Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: Oct. 23, 1906

Louis Fiene to Oklahoma

Picture of Louis Fiene from the Library of Congress. Source: Baseball cards from the Benjamin K. Edwards Collection. Issued by the American Tobacco Company.

It is proverbial that those belonging to sporting circles are good spenders that they make their money easily and get rid of it easily. However, this does not seem to to be true of Fort Dodge men. Frank Gotch, the world’s champion wrestler, salted his money in real estate and has become independently wealthy and now it seems that Louis Fiene, one of the crack pitchers of the Chicago White Sox and a former Fort Dodge boy will follow his good example. Fiene has returned home with over $2,000 (about $53,208 today), his share of the winnings of the team and a salary saved for this year’s work and with this and previous earning will buy a farm in Oklahoma and move his mother and sister to that place. Fiene’s rise in the baseball world has been phenomenal. Starting three years ago with the independent Fort Dodge team the work of this boy wonder, for he was then only nineteen years of age, won him a place for 1904 with Cedar Rapids of the Three I League and the following year he did great work with Detroit. Although laid up most of the past season with a game arm, what work he did was great. His pitching in the last series with Cleveland when he allowed only four hits has become historic.

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 16, 1904

“World’s Fair” Day Was Great Success

More Than 200 Fort Dodge People Attend Duncombe Celebration Monday

Sports Were Features of Day

East End Team of This City Takes Game From Duncombe, Score 13 to 1 —
Bloomer Girls Play Foot Ball and Draw Large Crowds

A crowd of more than two hundred people took the train for Duncombe on Monday morning and spent the day in the enterprising little city to the east of us. Monday, August 15, was the great day of the year for the people of Duncombe. The “World’s Fair” day, which has been celebrated by the citizens of that place for many years, and which always takes a big crowd from Fort Dodge.

Program of Sports

The program of the day consisted almost of sports, and of these events there was no stint this year. Basket ball, foot ball, base ball, horse races, races on foot, sack races, three-legged races, egg races, and in fact, everything in the line of races that could be imagined. there were also wrestling matches and boxing matches and in the evening two big dances in operation in the two halls of Duncombe at the same time.

The real features of the day and the greatest drawing cards on the program was the basket and foot ball games played by the Boston Bloomer girls. The games were both fast and furious and kept the sightseers interested from start to finish.

Post card showing nine members of the Boston National Bloomer Girls Base Ball Club, wearing baseball uniforms, posed with L.J. Galbreath in the center. Photo courtesy Library of Congress collection.

Base Ball Game

The feature next in interest, perhaps, was a ball game between the East End nine of this city and the local team of Duncombe. This game was in the hands of the East Enders from start to finish and resulted in a score of thirteen to one in their favor.

Many Stayed Over

Many of the Fort Dodge people who attended stayed for the dances in the evening, a goodly number of them not getting home until this morning. All report that the people of Duncombe know how to entertain and will be glad of another similar opportunity to visit that city.

(Editor’s note: The Boston Bloomer girls were a baseball team. The Library of Congress website says this:

“Bloomer girls” take to the baseball diamond challenging amateur, semi-pro, and minor league men’s teams in front of thousands of spectators. Known for wearing practical, loose Turkish-style trousers created by Amelia Bloomer, hundreds of teams ‘barnstormed’ the country during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, providing women an opportunity to travel and play this traditionally all-male sport.)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 12, 1903

New Game Has Reached Town

Is Known as “Brist” and is Becoming Popular

Played With a Boomerang and a “Rakaw” — Interest Follows Practice in the Game

The latest novelty in games the successor to ping pong, “Brist” has struck Fort Dodge. This is an out door game played by any number of persons with paraphernalia known as boomerangs and “rakaws.”

The boomerang, an instrument as its name signifies, which will return to the player when thrown into the air, constructed along the idea of the Australian boomerang, it returns. It is not, however, of the same shape as the Australian boomerang.

The Australian boomerang is a piece of wood carved in an irregular semicular (sic) shape so that when it is thrown by a native, having much practice and considerable strength and dexterity, will return to the spot from which it is started. The modern device, with which the game is played, is simply a cross-like arrangement, composed of two sticks larger at the ends and which are fastened in the center in order that it may be made any size. By pressing the sticks close together and making the angle smaller the boomerang when thrown, flys (sic) in an oblong path. When the sicks are placed at right angles the device completes a semicircle and with practice one may throw the instrument around a house. The “Rakaw” is the net like arrangement used to catch the returning boomerang.

