Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-04
Mistaken in the Signal.

barring collisions between players.
Mistaken in the Signal
Jimmy Conner. now playing down east.
was ruined for major league company by an
accident that came near killing him. He
was at bat when Big Jack Taylor OF Phlla-
delphia sent up terrific inshoot. Conner
thought he had caught the signal for fast
curve, stepped in. and was dropped like a
| log. the ball striking him squarely in the
temple. The injury made him timid at bat
for years. but he got his nerve back and Is
hitting them high up and far away.
Fred Lake and a big first baseman ran to-
gether on the Kansas City grounds In 1907
while after foul fly. Both men were going
| at top speed and smashed their faces and
bodies together. both dropping unconscious
| to the ground Neither man ever fully re-
| covered from the collision, although both
played afterward. The strange feature of
! the accident was that when Lake was car
| ried off the field. unconscious and seemingly
| fatally hurt. the ball was still clutched in
| his hand.
On the Washington Grounds.
| Hughey Jennings. the old Baltimore star,
| had an odd accident at Washington once.
| He was playing short and went tearing
| across back of third after a foul fly The
| field seats there are low. Jennings made
a wild running jump after the ball just
as 1t was failing into the seats and got it
| In one hand He had leaped instinctiyely
to avoid q collision with the low fence,
and he went over on his shoulder and re-
manned suspended there, kicking and
struggling. but still holding the ball Be
yond a few cuts and scratches he escaped
injury.
Perhaps the oldest accident that ever
happened on the bah field was the Bal
tinIore grounds. The outfield fence there
was built slanting-that is, there was an
upright fence and inside that was plat
form slanting from the ground to the top
of the fence at an angle of about sixty de-
grees. Probably 1t was intended TO put
seats there. but it was used for signs.
Willie Keller playing in the short right
field used TO run up that fence and catch
fly balls many times; but one day in q
game against St Louis he misealculated
| Jim Clements hit q line drive to right high
over Keeier's head. and the speedy little
| fellow dashed for The fence and started to
| run along 1t after the manner of cyclists
| riding on a sloping track, going higher and
| higher He saw that the ball was going
over him and made last despairing eff
| fort-but could not reach. Then, too late,
| he tried to save himself. and for In
| slant went sprinting along the very top OF
| the fence-then disappeared.
| The crowd Sat aghast for Instant, then
some of the other players dashed for the
| fence, but before they reached it Keller,
a little disheyeled climbed UP and slid down
| into the grounds amid roar OF cheers.
Bill Dahlen's Steal.
Bill Dahlen came near ending his base ball
career In a strange way. He was at third
| with Lange at bat and started to steal
| home. coming at top speed the pitcher
| was winding UP to pitch The game was
| against New York, and Roger Bresnahan.
| then youngster, was catching. Dab
| len relied on LANCE to help him. and LANCE
! did, stepping backward as if to avoid the
! pitch just as Dahlen caromed across the
| plate in safety. The steal cost him dear,
for Sta aIpl>sa
| cut resulted IN blood poisoning, which came
| near costing him leg.
| Trick Turned on Tom Tucker.
| Tom Tucker was the victim OF a trick
! in Pittsburg once. Back of first base
and just off the foul line. in a gate
| through which spectators are admitted TO
| the field in case of great crowds, and one
| day bounder rolled foul and went under
| that fence, with Tucker In wild pursuit.
! He tore open the gate. dashed down The
alleyway and got the ball. then started
back, but the gate had swung shut and
| four or five ardent Pittsburg rooters were
| holding 1t there Wagner. who hit the
! ball. was tearing toward third when Tucker
| attempted to climb the gate. He reached
| the top and then the rooters swung the
| gate open with Tom on top, and held him
| there until the run scored. Even Tom
laughed as he came back up the field, Gi-
| though bruised and scratched
| An OUQ dCcluent happened one time wlen
| the Cincinnati team was playing an EXIT
| bition game at Wilmington, Ohio the town
which Charlie Murphy recently made IA
| nous. The game was played In the fai--
| grounds, and the back stretch of the half
| mile track was cut through a clay hill.
| During the game Bug Holiday raped q
| long drive to right and 1t went over the
| bank and disappeared down the cut Bug
| making home run. The next batter step
| PED up, the pitcher pitched-and then there
| was commotion-the right fielder had dis
| appeared. He was found on the track,
with all the wind knocked out OF him when
| he ran over the edge of the high bank IN
| pursuit of Holidays hit.
Bitten by Snake.
Jimmy Conner is the only major league
| player who ever was bitten by snake
| during game. The game was played by
| the old Chicago club at Oakland, Nd.
! against a crowd of collegians from the
nearby summer resorts. Conner was play
] ing second base, and. IN the third inning
| of the game, some one rolled an easy
bounder toward him. Just as he stopped
1 TO pick up the bali he Strengthened up let
out warwhoop. jumped five feet into +he
air and alighted running, letting the ball
| go on. Walter Thornton, who was pitch
| Ing, ran out and killed a two-foot garter
/ snake. Common always vowed It bit him
| just as he started to field the ball
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