THE UNIVERSITY COURIER.
5
First College Game.
Saturday the beginning of a series of college games will be instituted by the Ottawa University base-ball team, meeting on the diamond the Kansas University boys. Manager Means is to be commended for his enterprise in arranging for games with neighboring institutions. Exhibition games, such as we have been playing, are excellent practice and a good thing if we are craving reputation in the open field of base-ball. But we are not. We should strive only to have the best team among colleges. Our aim in playing is only for recreation and to surpass other institutions in this particular as we do in all other lines The motive displayed in challenging Ottawa and Emporia cannot be too highly applauded or encouraged. All we want is, first, to be champion among all the colleges of our collegiate state.
GENERAL ATHLETIC NOTES.
Sal Walker is playing substitute on the first team.
Maurice Alden has returned from Chicago.
Motter and Newton are keeping quiet now, but will be heard from on May 4th.
The Fletcher boys are getting in good form for the boxing and bicycle contests
The Beta base-ball team is seriously crippled without John Watson.
Sam Usher has some half dozen athletics under his charge, training. They all will win, or at least, they have up to date.
Prof. Leighton, of the faculty team, gives encouragement to the hope that he can pitch. He rubs his arm down with alcohol every night.
Spellman and Ingalls are enthusiastic over adding a cake walk race to the list of the spring meet exercises. This ought to be done.Both gentlemen are eligible and have an easy and attractive way of walking. If finances are any object this race ought to be scheduled to draw a crowd.
None of the out-door exercises will likely, be more exciting than the bicycle race. The beautiful silver cup offered for the winner insures a large number of entries.
Class spirit in base-ball matters is growing at a rapid rate. Monday the Juniors play the Seniors. The game will be highly fascinating, although the Juniors have, by far, the
the strongest team. They have four of the first nine besides many valuable subs.The Seniors are in good shape, however, and rely for victory upon their work with the bat and Kelsy's encouraging coaching.
INGRATITUDE.
The Kansas City Blues have a Poor Idea of Hospitality.
Two weeks ago we invited Hon. James Manning and his pet ball players to our burg for a friendly game at the National sport. The invitation was accepted on condition we would visit Mr Manning's home, and battle in a return game.
Following the instinctive politeness and good breeding, which Kansas University students are universally known to possess and by a silent understanding between the two managers as to the financial virtue of such a course, we graciously allowed Manning's men to add a few extra scores and win the game
Thursday Manager Means gathered our boys with their crimson uniforms and started for the home of the cowboys There was no brass band to greet them, no address of welcome from Mayor Davis, but there was a fair crowd assembled at the Exposition Park. and the boys were well received
The score reads 19 to 2 against the Kansas University boys. This would look like an awful drubbing, but there were redeeming features, and on the whole the boys made a very favorable impression. The Blues played a marvelous game in the field and swallowed up hits time and again. They played to win, and what is more, they played to shut us out.
We have no grievance to offer for not making a closer score. We do not pretend to play ball against men who make a business of it. But this much is sure, and is a discredit to the Kansas City team, the umpire in his decisions was rankly favorable to the Blues, and was bulldozed by the players into many of his decisions. The fact that he was several times hissed by the spectators, goes to establish the truth of the statement.
Gear pitched a good game and was complimented by the Kansas City press. Kelsey caught well, while Todd, Mitchell and Chamberlain handled themselves creditably.