Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-16
SENSATIONAL PLAYS.
Ex-senator Roger Bresnahan Tells
Good Base Ball Stories.

Roger Bresnahan has had many expert
ences on the diamond. He has been mixed
up in many startling plays and some Of the
sensational variety. He tells Of some of
them as follows:
Perhaps the most sensational play ever
figured In happened only last year on the
Polo Grounds. when the Giants were play
ing the st. Louis Cardinals 1t was triple
play, and If the rules called for four out in
an inning we would have done the quad
ripple act. The beauty of the play was in
it's being SO clearly performed. There was
not break anywhere. every man of the
three, Gilbert. Warner and myself, who
were In on the play, getting away with 1t
like clockwork and as accurately and snap
PLY as II 1t were a prearranged AFFAIR
There were three Cardinals on the bases.
with none out, and as the score was close
the situation was bit dangerous. 1 re-
member shouting to the boys Heads up.
nowr' to steady them. had no more than
the words out OF my mouth when the ball
was wacked out into my field. which was
that day the middle garden. 1t was short
fly, and evidently looked safe to the men on
the bases. for they all moved up. 1 got the
ball all right and, as l remember, 1t was
not difficult catch.
l grabbed the ball on the run, however,
and without looking and still on the move,
as 1 had made up my mind what to do be-
fore had the ball. 1 shot it to Gilbert, who
had covered second. The runner on second
had started for third, and he was an easy
victim Gilbert, as quick as a flash, as he
invariably is when a lightning play is re-
quired, whipped the ball to Warner at the
plate, and the runner on third. who must
have been communing with himself was
nailed yards away. Warner, not knowing
what the decisions might be on the play as
it had progressed, properly and promptly
snapped the ball back to Gilbert. who had
barrels of time to nip Patsey Donovan, who
Gov. raoo COY mr. X
ing a snooZe on first. Donovan would have
been the fourth man out.
think this was the most remarkable
play in the history of the game, inasmuch
as the work was carried through exactly as
IL there were four men to put out, and the
runners all worked hard to save them
selves, although they might have been bit
dopey, but they would all have been hus-
tied had their tanks been in good working
order.
/ doubt very much If like situation
every came up In a game to give the oppor-
tunity of making the play, and doubt IL 1t
will ever again
"a much more difficult catch I made in
Baltimore when the Orioles were playing
against the Athletics. 1t saved the game.
too. and was on the police order, but 1t only
goes to show what player can do IL he
will keep going no matter how impossible
a catch may look. There were three Ath-
letics on the bases. there were two out, and
1t was the last inning. We were only one
run to the good and a safe wallop meant
1t was "aIl over" I think Harry Davis
was the batter. Anyhow 1t was some
slugger who could swat the horsehide
mile. 1 know I laid out for him. and al
though I was nearly out of sight was not
any too far, for the ball went on q dead
line, out to my right and over my head.
must have judged the ball by the sound Of
the bat for the instant 1t was hit turned
tail and tincanned for dear life. My back
was to the ball, but had fortunately been
lucky enough to Judge its direction all right,
and when I had run far enough out, as
thought, glanced over my shoulder and
saw the ball still going and still over my
head. knew my only chance was to make
flying leap and try for the ball with one
hand. This did. and the ball stuck to my
fin as IL glued there.
WE'LL you should have heard the holler
those Athletics put up. 'You are the luck
lest player on EARTH" shouted Davis.
"Oh, don't know" replied Those are
common things with me. make them every
day; just watch me tomorrow" And just
by luck I did make catch the next day
pretty nearly as hard-and on Davis. too.
Harry wouldn't speak to me for a month.
lighting chance to beat out Wagner for
while. I was In the lead for while, but fell
off bit toward the wind-up. do not re-
member Just now any one particular hit last
season that consider out of the ordinary.
A home run. though. that made In Balti-
more against the Washingtons made an inn
preston on my mind that will be lasting.
The Senators and Orioles were always
keen rivals on account of the close proxim-
ity to Washington, and Baltimore rooters
would rather see US beat the Washingtous