Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 112, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 May 1918 — ENTHUSIASM IN PERU OVER BASEBALL GAME [ARTICLE]

ENTHUSIASM IN PERU OVER BASEBALL GAME

Well-Organized Teams in the Field at Callao and Limx Large Crowd Witnesses Contest tween Team From Battleship Marblehead and Players Picked From Local Clubs. Enthusiasm in Peru over the American game of baseball, which has for years been at a high pitch, was according to advices from Callao by John J. Doyle, president of the American Sports Publishing company, fanned to a bright flame by the arrival at that port of the U. S. S. Marblehead recently. While the primary object of those on the warship was to ■ pay the respects of the American government to the Peruvian nation for the action by the latter in breaking off diplomatic relations with Germany, an important feature of the visit was a game of baseball between the Marblehead’s team and d nine of players picked . from several local clubs. The game was a pronounced success in the matter of attendance, the crowd being the largest that ever attended a similar entertainment, and while the sailor team won handily the good play by the contestants was heartily enjoyed. Callao has three well-organized teams, the Callao B. B. C., the Club Sportivo Fry and the Callao High School Athletic association. Lima, which is only twenty minutes distant by electrTc road, hps one club named the Clcllsta Lima, and there has been an interchange of games. The Callao B. B. C., which is the strongest in Peru, has played a total of 16 games during the past season, winning 12 of them. The Lima council in order to encourage the sport put up a fine championship cup, and this was captured by the Callao B. B. C., after a spirited competition. The improvement in tlje work of the various teams in Peru is shown by the close scores, while previously the figures ran up as high as 15 and 20 runs per game. The high status of baseball in Peru, according to report, is due to the Intelligent and untiring efforts of Milton M. Longshore, principal of the Callao high school; A. O. Molino and Oscar Medelius of the Callao B. B. C. and O. Delaude, pitcher and manager of the Clcllsta Lima.