BASEBALL MATCHES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 January 1939, Page 6

BASEBALL MATCHES

COMPETITIONS COMMENCED.

THREE GAMES ON SATURDAY.

With GO baseball players in action on Saturday afternoon, the hockey grounds facing Te Ore Ore Road presented an unusual sight. The few spectators who gathered early were later joined by many others. As they learnt the rudiments of the game even the cynical were impressed and it is probable that more and more people will find this new game an added interest every Saturday afternoon. The matches, even though most of the players were inexperienced, were fast, spectacular and interesting. Every player got plenty of exercise, plenty of fun and plenty of interest. It was an excellent day, as instructive to players as to spectators. . The fielding of six teams in the opening round was no mean effort for the newly-formed Wairarapa Baseball Association. Motley though the costumes were, there was no lack of enthusiasm on any player’s part. Later in the season, proper uniforms will be introduced, but the ardour of the teams could hardly be increased. Many recruits wore won to the new game on Saturday and other clubs will soon be. forming. The following were the results of matches: — Reliance Tyres beat Territorials. The teams were: Reliance —Saunders, Bodie (2), Peterson, O’Connor, Cardho. McDonald, Welch. Maguire, Gaze. Territorials —Newland, Brunton, B. Welch. Wingfield, Harrington, Mason, Peters, J. Welch, Jones, Bassett. Showing better batting form and smarter fielding, Reliance took an early lead. Territorials lacked combination and a knowledge of the rules, many of the players being put out because of bad running between the bases. Reliance, who lost the toss and fielded first, had sufficient lead at the end of their sixth innings to score a complete win without batting for the seventh time.

The scores for the various innings were: Territorial —3,0, 2,3, 1, 0. 1, total 10; Reliance—B, 8,2, 5. 1,0, total 24.

Harcombe Motors beat Fagan Motors. The teams were: Harcombes —Handy, Grcager, Allen, Parsonson, Curry, Killington, Jaspers, Harp, Wickens, Richards. Fagans—Wales, Gorringe, Milne, Killington, Welch, Elliot, Hansen, Norris, Crocker, Bruce.

With an experienced American as pitcher and another as catcher, Harcombe’s were too strong for Fagan, every member of which team is a new player. The winners’ team work was good and when batting they scored freely by good hitting and by taking every advantage of weak fielding. Fagan’s lost many men because of poor running between bases. The match was called off after six innings. The scores were: Fagans—O, 1,0, 0,0, 4, 'total 5. Harcombes—4, 8,6, 2,8, 7, total 35. Borthwick’s Bears defeat Pirates.

The teams were: Pirates —Allan, Mills, Mulligan, Lindley, Claridge, Hooper. Thompson, Lawton, Eastwood, Dahlberg, with Ratcliffe and Pauling (2) as reserves who played in the last three innings. Borthwick’s —Allen, Macfarlane, Serra, Hodgett’s, Nelson, Hemi, Alexander, Ford, Harman, Curtin.

These ' teams were more evenly matched, but Pirates faded towards the end of the game. Borthwick’s showed a crispness and speed which their opponents lacked and certainly possess the hardest hitters in the competition. The players in both teams were new to the game but considerable promise was shown. Borthwick's fielding was the best seen on Saturday. The full seven innings were played. The scores were: Pirates —0, 6. 2,0, 3. 3, 4. total 18. Borthwick’s —0,2, 2,8, 3, 15, 0. total 30. The second round will be played next Saturday and the draw, grounds and umpires will be announced in the •‘Times-Age’’ on Thursday.