Yale University Law School - Yale Law Reporter Yearbook (New Haven, CT)

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ATHLETICS Circumstances conspired to make '94 unique among classes in the history of the Yale Law School. It fell to her lot to organize and maintain a base ball team, winning honor and renown, and finally bring- ing home to the School the only trophy ever won in a VVorld's Intercollegiate Base Ball Tournament. The team was an outgrowth of the ill-favored undergraduate rule, the rule which cost Yale the championship in both base ball and football and threatened to annihilate the Yale spirit which has won our Alma Maier' so much glory. When the obnoxious rule was promulgated '94 was the first to take active measures in opposition. These culminated in the famous University meeting of Feb. I, 1893, when the rule was defeated-502 to 440. Had this vote gone the other way no such thing as the Law School Nine would ever have existed. But fate decreed otherwise. The vote was not allowed to stand and was reversed in the very ques- tionable proceedings that took place about a fort- night later. Then it was that the spirit of ,Q4H was roused. The red-hot meetings for permanent organization of a Law School Base Ball Association followed, in which even the county sheriff was moved to take a hand. In spite of jealousy and suspicion, in the face of the most strenuous opposition, in defi- ance of the most subtle wire pulling of certain mem-

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IO4 'l'lIl'l VALIC SHINGLIC. ance in recitation wakes to ecstasy a hundred hidden Aiolian lyres,whose mournful sighs hinder our progress in law. Very few remark on their personal appearance. Modesty makes us reticent. Jacques and Gouraud tell us what the girls think of them, and it is evident, from their accounts, that both are winners Bald- win gives us a spray of local rhyme: Oh, I'm a dashing Beacon swell, As you can plainly see, With whiskers rare and complexion fair, The world's in love with me. Only a poet can take such liberties with the truth. Tall and thin, no dude, neat, but not gaudy, most unprepossessing, impressive, discourag- ing, are examples of the various criticisms passed. The Major congratulates himself on his military bearing and good carriage. Carey thinks he resem- lmlcs George Washington. The Rogue's Gallery con- tains the counterfeit of one man. The rest, con- scious of mistreatment at Nature's hands and feeling the extent of their misfortune, refrain from comment. I

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'06 'l'Ill'I YALE SHINGI.li. bers of '93, we completed an organization and elected H. R. Durant manager of the nine. Once over that breaker, we found it fairly open sea. R. S. Baldwin, '93, was elected president, H. A. Couse, '94, secre- tary and treasurer, and H. O. Bowers, captain. Our movements had aroused widespread interest. As soon as permanent organization was announced chal- lenges came pouring in. Most favorable terms were made, for our strength was recognized from the first. Financial support was not lacking, for S400 was sub- scribed and paid in at once. Training began about March 1 and by Fast Day the nine was so well in hand that the Connecticut State Champions at Waterbury fell an easy prey in the opening game. The Easter vacation then inter- vened, but we celebrated the beginning of the new term and the actual season by administering her first defeat to Wesleyan at Middletown. From then till Commencement the team fared full well, winning its share of games and doing credit to the School. Only one game was played at home, and won,- with the N. Y. A. C., who had just defeated the College nine. Brown, Wesleyan, Fordham, Dart- mouth, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins all fell victims to our prowess, while Harvard barely defeated us by the score of 4 to 3, said to be the best game played on Holmes' Field during the season. Amherst's cham- pion N. E. College League nine played us a tie game. .lust following Commencement the nine went to Chicago to take part in the World's Fair Intercol- legiate Base Ball Tournament. Here we met Amherst, University of Vermont, and University of