us
a copy of Mr. Sullivan's letter. I knew, of course, that if the game
could be played by two American teams, it would be a much better game
than if our team took part, and told the Olympic Committee, and wanted
to withdraw, but as they did not know for sure how it would be, told us
to go ahead with the arrangements just the same, and so we did, and by
the time the Finland arrived, everything had been arranged for.
The Olympic Committee has selected the evening, 7 P.M., of the 10th of
July, for the game, and thought that this would be suitable to the
Americans, but as some of the players had to take part in the contests,
Mr. Halpin would not risk them then, so it was finally decided that a
game should be played the 15th, the Americans to play six innings
between themselves and then six innings against us.
Well, we had a game at the training grounds. We played six innings, and
Mr. Halpin was kind enough to let us have a pitcher and catcher from his
men. The score was 9 to 3, and it could just as well been 9 to 0,
perhaps. Well, at any rate, it was the first Base Ball game, as far as I
know, that ever took place in Europe between an American team and a
European team, with England possibly excepted.
Mr. Halpin said that the Americans were going to play a game the next
morning between themselves, but that game did not come off. There was
probably no time for it, as the Finland left Stockholm the same day.
Very likely the American boys were somewhat disappointed in not being
able to play between themselves, as anticipated, and perhaps I should
not have pushed our game ahead, but as long as there was a Base Ball
team in Sweden, it would have been strange if it had not played, and it
gave our boys a chance to see how the game should be played, and they
certainly did take it in. Had the game been played as it was intended
and advertised, on the 10th in the Stadium, there would very likely have
been a bigger crowd present, and the game would also have been more
talked about in the papers, but then we will have to be satisfied as it
is.
Our club has been practicing all summer, twice a week, and on the 24th
of August we gave an exhibition game here at Westeras, between two teams
from our club, the suits made for the Olympic Games coming in very
handy. I send you herewith a clipping from a local paper describing the
game, and also a picture of the two teams with myself and the umpire
included.
At our game here we distr
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