We turn back the clock to the last baseball game played by a Washington team prior to the return of baseball in 2005.
10 October 1899
Washington 5
Baltimore 5
The Washington and Baltimore club played their last game of the season together today in the latter city, and after six innings of play the game was called with the score standing 5 to 5. Under the rules Manager John McGraw could have demanded another game tomorrow in the oyster city with the Senators, but upon learning that the Washington boys were to have a benefit at National Park tomorrow afternoon he decided to let the game go by default, as it will not affect the standing of either club in the championship race. There seemed to be a sort of feeling among the men that the game didn’t amount to much, and that it was hardly worthwhile to make much effort. As a consequence the play was of the perfunctory order, and the only object seemed to be to finish as speedily as possible and get off the diamond. Jerry Nops pitched for Baltimore and put up a fairly good game, being found for only five hits. In the second inning the Senators bunched hits on Jerry and scored their runs, which put them in it. In the inning Nops made a bad throw to third of Buck Freeman’s bunt, and this error, as it turned out, kept Baltimore from winning the game. Bill Magee started out to pitch for Washington, but in the middle of the third inning became involved in an argument with Umpire Latham, and was put out of the game. Gus Weyhing took his place until he was injured in the sixth inning, when Win Mercer went in and finished the game. The Washington twirlers were found for nine hits in all, Charlie Harris, Ducky Holmes, Candy LaChance and Aleck Smith getting two bingles each. At the end of the sixth inning the game was called with the score standing 5 to 5. Umpire Arlie Latham had his troubles. For want of something better the players seemed to take delight in stirring him up. Magee, the Washington twirler, undertook to argue with him about Dave Fultz’s steal in the third inning, and was bounced. In the sixth inning Alec Smith and LaChance had a “run in” with him, and, as a consequence both were benched. When the Birds took the field for the seventh inning Pat Crisham was behind the bat and Steve Brodie on first but after Kit Kittridge had made a hit the game was called. Umpires, Snyder and Latham. Time 1:40. Line-up, Jimmy Slagle-Cf, Frank Scheilbeck-SS, Win Mercer-3b, Dan McGann-1b, Buck Freeman-Rf, Jack O’Brien-Lf, Dick Padden-2b, Kitt Kittridge-C, Bill Magee-P, Shad Barry-3b.
Tomorrow they will be “at home” to their friends. The fun will begin at 3 o’clock, when a 100 yards’ race between the local players will be run, with the following handicaps: Dinneen, two
yards; Dan McGann and Doc Powers, three yards; Mike Roach, Jimmy Slagle, Dick Padden and Frank Scheibeck, five yards; General Stafford, Jack O’Brien, Buck Freeman, Bill Magee and Jack Fifield, six yards; Dan McFarlan and Frank McManus, nine yards; Weyhing ten yards and Kittridge, eighteen yards. “Kit” has been given this handicap on account of his injured ankle, but the plucky little fellow says he will lose his summer’s salary on the proposition that any of the Senators can beat him out with such a start. Win Mercer and Shad Barry will be scratch men. This race will be full of interest and decide a much-mooted question as to the speed of the different players. Billy Dinneen is the dark horse of the race. Three innings of baseball on novel lines between the regular team and the substitutes will then follow. The players will be allowed to take as many bases as possible on fly balls, and bunt hits will be cut out entirely. After this short exhibition the bureau team will confront the Senators and a regular game of baseball played. The entire proceeds of the afternoon will be turned over to the players, and it is expected that quite a snug sum will be realized.
Pat Crisham appeared in 53 games for the 1899 Boston Beaneaters, a team which went 86-62 under 26-year-old player-manager John McGraw. Crisham was 22. He played first base and catcher in roughly equal amounts. As a minor leaguer, Pat played from 1895-1911, and in particular was with the Syracuse Stars for six years, serving as captain for all or part of that time. Pat’s obituary appeared in the June 26, 1915 issue of Sporting Life, and stated that he started in amateur and semi-pro ball. After his playing days he was a minor league umpire for several seasons.
We leave the last words to the owner of the Senators. “You may state emphatically,” said J. Earl Wagner, of the Washington Club, this afternoon, “that if there is a League ball team in Washington next season it will be owned and controlled by the Wagner brothers, as in former years. The talked of Association will not enter the capital, even if it should realize, and many doubt the proposed new organization can raise sufficient money to establish clubs in eight leading cities of the East and West.” On top of this flat declaration comes a rumor that the promoters of the new league are figuring on Pittsburgh now as a substitute for Washington. Draw your own conclusions!
Meanwhile the insurrection in the Philippines continues. “Band of guerrillas attack the Americans at La Loma. Rebels grow bold in their guerilla warfare.
