Page:America's National Game (1911).djvu/103

 former game, Brooklyn took the lead in the start; but, unlike the previous game, the New Yorks failed to rally successfully. At the close of the sixth innings the Brooklyns led, 22 to 6, and at the end of the game were easy victors, having made 29 runs to 8 by their adversaries.

Another month elapsed before the final contest to decide the winner of two out of three matches came off. The date was September 10. By this time a widespread interest in the result had sprung up in both cities, and something of the spirit of local partisanship which characterizes league games at the present time was apparent. The crowd in attendance upon this event was the largest that had ever been seen on a ball field, numbering several thousands. In previous matches players from all the different clubs from each city were in the game; but in the final struggle, six players from the Atlantics and three from the Eckfords were on the Brooklyn team, while representatives from all of New York's quartet of clubs participated. The fight for supremacy in this game was very bitter. Both teams were on their mettle, every player feeling that the future welfare of the city represented by him depended upon the result. But it was apparent early in the game that the New Yorks were that day the better nine, and at the end of the ninth innings the score was 29 to 18 in favor of the boys from the big city.

In this game, a total of 27 men were out on balls caught on the first bound. In the entire contest no batsman was retired on strikes. During the three games only one home run was made, and on this run "hangs a tale" told by the late Henry Chadwick, in these words: