Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 September 1898 — The Suckers Play Us For Suckers. [ARTICLE]

The Suckers Play Us For Suckers.

Again, and for the third time this season, the Sheldoij, 111. team has beaten our team at base ball The last game, which took place Friday at the alleged Newton county fair, at Morocco, illustrated how much better, in some respects at least, it would have been had our base ball magnates adhered to the rule which they proclaimed at the opening of the season; namely to hire no professional players, play only with our own residents iu the club, and to have no matched games with other clubs which load up with good players or professionals from other places, v Friday, at Morocco, the original Sheldon team was out in full force, with their uniforms on. and practiced before the principal hotel until the last minute before the game was called. Thus our men would naturally suppose that Sheldon would play only their own team. In the meantime Sheldon players and backers were taking all the bets they could get, and had not a friendly Kentland man given our boys a tip as to the scheme that was an hand our rooters would not have had money enough left them to buy a toothpick; for at the last minute Sheldon run in five crack players, including the batterv, from Lexington, 111., and one from Raub, thus having only three Sheldon men left in their team. The game that followed was a good one, and the Sheldon-Lexing-ton combination only won after a hard fight by two scores for them to one for Rensselaer. Our betting gentry lost considerable, but only a little in comparison with what they would had not the Kentland man given them the tip.