Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-30

a close play. Nobody b6t Kelly in those
days would have thought Of such q thing,
and because Of this trick he Immediately
became the most-talked-of ball player In
America.
No matter what Kelly did the spectators
and the opposing players were always on
the lookout for a trick of some kind. II he
took of his shoe and rubbed his ankle after
reaching first base he was sure to steal Sec
ond the next moment. If he stood motion
less at the plate and allowed the umpire
to call two strikes on hirntwithout making
an attempt to hit the hal, Kelly was almost
sure to make base>hit.ts
When he put on the maslt to catch he was
the first backstop to invent fake passed
ball" He would purpaselys6llow the ball to
roll through his legs = yard or two so that
a base runner would take ground or the
bag. Then Kelly would hustle after the
ball. throw 1t swiftly to the baseman and
invariably nail the runner He was the first
catcher to hide the ball under his arm and
then, as the pitcher assumed his usual atti-
tude In the box. make a quick throw to a
base for an unwary runner.
One OF the last Of kelly's tricks was seen
in New York city in New Boston
Buck Ewing, also a. well-known trickster
was on third. with another New Yorker on
second. The New Yorks needed a run to
tie the score. and the man on first started to
steal Kelly, who was Catching for Boston,
threw the ball to second and Ewing started
for the plate. As he did so Kelly took of
his mask and placed it on the base line d.
rectiy IN Ewings path. Meanwhile the sec
ono baseman had taken Kelly.s throw short
and sent the ball back to the plate Ewing
was about to slide when he saw the mask
He was afraid of broken leg or an arm
ana Kept his feet. Kelly caught the ball
ana touched Buck a foot from the plate
. That's new one, WILLIE said Kel
what do you think of it ?'
BUT Ewing was too angry to make a re-
ply. Buck had many tricks that were not
Ia, yol
as effective. He was a notorious "iol,ier,.
and "stringer." and his running fira ~ cow
ments while behind the bat made him both
popular and famous. "0'-'
Ar. ne. Latham. sometimes called Dude"
and The Clown" will never have an oo',eI
Naturally wit, he was an attraction ey-
eryWhere because of 1fis funny antics and
savings. And he could play ball to beat
t th1 oand, 100. He was In his prime as
thlro baseman of Comiskey's noted ST
Louis Browns, and was almost as hip a
drawing card as Kelly. In the winter he
ala turn on the vaudeville stage and tried
10 De 1unny, but he was failure 1t was
the diamond for his line of work mr. noS
where. Lath" was a trickster and no
learned many pointer from "Commy !" the
day. III Ills
The individuality of these PLAYERS coro-
pared to that of Johnny Ward. Tim Keefa
Roger Conner, Ed Crane, Danny Richard,
SUn; MIKE I1ernan, George Gore, Mickey
m mda, jim O'Rourke, John Clarkson,
a aud.n G. Arson, Edward Hanlon. Dan
Brouthers, Deacon" White and CbarIev
bennett and men of that class is missing
nowadays. True it is that there are stars
SUCH as Lajoie, McGraw, Delehanty Keel.
9 En- eh s;so Davis. McGinnity, Dahlen,
otners In the ranks Of the two big Ieaeues
today, but they have not filed the shoes Of
the former great men of the diamond IN
lieve. Dii Vi aims ue-
There'll never be a PLAYER 1,ke Milo
heily, said Uncle BilI' Conant of the
Boston club during thelrecent league meet
ing IN New York. Players may come and
p payers s. may go, but Kelly's memory win
walked to the bat '''' ever
Alio unere are many who know that the
Boston triumvir spoke the truth. ''e