will go down in base-ball annals as the greatest that was ever played. Through fifteen innings the rival clubs fought lor victory. Twice the game was tied and twice was the tie broken amid the applause of 4,000 enthusiastic spectators. The game, being a record-breaker, deserves a good history. Dwyer and Bakely. were the opposing pitchers, and such pitching has not been seen in Chicago for many a day. In the second inning Chicago secured a run on a base on balls and two hits. In the third inning the Clevelands scored three tallies on three hits and a long fly to center, which Ryan muffed after a long run—an excusable error. In the sixth inning Cleveland made another run on a three-base hit and a sacrifice. The Chicagos struggled on from the second against hard luck and great playing. Bakely was too much for them, and during six long innings tney secured but one hit. When they came to bat in the ninth inning, with the score standing at 4to 1 against them, very few of the onlookers had any hope of their winning the game, and piobably not a man in the great audience dreamed of the exciting scenes that were destined to follow witbin the next hour. t “We’ll win this game yet,” yelled Anse, as Van Haltren came to bat. “We onlv need three runs to tie. Now line it out? But Van had other plans for himself. He didn’t line it out. but simply touched it down toward third and reach first in safety. Those of the crowd who had left their seats to hurry out of the grounds paused to see what the great roar was about. They edged back. Duffy drove the ball toward Stricker. ’i he second baseman made a bluff to put Van out on the hit, but failed, and Duffy reached first. “Anse” came up to the plate in a very excited manner. The “old man’s” eyes stuck out like ctearn puff's, aud the freckles on his face shone like carpet tacks. He waited for a good one and drove it into right. Van Haltren dashed over the rubber and Duffy reached third. The impatient ones of the crowd had resumed their seats and every one in the stands was leaning forward and stretching his neck in expectancy. All cheered and howled as Pfeffer came to bat, and they offered big money for a hit that would bring in the tying run. The secondbaseman dodged a couple of wild shoots and finally got a ball on the right corner of his stick. The ball landed against tho right wall and Duffy ran home. Anson was having a mad race for third, with the ball close behind him. McKean got close in front of him and stopped. The “old man” made a great kick and maintained it so vigorously that Curry, the umpire, allowed him the base. Every man of the Cleveland Infield crowded up to the umpire, and while the visitors were menacing him with all sorts of threats Anson started for home. He puffed in like a steam-engine, and after making a great slide plantea himself on the unprotected plate. The score was tied, and for a moment the air over the bleaching boards was clouded with cushions, umbrellas, and stovepipe hats. Any vote taken on the grounds then would have declared “Anse” the greatest man in the United States. The Clevelands hadn’t recovered from their surprise and were still kicking when their side had been retired in the tenth. McKean lost a $25 chunk of his salary lor his offensiveness to Umpire Curry. The eleventh and twelfth innings brought nothing worthy of mention. Stricker opened the thirteenth for the “Babies” with a foul tip to Farrell. Gilks dallied at the plate till he was given a base on balls. McKean walked to the rubber like a hungry man walks up to a good dinner. He didn't strike out this time as he had done on his two previous times at bat. but smashed the ball lull in the face, and sent it to the club-house. Gilks came in on the hit, and McKean reached third. “Strike him out!” “He can’t hit it!” and similar remarks came from the crowd as Tebeau came to the plate. But Tebeau did hit the ball, and the crowd dropped back with a despairing groan as the sphere flew over the wall and down the street. The St. Joe wonder cantered around the bases with a complacent smile and took a big chew from the box of gum that was handed him. The “Babies” were again three runs in the lead, and played with the feeling that the game could not again be wrested: from them. Twitchell and Faatz went out as fast as they could, and the side hurried into the field. The sun had gone to roost for the night, and twilight was lowering on the grounds when the Chicagos came to the bat in their half of tho thirteenth. Van Haltren again started the music that had tied the score in the ninth. He drove a grounder to Faatz and reached first ahead of the ball. His life was short, however, for ha was out at second on Duffy’s grounder. Duffy chased down to second on Stricker’s overthrow. Anson appeared at the plate with the same old determination, and set his teeth hard when appealed to to make a home run. He lined the ball to the ropes in the back of the grounds, but Gilks was under it when it landed. Duffy ran to third, but there he stopped'. There were two hands out when Pfeffer came to bat, and all hope had been beaten out of the spectators. Pfeffer dropped the ball in front of tne plate and Bakely made a mess of getting it to first. He stole second and still Duffy remained at third. Farrell hitsaiely to left, but Duffy clung to third. He looked as if he had gone to sleep when Burns came to bat. “Tommy” waited till the ball came over the wishbone at the proper height and then his stick fell. A short, rasping report rang in the ears of the spectators, and the three men on bases started for home. They had all crossed the rubber when Twitchell got the ball back, and “Tommy” stood grinning on second. The score tied again, and there was yet hope for Chicago. Dwyer's hit to McKean, however, putit all to Hight for this inning, and the Chicagos aga n went to the field. Neither side scored in the fourteenth and the Clevelands went down without a run in the fifteenth. Duffy opened the Chicagos’ halt with a liner that nearly tipped McKean over, but stuck in his fins. “Anse” carried his tree to the plate and ’lowed he could win the game right then and there. He shoved a sa'e single out to right and landed at the first corner. With the first ball pitched he started out with his hat in his Hand, and slid to second. “Please, Mr. Pfeffer, hit the ball,” he cried, as the scond baseman was about to swing his bat. Tho “old man’s” wish was gratified. Pfeffer hit the ball in the short ribs, and •the "old man” started for third. Here he turned and gave a scared look into the field and along toward home. The ball was racing in from center and the “old man” increased his speed. Suddenly he dropped on his shirt iront and with a regular toboggan slide slipped over the plate and into the greatest, victory the Chicago club has ever won. DIAMOND CHIPS. The Chicago Club is playing a great game just now. Chicago has played more games than any other League team. The Phillies have made 173 sacrifice hits in sixty-nine games. - - ;