Jefferson County's Pastime

Baseball, Oskaloosa vs. Ozawkie

From the Oskaloosa Times, June 13, 1902

Last Tuesday, before a good-sized crowd, the Oskaloosa first nine defeated the Ozawkie ball club by a score of 3 to 1. It was a great game, both sides playing fast ball and but few errors were made. The battery work of Conant and Davis for Oskaloosa was excellent and Root pitched a good game for Ozawkie. Conant struck out 12 men and Root 7. Oskaloosa scored 2 tallies in the 2^nd inning and 1 in the 6^th. Ozawkie’s tally was made in the 3^rd inning, but according to the rules which were looked up afterwards this tally should not have counted. In the last half of the 9^th inning it appeared as if Ozawkie would score several more runs, but effective work by Conant, Mains and Dick prevented it. Three men were on bases and only one out, a fly was knocked out into right field but it fell into Irl Mains mitt and stuck there. The next batter knocked a beauty out into left field and it dropped into Homer Dick’s basket and nestled there. The Ozawkie nine was strengthened by Geo. Chapman, former shortstop for the Oskaloosa club, while the home team had Ernest Thompson, a new player on 1^st, and he did good work. This game demonstrates the fact that Oskaloosa has a first-class ball team, and they deserve encouragement and better support than they have been receiving.

This story appeared in “Yesteryears” in October 1988.

Baseball — 1879

From the Valley Falls New Era, August 2, 1879

Last Monday afternoon the Nortonville base ball club, the Comets, played the Valley Falls Clippers a matched game in this city, and they com-it over the Clippers quite easily. Both clubs made a nice appearance on the ground and quite a number of men, women and children witnessed the game. The Clippers wear blue pants, striped stockings, white shirts and white caps. The Comets wear white stockings, red pants and white shirts. The game was played without the least bit of ill feeling among the players, and although some of our boys were out of practise and did miserable playing there was no complaining nor grumbling on the ground. Our catcher, Mr. Robt. Weiser, did some very excellent playing and were our boys in practise we would have a good base ball nine. The Comets should award much of the credit of their victory to their Captain, Mr. Fawble, who is the life of the nine. Mr. Trower of Winchester, umpired the game impartially and promptly. The score stood Comets 38 — Clippers 15.

This story appeared in “Yesteryears” in October 1986.