Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-22
ANOTHER DELEHANTY STORY.
How Poor Old "DeP' Saved a Game
for Mansfield.

I wonder if Al Buckenberger ever lets
his mind drift back to the day he vehement
ly declared that playing manager would
never be a success, especially In getting
the best work out of the men, says the
Cleveland Plain Dealer. There was nothing
remarkable about this assertion. 1t had
been made before, and since that time 1t
has been UP for discussion. But the play
that caused Buck to make this remark
and quit playing a regular position. while
managing the team, is remarkable, and
worth the telling. 1t was one of those plays
-heady or unheady-as the case may be-
that change the complexion of things on
the ball field in a jiffy, turns seeming vic
tory into defeat, and gives the fans some
thing to talk about and keep the game
alive when snow balls take the place OF
base ball.
The play I write about came under the
class of ''unheady" and as far as known
it stands alone. 1t was back in 81 In the
palmy days of the Tristate league-the minor
organization that turned out more major
lea que players and stars in two years than
any of the little fellows since that date.
Among other good towns IN the Tristate was
Kalamazoo, Mich, the city that celery
made famous. Buckenberger was manager
of the team and played second base. The
Kazoos had been over the circuit, holding
their own, and were we'll up among the
leaders and needed every game they could
possibly capture.
A epic" Team.
There was one team In the league that
was pie for them and that was Mansfield,
where Buck" and his braves had clean
slate of games won. To defeat Kalamazoo
got to be a ruling passion in the former
town. The time to turn the trick was
picked to be on the Michigan teams last
swing around the circuit Just before they
an Man q
Canton two successive shutouts, the first
defeats given them in the league. This was
a great feat. The Canton team was really
the nine that was organized at Altoona.
The former named town came in late and
had plenty of backing and bought the Al
toona team that was under the manage
ment of Jage Virtue. who afterward went
to Cleveland. Billy Blair pitched the first
shutout game for Mansfield, to O. and
elongated Charlie Bohn the second. not q
man reaching first base in the latter con-
test. In base ball records for pitchers al
lowing only twenty-seyen men to face
them. Bohn's name Is never mentioned. but
It belongs there as Tristate scores for that
year will show.
Well. 1t was after these games that Kala-
mazoo came for a two days series. The
first contest went the usual way-one-sded
In favor of Bucks" Braves The second
days game was a ''beaut." Twirlers and
the men behind them were playing like
stars, and at the beginning of the ninth the
score was 4 to 4. Mansfield in her half of
the ninth drew a blank, and then the
KaZoos came In to end the contest. With
two hands down they got man on second,
and husky player. Rafferty,, came to bat
He met one that was a sure two-sacker.
He started for first, the man on second
came home. and the crowd sorrowfully was
leaving the grounds Out In the field big
Ed Delehanty was tearing up the earth and
calling for the ball. He finally got 1t and
ran TO first. He called on Umpire Sandy
McDermott for decision. Delehanty
claimed that Rafferty, did not run to first
to make good his hit and he was out. Nc
Dermott said he saw the play as Delehanty
did and called Rafferty, out.
Set Up Awful Howl.
OF course Buck and his team set up
an awful howl. but after the watch was
pulled on them the game was resumed. In
the first of the eleventh 1t was Delehanty's
turn at bat. and he sent the ball over left
field fence. He ambled home and got busy
picking up coins that were thrown from
the grand stand a premium on that
home run. The best that Kalamazoo could
do in its half was to give the fielders three
easy outs. The crowd went wild and the
Kazoos filed out silently and got into their
bus. Buckenberger, always q hard loser.
said things about "fat-head players" In gem
eral and Rafferty, In particular. Tho latter
got back at his chief By saying that hls