Challenge

On Tuesday, April 5th, 1898, the following challenge appeared in the Oxford Democrat: We, the unmarried men of South Paris village, do hereby challenge the married men to a game of base ball for the oyster supper, on Fast Day, the 28th of April. If accepted, please answer in the Democrat of next week. The following Tuesday, there was this: CHALLENGE ACCEPTED MARRIED MEN EXPECT TO EAT OYSTERS AT THE EXPENSE OF THEIR OPPONENTS We, the married men of South Paris village, do hereby agree to accept the challenge to play base ball on Fast Day, the 28th of April, next, against the single men of South Paris village, for oyster supper. The challenge appeared in last week's Democrat to be answered through its columns. On May 3rd, a report of the game was given: The Durell field at South Paris held an interested crowd Thursday afternoon, on the occasion of the much-anticipated game between the married and single men of the place. It was a raw day, with a brisk northeast wind which howled across the field, making spectators shiver and stiffening the players' fingers. The two teams played in positions as follows: MARRIED Rodney Shandler, c. Wirt Stanley, p. Carroll L. Curtis, ss. H. W. Dennison, 1b. Charles W. Bowker, 2b. H. G. Fletcher, 3b. Haniibal C. Howe, rf. C. L. Hersey, cf. R. T. Flavin, lf. SINGLE Nathan A. Chase, c. H. F. Tufts, p. W. A. Blake, ss. Charles Johnson, 1b. A. J. Bigelow, 2b. Murch, 3b. John T. Parsons, rf. Ernest P. Parlin, cf. Frank H. Bumpus, lf. It wasn't what you could call a "real sharp" game, and the weather, the lack of practice, and the roughness of the ground must account for the rather magnificent style of score which was piled up. For the first two innings it looked as if the single men were going to have it all their own way. Stanley pitched for the married men, without having a ball in his hands before this spring. He had some difficulty getting the range and gave a good many bases on balls at first, but finally got warmed up to his work, and the longer he threw, the better game he played. The single men held their lead until the eighth inning when the married men took a spurt and began to pound the ball, piling up eleven scores in the inning and securing a lead of five which they held through the last inning. Score 31 to 26. Frank Bumpus, while striking in the seventh inning, was hit on the bridge of the nose by the ball which glanced from his bat. It gave him two black eyes and disabled him. Sam Stitchfield played the game out. The special fielding feature of the game was the catch of a long fly foul in the left field by Bumpus. Fletcher and Chandler should each be credited with a clean two-base hit. Stanley and Dennison made home runs, but it is doubtful if either would have been a home run on an open field, as the houses and banks over which the ball went favored the runner. No detailed score was kept. It was a rather loose game to be sure, but it was a good, comfortable game, with lots of fun in it. Dr. Holden umpired, and there wasn't a kick. The score by innings: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Married 2 1 0 2 2 6 2 11 5 = 31 Single 6 6 0 2 1 2 4 0 5 = 26 At 6 o'clock the players, umpire, and scorer met at the Andrews House and partook of an excellent oyster supper which the single men paid for. In that same issue of the Democrat, a new challenge was given: SATISFACTION DEMANDED BY SINGLE MEN OF SOUTH PARIS We, the unmarried men of South Paris village, do hereby challenge the married men of South Paris village to a second game of base ball to be played on May 30th, 1898. Sincerely hoping they will accept, we are yours for another game. THE UNMARRIED MEN I searched two months worth of issues, but could find no evidence that this challenge was accepted. I thought the married men had decided to quit while they were ahead. But then, silly me, I realized why there was no second game: the Spanish American War had begun. Company D, consisting of men mostly from Norway and South Paris, had been mustered as part of the First Maine Regiment of the United States Volunteers and on May 23rd they had left for war. All thoughts of a second game had vanished.