Page:Spalding's Baseball Guide (1894).djvu/112

 witnessed the narrow escape from death of a carriage full of base ball players, the members of the Buffalo team, underwent an awful strain for a moment or so. The carriage was loaded with passengers after the game, and stood on the tracks just south of the depot at West Troy. The next moment there was a wild scramble on the part of the ball players to escape from the vehicle, and the spectators held their breath in anticipation of a terrible catastrophe. The Saratoga "flyer" was bearing close upon the wagon and in another moment would have crashed into the thoroughly terrified load of passengers. Three of the ball players, who were standing in the rear of the vehicle, jumped for their lives, while the others expected every second to be dashed to their deaths. The driver whipped up his horses and landed his precious load on the other side of the tracks just as the express thundered by, with not an inch to spare. The escape was a marvelous one."

A sudden storm swept through Alexandria, Ind., August 19th, and struck the ball park and interrupted a game that was to be contested by Lebanon and Alexandria clubs. About two hundred people had gathered in the grand stand and were seeking shelter from the rain, when the wind tore the building to pieces and carried the top a hundred yards. The people went wild with excitement, and men, women and children trampled each other, making good their escape. Wraps, umbrellas, band horns, seatings and other articles were scattered in all directions. While no one was killed, Fred Henshaw, a musician, was cut about the head with flying timbers, and many others slightly injured.

The concluding championship contest of the English Association's series was played August 5th, at Hyde Farm, Balham, Eng., the Thespian team of London then defeating the St. Augustine nine of Darlington by a score of 33 to 6. The contest was the deciding one for a fifty guinea cup and the base ball championship of England. The Thespian team which consisted largely of American music hall and variety artists, included Pratt, pitcher; Halter, catcher; Hurley, Elton and Wilson on the bases; Starkweather, short stop, and Knowles, Athol and March in the outfield.

In the game of April 1st, at Philadelphia, between the Phillies and the Pa. University nine, a peculiar play occurred in the third innings, which showed that Arthur Irwin has not forgotten the tricks which he learned while on the Philadelphia club in the eighties. It was Fields' turn to lead off in this innings, but Boyle went first to bat. He was given his base on balls and then Thompson, acting on a tip given by Irwin, insisted that the entire side was out. As Reilly and Sharrott were also ahead of Fields on the batting list the three men were declared out.

During the game between the St. Louis and Boston teams July 1st, at St. Louis, two men were thrown out at the home plate on one play. There was a man on third and one on second when a fly ball was hit to the outfield. The man on third did not run home, afraid lest the ball might be caught, but the man on second saw that it would not be caught, and ran to third. The ball dropped safely and both runners started for home, whereupon the ball was fielded to the plate, and both were thus then and there retired, being coached out.

The greatest muffing match of the season was that played on March 28th between the Pennsylvania University and Swarthmore College nine. Forty-six hits for a total of seventy-nine bases was the batting record made by the winners. The game was played under the old rules, so it cannot be attributed to any change in pitching distance. The score:

An amusing contest took place July 6th, at West Chester, Pa. One team was made up of men weighing from 200 to 395 pounds and the other of men none of whom weighed more than 120. In the game were a number of prominent business men, councilmen, county officials and professional men.