The game of “Brist” with which the boomerangs are use is played by standing in the center of three rings and throwing the boomerang. The object of the game being to catch the boomerang if possible without stepping out of the inner circle. If this is done the player is credited four points. If he catches it in the second circle three is made and in the third two. Ten innings constitute a game. Each player is given three consecutive throws in each inning, so that the highest possible score for a game is 120 points, twelve to each inning.

The originators of the game claim that anyone with a few hour’s (sic) practice can learn to manipulate the strange device. This being so the game will without doubt prove as popular as the late Bill Nye’s paper of the same name.

(Editor’s note: The Bill Nye referred to here was Edgar Wilson Nye. Below is a video of John Flynn, who is well-known in boomerang competition, demonstrating various types of boomerangs. In the first couple of minutes he shows a Brist boomerang and the net, spelled rakaw in this article. He goes on to show fast catch boomerangs.)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 10, 1905

Are Many Rooters in Neighbor Towns

They Get Result of the Game as Soon as Known Here

Bet Money, Chalk or Marbles

Back Their Favorite Teams to Win – They Get The Score By Innings on All Iowa League Games Played in Fort Dodge

Evidently base ball enthusiasm is at a high temperature about Fort Dodge. The surrounding towns seem to be obtaining the reports of the Iowa League ball games at the same time as the local fans get them. While the games at Fort Dodge are in progress a good-sized crowd is in the store where the long distance telephone is, following the game with intense interest. The members of the crowd always have their favorite team and are also ready to back it. The reports come in by innings and often after a game a large number of cigars or a number of small amounts of coin change hands. Fort Dodge is the metropolis of the surrounding county and is looked to for a great deal of amusement. When any inhabitants of the surrounding towns are in the city they invariably attend the ball games. The baseball association is therefore seen to be doing good work in advertising the town and offering some inducement to the people to come here.

The interest manifested in Duncombe over the ball games may be seen by the following clipping from the Duncombe paper: “Uncle George Palmer and a number of the other baseball fans of this place became very much worked up over the Fort Dodge-Marshalltown game played in Fort Dodge Tuesday morning. Uncle George had figured that Marshalltown had a sinch (sic) on the game and was backing up his figures; but luck was against him, and he will support Marshalltown no more, especially when they are pitted against hte Gypsumites.”

Traveling men say that the fans of all the surrounding towns know as much about the team as the home fans and are more enthusiastic. Manson, Lake City, Rockwell City, and all other towns of equal distance get the result of the Fort Dodge games by innings by telephone.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 10, 1905

Bones Broken in Game

Ball Player Breaks Collar Bone in Webster City

Webster City, June 10 – Third Baseman Dow of the Williams’ base ball team, which played in this city, had the misfortune to break his collar bone during the game. He was taken to the office of Dr. Rummel where the fracture was dressed. The injury will not prove serious and the young man returned home on the afternoon train.

The accident happened in the last half o the sixth inning. The Williams team was at bat and Dow was on first base. He attempted to make second and a long low ball was thrown (to) Arthur Martin, who was  holding this base for the Baraca team. Martin stooped to get it and tag the runner and Dow attempted a slide. He collided with Martin’s knee with such force as to break the collar bone.

The young man was taken from the ball diamond and assisted to the office of Dr. Rummel. The doctor states tat the injury is by no means serious. It will lay the young man up for two or three weeks, however. Of course beside the breaking of the collar bone, Mr. Dow was considerably bruised about the shoulder.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 8, 1903

Important Writ of Injunction

Happiness of Harry Holm for the Summer Has Been Dealt Crushing Blow

Faces a Dire Predicament

Has Been Enjoined From Occupying His Favorite Seat in Grand Stand

Harry Holm has been enjoined. Never again may he occupy his favorite perch in the grand stand at Riverside park, just where he can watch the balls curve over the home plate and tell whether or not the  umpire is right or wrong. The injunction has been served upon its hapless victim and unless he can break it, he will have to go and sit in the bleachers, for never again can he be happy in the grand stand, save in  his old accustomed place.

The full extent and purport of this malignant document, which has been gotten out by J.F. Ford, J.C. Walburger and G.F. Rankin as plaintiffs, is shown by the following literal translation:

“To the said defendant: You are hereby notified that on or before the 14th day of August, A.D., 1903, there will be on file in the district court of Webster county, Iowa, the petition of the plaintiffs, aforesaid, enjoining you from occupying the seat in the grand stand at Riverside park in Fort Dodge, Iowa, the seat referred to being more fully described as being located directly back of the home plate in Riverside ball park and fourth row from the ground, and you are farther notified not to occupy or attempt to occupy the third or fifth row, and that you are h ereby relegated to the rear to make room for real fans.”

