The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20
WICKED TRICKS
JACK GLASSCOCK
Old Warriors of the Diamond Tell
How the Old Shortstop Used to
Make Put-OutS.
Chicago Journal.

Chicago Journal.
''They can all come and CO." said Jimmy
McAleer, as he sat in Ban Johnson's Office,
killing time, "but / don't think the game
will ever see another player-in certain
ways-like Jack Glasscock. He was, dis
tinctively, one of the oldest characters who
ever played around a diamond, and the
duplicate of Pebbly Jack has yet to show.
"Glasscock was a great shortstop, good
batter and the meanest player who ever
wore the spikes. He wanted TO win So
badly that he would do anything to stop the
opposition. Some of his tricks were
lalapaloozas If the umpire was looking
the other way he'd throw a handful of
sand in your eyes. If you slid into the base
it was right into his spikes, blocking off
the bag like barb-wire fence. When he
showed the ball against you it was for bust
ness purposes. and you knew all about it.
But the tricks he was best in were tricks
that were almost impossible to see. AS you
turned the base he would wander accident
ally across your path, and you would In
stinctively slow UP to avoid collision. The
fraction Of a second thus lost generally
meant a putout at the next station. If
you went on ahead, he would take Just a
pinch at your trousers as you passed. That
little nip would throw you off your stride
and unbalance you to such an extent that
you would fall an easy victim to the man
at the next stand, who would be waiting
with the bail.
"A great deal OF the so-called rowdyism
and profanity of the old times was really
caused by such tricks as these When a
man had been put out as the result of such
a dodge he would naturally express his
opinion both of the offender and Of the UNI
pire who had failed to see the play. Hence
the air would be dark blue and the n4Ders
the next day would talk about another dis
graceful row.
"Once 1 saw Glasscock nip Burkett as he
passed and i SLOW him him up SO that the third
GlasSc0ck and Burkett showering each
| other with choice language, and such Ian
guage as those two could devise, Oh, but
1t was rich, and the poor umpire had as
much show to stop them as he had to fiy,''
Players used to sharpen up their spikes
for Fred Pfeffer," said Comiskey, land tell
how they were going to cut him up Yet
when the slide was made and the put-out
was over and the men had come back 10
the bench we'd ask: why didn't you cut
him?' and the invariable answer would be:
you with the ball he hit you hard, too
Yep" said Clark Griffith, II saw him
black Walter Wilmot's eye with the ball
one day, and Walter was fairly wild He
but he didn't catch him.
For my part said Comiskey 81 never
feared these spiking fellows. I'd block
them OFF first and take chance. It's this
way with blocking men: Although they may
want to spike you, they also want to get
back to the base. and that's their chief OBJ
ject. Hence they don't get enough leeway
10 make their slide forceful or dangerous
Their spikes may cut the skin a little but
really do no harm.
And the procession, having heard that
Hedges, OF st: Louis, was buying in the buff
fet, adjourned in great eagerness and pre-
| cipitation.