Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-24
MANY CHANCES FOR
BRILLIANT WORK
Base Ball Furnishes More 0p-
portunities for Sensational
Play Than Any Other
Athletic Sport.
By Billy Evans.
Fair Play Gaining Ground.


Base ball furnishes more opportunities
for sensational and brilliant work than
any other sport crowd no noisier than
a graveyard can be turned into a raving
mob in an instant by some marvellous
catch. wonderful throw or timely hit
Chances galore are furnished in every
game for this or that player to make HIM
self popular hero. OF course, IT he fails
he Is rated as dub for the time being,
but he only has to deliver the goods in
a pinch to be touted as the greatest
ever" No follower of sport IS more
tickle than the base ball fan. He is
hasty to criticise and quick to forget.
Generally he is partisan to fault In
justice to the fan it must be stated that
every year finds an Improvement in the
treatment accorded visiting players. The
spirit of fair play is fast gaining ground.
Joe Birmingham's Great Throw.
In Joe Birmingham. Cleveland can
boast Of one Of the greatest throwing out
felders that ever lived. And, by the way.
Bill Hinohman and Flick are also some
pumpkins In the pegging line. Possibly
there are outfelders who can heave the
ball farther than "Birmy" but it is a
question II he has a superior as to &C
curacy. Over the American League cir
cult every player has q wholesome respect
for Joe Birminghams whip. He made
sensational throw after throw last sea-
son, but his best effort was recorded at
ST. Louis in the game on the afternoon Of
July 3.
The Browns and the Maps were having
fierce struggle. Cleveland wanted the
game badly in order to return home with
In striking distance Of Chicago, who was
to be met on the Fourth. The Maps were
taking all kinds of chances and the
Browns were doing the same in an effort
TO bag the game.
With the score tie in the sixth Wal
lace on third. one down and Joe Yeager
at the bat. things looked bad for the
Maps. It seemed certain the Browns
would score. and. as both pitchers were
going well, one run was considered Dig
advantage. Yeager hit the first ball
pitched to center field, mile high and
far away. Birmingham hiked to the CEN
ter field bleachers In hot pursuit. Now,
Bobby Wallace is quite speedy. and every
one was certain he would score on the
out. No one thought Birmingham would
third. crouching like a Splinter, waiting
for the catch, while the umpire warned
him about leaving the base. When the
ball touched Birmy's glove Wallace
dashed for the pate. While with one
movement and without an effort the CEN
tear fielder shot the ball in the direction
of Catcher Clarke. The crowd seemed to
instantly realize that a wonderful throw
had been made. and was on its feet cheer
ing and urging Wallace. It. was a race
between the ball and the fast-moving
shortstop. and a great one. The throw
came perfectly to Clarke on the fly. and
he wheeled and touched Wallace on the
leg as he slid for the plate. He was out
a foot The crowd could hardly realiza
the extent of the feat as Wallace was
waved out. When it finally recovered
Birmy was given an ovation he will prob
ably never forget. The throw was meas
ured that evening after the game. and
the distance was found to be 100 yards
It will 60 down In history as one Of the
greatest throws ever made in a cham
pionship game.