From the Brooklyn
Sun
A summer of whisper and slander came to an end this August afternoon. Brooklyn’s finest were well represented, doing their best to calm the nearly 15,000 that had gathered for this most historic of games. The Fire Marshall had declared the park beyond capacity at 11 am, but the multitude continued to force their way in. By the time 1 pm came around, there was not a spot out of play uncovered with a man. Hastily, rope barriers were erected allowing the players the narrowest of paths to and from the field of play and hopefully blocking interference from the cranks.
Tension around the park was tight as a drum; on one dare mention what was on everyman’s mind. When a soul in the stands reportedly speculated on the odds of the game, a set of plainclothesmen was required to pull him to safety. More than one crank could be heard to say, “I care not who wins, so long as the game is honest.”
No amount of excitement could erase the unease. A loss would confirm the fear of all lovers of sport; a win would only leave unanswered questions. The crowd buzzed uncertain whether to cheer or hiss.
The choices for starters puzzled most of the casual followers of the game, but not those who had been paying attention all year long. Instead of 20 game winner Marquis Nicolet, the Atlantics designated Aron Boday to carry the standard. Boday, who had been a less than valued substitute prior to the home stretch had proven himself the steadiest when games mattered most. The choice of Philadelphia to go with Chester Jackman was made for the same reason: his has been the best ‘stuff’ in the pressure of late.
Boday had no problems with the visitors in the first, but Bennie Zoellner did with some of the crowd. Taking throws from Killpatrick and Worsham for base outs, the alleged conspirator had silver dollars thrown at his feet with each grab. “How much do you desire to play well for Brooklyn,” the question rained on him. Brooklyn’s Finest removed the culprits and announced more intrusions would result in forfeit, much to the surprise of both umpires. Alton Emch, via megaphone, pleaded for calm from inside of a crucible no other leader of a ball club has every experienced.
While owner Thaddeus Hamilton and chief constable McGrevey discussed the wisdom of removing the first baseman from the park “for his safety,” Silky Goodstein was able to distract the masses. With 2 out, and 2 on, the third baseman, who Emch and the accusers had called too green a summer ago, lashed a resounding double plating both runners. A collective exhale of held breath left the park, only to be replaced with the loudest cheers ever heard in Brooklyn. As far as the cranks, and destiny, were concerned the matter had been settled. Jackman and the Quakers were only to serve as footnotes to history.
Every time the Brooklyns placed a man on second, the sheer force of will by the vocal crowd seemed to make the Atlantics succeed. As the lead slowly extended, the visitors were clearly rattled by the cacophony, proving a step slow at every turn. Still they could console themselves the game was not yet out of reach—until the 8th.
After plating 6 runs in the eighth, the score was 12-0 for the home club.
Despite three ninth inning doubles that tallied 4, the Quakers gave in to fate. When the final out was made, the rush of men surrounded their heroes, carrying them as caliphs of old.
Code:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Philadelphia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 10 1
Brooklyn 2 0 0 0 0 1 3 6 X 12 17 0