Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-18
SENSATIONAL PLAYS.
Billy Gilbert Tells of Those That Made
Him Famous

Billy Gilbert. the fast infielder of the New
York National League club who figured in
two of the four triple plays pulled off by
his club last season. tells of some of the
plays that helped to make him famous.
Here is his own yarn:
THE play that crack myself up most on
was made in Cincinnati last season, on Sep
TENDER IS. when the Giants were playing
the Cincinnati Reds. 1t was on the Giants
last trip and we were fighting tooth and
nail with the Chicagos for second place,
and every victory was big to US as
brick house.
1--WE were in the lead at the time and
things looked rosy bright for us.
"All of a sudden. however. the Reds, who
were our JonahS last year. took a batting
streak and caused seriousness
''Donlin had made a single and Seymour
followed with a double. They are both fast
runners and we had only lead of a run
or two. so that hit would have tangled
up matters to a dangerous point. We
moved UP our infield to head Donlin off at
the plate in case there was a ground hit.
Dolan came to bat and sent short fly
over my head. / could see it was too short
for Bresnahan to cover. so I sprinted after
it for dear life l didn't have much of an
idea that could nail the ball. but / said to
myself: Second place may depend on this.
50 kept pegging away. My back was to
the ball. but glancing over my shoulder 1
caught a glimpse of it and. with a spring
and my hands outstretched over my head,
, l just managed to clutch the sphere, still
with my back to the plate.
Both Seymour and Donlin, thinking the
| hit was surely safe. made a break for
home. l tossed the ball to Babb. putting
| out Seymour. and Babb shot it to Louder
| and Donlin was nipped before he could get
| back to third. The play broke the Reds all
| up and won us the game.
| 1T may have been a lucky catch, but IL
| / hadn't gone after the ball and taken a
| long chance ! never would have landed it.
II figured in another triple play at the
| Polo Grounds when We were playing the st.
| Louis Cardinals. Bresnahan caught a short
| fly, with three men on bases and chuckcd
| to me in time to catch the runner at second
| snapped to Warner heading off the man
| who was on third at the plate. We could
| have put out four men, for Warner whip
| ped the bali back to me and we pinched the
| runner who was on first.
There were only four triple plays made
| in the National League last season and
was in two of them
II am not much of hitter, not long
| one, anyhow, but l try to place the ball.
| and once in while l cop out pinch swat
! that tells. / remember one at the Polo
| Grounds only last summer that / made in
| the last inning and when we needed a run
| to win. There were two out, and all
wanted was to get to first, and then had
made up my mind to take all kinds OF
chances on the bases l shot the ball safe
| to left. stole second on the first ball pitch
| ed and then made break for third on the
| next one. 1 slid into third, took the third
Easements legs out from under him so that
! he missed the catcher's good throw, and
| ambled home with the winning run.
"Once I made a three-base hit In Balti-
1 more and that also won the game. / make
% few long hits that when do make a