Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-04-20
THE SPORTING NEW :.


 almost thinA that a game O. DaIl Ae, CT took place when was not either Wun- dertully great or wonaerlully bad. That's one good thing auouI the bal player--he knows bad play and nas no hesitation in speaking about 1t. As matter of fact, most games have cru cial moment when the saving play is really great. Hence the dirnculty of selecting few particularly great ones. If l make no pretense to write here anything but few random memories of some great plays, I hope it will be understood that l do not state these to, be the greatest plays I have ever seen in all my experience; they are merely random recollections of some great games.
 The greatest playing ever saw was during the famous championship games between Boston and Baltimore. At one of those I saw a man fly. That's straight-absolutely fly. It was Herman Long of the Bostons. Perhaps for excitement those games have never been surpassed. It was nip and tuck between the Bostons and the Orioles, and it was do or die for one or the other of us if we were to catch the pennant. One afternoon-it was the second game, I think-came the greatest piece of individual work q man ever did on the field. Long was the fellow who did the trick that saved us--the Bostons. His batting was terrific and his fielding grand. Baltimore was at the bat, and their man made as pretty play as you would want to seehit the ball hard and sent 1t sailing straight out towards center field. The crowd rooted for all they were worth. and when Long made a grand stand catch they all seemed to want to go up in the air after m. He made what is called Dunlap He took the ball with his right hand over his left shoulder, while he was in the air after sharp run and flying leap, when his heels went nearly as high as his head. That play gave Boston the pennant.
 Tom Mccarthy made the greatest triple play ever saw. An old player who saw Illness triple play at Provi- as wonderful. As long as the game has been played there have been less than a dozen triple pays, and outside of Illness and McCarthy's don't know of any sing e-handed triple plays Mccarthy made his great play in '93 on the Boston grounds in the games against Pittsburg. The games had been fought with unexampled bitter ness and the enthusiasm of the crowds had been worked up to such pitch that 1t was like playing in an atmos- Dhere of electricity. Every play brought cheer. The game was draw ing to close with the score small and Pittsburg one ahead. Pittsb7'rg had three men on bases. 1t looked IS though Boston was up against pTopo sition that was too much for her. Mac was playing ortfield and was watching the batsman closely. The ball was hit hard and went skimming out between second and third. Mac made long. desperate run. trusting to luck and the moment to save the day for Bos- ton. AsItIooked as though no man could make that catch The men on bases had staTFed for home. and the Pits burg rooteTs were splitting heaven with their yells. But they stopped short when Mae reached the ball, get ting it about two inches from the gound and held it. the momentum O. his run carrying him quite distance before he regained control of himself. Both men had crossed the home D ate, and, seeing there was no use in trying to get back, stood bewildered as Mac logged over 10 third, putting three men out. This was the greatest play Mac ever did. think. though he made as similar play at Philadelph'a in '91, when he was playing outfeld The first baseman went in the receive, bHt Mac got the ball and put four men out. Mac has been hero on many q field, but that night he was king of the game. The score had been 3 tie up to his play. but that saved the game. Old ball players speak of that trick to this day.
 Collins. another old Boston National man, was the greatest left-hand stop in the game. I suppose he made more left-hand stops than any man that ever lived. No ball was too swift for that left hand of his. One. in Brooklyn, Tom Daly of the Brooklyns hit the ba in swell style and sent it over to third, where Collins was. It was as nice q ball as you ever saw-straight and swift as 2 bullet, one of the sort that feels as though if would go through plate armor if it were just q little swifter and heavier. Along it came, quite close to the ground. Collins reached down that left of his and picked it up gently, as if it were dead" tennis ball. Then it was over men out The gang, on the bleachers didn't know what they were looking at for q moment. but when they d'd they used up all the vooal energy they'd been storing up since childhood.
 Of pitchers. I think Nichols was the greatest I ever played with. For en- duranee and keeniIlg ir tho best trim and working Lard every day I never saw his equal. During the whole sea- son of '97 he pitched regularly every other day, and when the other men | | lieyed them.
 ABOUT CHARLEY CLANCY
 To Charles Albert Clancy, one of the Holyoke baseball clubs star pitchers, belongs the honor of winning r.ore games in proportion to the number he pitched than any other pitcher on the team, says the Hofyoke Telegram. Clancy is probably the most conscien- tious man in baseball. On the eve- ming before he is to pitch a game he refrains from even a SrY1OiSA ailEs goes