Page:America's National Game (1911).djvu/378

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346
AMERICA'S NATIONAL GAME

ball, to be played at some intermediate spot on or before July 4th," which was passed by a strong majority. A committee was appointed of J. T. Claflin, senior class; Walker, junior class; H. D. Hyde, sophomore, and T. Tomson, freshman, to make arrangements for the game. A challenge was immediately sent and accepted for thirteen picked men of each college to meet on June 27th. A delegation from Williams was to meet that from Amherst at Chester Factories and draw up the rules and regulations for the game. Mr. Hyde, of Amherst, met the two Williams delegates, but nothing was agreed on. On Mr. Hyde's return, negotiations were carried on by mail for two weeks, till at last it was amicably settled that each party should use its own ball, and it must always be caught on the fly, sixty-five runs to be the limit of the game. The Pittsfield Base Ball Club offered its grounds for the game, and July 1st was appointed as the date.

There was to be but one drawback to the game. All Williams College was to be present, including the faculty, while Amherst allowed only the players to go.

It is interesting to note the manner of selecting the team for this game. The men were "chosen by ballot from the students at large." There was no long period of daily practice and no elimination from the squad at various times.

On Thursday afternoon Amherst's seventeen picked men started for Pittsfield. They arrived in Pittsfield eager for battle. Soon the Williams boys began pouring into town until it seemed as if Williams must be deserted. Old men and women, young men and maidens, proprietors