Healy Bros. & Kelleher appear as attorneys for the plaintiff. Harry has not yet retained an attorney. He is thinking over a plan of resting his case with the ladies of Fort Dodge. Before this gentle tribunal he feels sure that so harsh and unjust a measure as this will not be for an instant countenanced.

The clause about his not being a real fan also rankles in Harry’s memory. “I’ll show ’em,” he remarked. “If they won’t let me sit in the grand stand where I want to, I’ll go into the bleachers or climb a telegraph pole, but they won’t keep me from seeing if I have to use a balloon.”

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Jan. 3, 1905

Pugilist Jim Jeffries to be Here Soon

Champion Will Appear on Stage of Midland as Davy Crockett.

He is Drawing Large Crowds

After The Performance Jeffries Will Give an Exhibition Three Round Bout With Soft Gloves With His Trainer.

James Jeffries, the greatest pug on earth, will actually appear in Fort Dodge and “act” before a Fort Dodge. The added attraction of a three-round bout between the big pugilist and his trainer will also be put on after the play at the same price of admission.

It is expected that the big fellow will draw one of the largest crowds that ever filled a Fort Dodge opera house, and that S.R.O. signs will occupy prominent places in the lobby as early as seven o’clock on the night of his appearance.

The play put on by the big bruiser will be “David Crockett,” in which Jeffries takes the title role, and in the impersonation of the husky countryman, it is stated he appears very well indeed, acting the part in a most pleasing manner.

Jeffries in “The Man From The West,” in his tour thru the east last year, made a decided hit with his part, and he is said to be no less a success in his present part. This city will be one of a very few in the state that will be favored with a visit from the pugilist on his way thru.

In his tour of the country on the stage, he is keeping himself in trim for his work in the ring, by the three round bouts after each performance in which he appears with his trainer. This feature, beside keeping the fistic (sic) champion in constant trim, is a great drawing card and adds greatly to the number of seat sales in each engagement. The exhibition while not in the nature of a fight, is a thoroughly scientific affair and will be of great interests to the entire crowd.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Jan. 1, 1903

Des Moines Bowlers Meet Crushing Defeat

Fort Dodge Representatives Carry Off Victory by 82 Pins – Make a Remarkable Score.

Fort Dodge bowlers walked all over the Hawkeye club of Des Moines, in the five game match which was rolled in Des Moines on Wednesday evening. The Fort Dodge representatives made a total score of 2767, to 2685 made by the Des Moines bowlers, winning by 82 pins. The score for the first game was 1001 for Fort Dodge, to 870 for the Hawkeyes. The score made by the Fort Dodge men is a very high one and it is unusual that such a total is reached in competition.

The team went to Boone today, and is expected to roll there this afternoon and evening.

It includes the following members:

Tiffany.
Scott.
Ruge.
Brown.
Wigton.

(Editor’s note: with 5 members, the score averages to 200 per game, or 553 for the series.)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 29, 1903

Amateur Ball Players Busy

Several Fort Dodge Teams Played From Home on Sunday.

Fort Brands Have Hard Luck

Lose Two Extra Innings Games By One Score – East Fort Dodge Loses Close Game at Lehigh – R.M. Stevens Nine Beats Tara.

The Fraser miners defeated the Fort Dodge Fort Brands Sunday at Frazer by a score of 4 to 3 in a thirteen inning game. The game opened at 10:30 a.m. After the first two Fort Dodge men had struck out in the first inning, Dombrowska reached first on an error. Whitman and Barth on bunts and all three scored on Stuart’s drive to deep right. This ended Fort Dodge’s scoring as the Frazer pitcher struck out twenty men in the remaining twelve innings and held the Fort Dodge boys helpless. Frazer scored three runs in the second inning by bunching hits. Stuart’s work at third was the feature of the game. He accepted eleven chances, seven assists and four putouts without an error.

In the eleventh inning with two men on base, Whitman got and (sic) easy grounder and threw his man out at first. Ottosen threw to third to cut off the runner. The throw was  high, but the little third baseman speared the ball with his ungloved hand and completed the double by tagging his man three feet off the base.

With enthusiasm undiminished by their defeat, a forty mile ride and twelve miles cross country triy (sic), the Fort Brands tackled the Pilot Mound Pirates at 3:30 p.m. Pilot Mound won, 7 to 8, aided by a long-haired diamond and the umpire. If Captain Tyrell had called his team off the diamond Pilot Mound would have refused expense money. Nevertheless this game required eleven innings, the umpire finally forcing in the winning run by letting a man walk on balls that cut the plate in two.

The Fort Brands play the East End next Sunday at Riverside Park and a good game is expected.