The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1894-09-12
SCHRl1 !:R'S RECORD CATCH.
Holds Ball Thrown from the Top Of tho
Washington Monument.

| Holds Ball brown from the Top of tho
Washington Monument.
" WASHINGTON Aug. 3l.-Billy
Schrivcr. the "StaE' catcher Of the
Chicago base ball club, yesterday
caught Il ball thrown from the top OF
| the WASHINGTON monument. thus
performing a feat that has never be-
fore been accomplished. Nearly all
Of the prominent bah players who
have visited Washington since the
Shaft was erected have tried to do
what Schrivcr did yesterday. and it
was generally supposed that it was
beyond any mans power to catch 4
ball thrown from such 4 great height.
Year after year. as regularly as the
boys would come down from the
Windy City to do up the local club.
a controversy would arise between
"Cnclc Ansc" and II. p. Barney IL
great local crank. Barney was wont
to asscr! that no base bHllist on earth
ever had or ever could catch d rcvu-
lation base ball tossed from ono Of the
windows Of the Washington monl,-
mcnt. Had not Paul Hines. Charlie
SNYDER Buck Ewing. lInrdic Rich
ard>un and others tried it in DAYS Of
yorc with dire failure.
It was not in mortal man. declared
| Barney. to hold Fast to Il ball that
dropped 800 feet in shear space In
the first place the height was too
great to see he descending sphere
and even if the exc yIimp>cd it com
inc through the ether the trcmcn-
dous force with which it would strike
the GutStrctcI,rd hands would break
every bore in every finger and rrlc-
gate the rash catcher WHO essavcd
he fr;l, from Che ba>r bail field Tor
| ever
\n,on ever stuutlS maintained The
contrary. lie vowed he thing could
" h}ll'. J NdN ~ Will ~ lcll I!lll
how fast 4 falling body went i'll the
first second il journcNrd downward.
and how much faster its speed WAS
for every succeeding second. lie
would Slla;" his head and repeat that
the thing could be done. The years
went by and Tie argument was re-
ncWcd each season. but no attempt
was made by Il ChicAgoan until yes
tcrdaN. NrlriNor WAS consulted on
the Sl!bjcct and expressed his vii
iin4nrSS to undertake the task.
\ little party W"S made up consist
inc Of Nc~srS. G;riI1iIh. parrott. Deck
or. StrAtton and Hutchinson. Of the
Ci,icagoS: l'rallk Bennett. II. F. Bar
ncy and Colonel )cI;Aum. 1t was a
deed HAT had to be undertaken with
some care. II was necessary to pro-
cccu With caution To prevent having
he matter in;crfcrcd with by the
Watclful guardians Of the lofty ODE
lisk.
70 say hat Schrivcr was Profound
! II impressed with the dit1icult and
perhaps dangerous nature Of the OK
ploi1 which he had undertaken would
be putin" it mildly. The weight of
opinion WAS against his being able to
succeed. There was nobody. in the
absence OF AnSon, to brace him up.
the whole crowd would have bet two
TO one ON his failing. and 50 no Won-
der the poor fellow, heart was faint.
So faint was il that crGrit1th and
Hutchinson had cot to the top. and
he former had tossed he ball from
Il north window. Schrivcr'> nerve for
Sooll him and he made no effort to
catch it. Again >chriVcr consented
to try. the signal was given from
above and again the ball was pitched
Itr,h. SchriVcr caught it fair and
square, amid the applause Of the
spectators He didn't oct a chance
to repeat he act. for by this time
the monument COP got onto the
game and waS highly indignant that
any such affair had occurred. lie
talked Of arrests, but was finally
talked into a more nmiablr temper
and the party came up town joyou>lv
with Billy Schrivcr Il hero.