Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-22
By Billy Evans.

that every point likely to come up in the
game had been covered. Such a belief
has long been wiped out and every now
and then the rulemakers are compelled
TO draft some new rule to govern some
new point Despite their efforts. peculiar
situations galore still present themselves
and in many of the cases the umpire must
use his judgment rather than follow the
rules.
Last, summer Jack Sheridan was con-
fronted with rather unusual play, but
MS usual good judgment was in evidence
ana he got away with the disputed point
with little or no trouble. Here it is:
In Boston the right field bleachers serve
as the foul line in deep right field. Chi
cago was playing Boston and as the game
meant much to the White Sox thew were
nghting every inch of the way. With
two men out. the score a tie and men on
second and third. the Chicago batter sent
long ny to deep right 1t was evident
tnat the ball would either go foul into the
oieachers or strike the inside of the
pieachers and bound into fair territory.
The Chicago runners were tearing around
the bases, hoping that the bali would be
falr. Jack Sheridan was watching the
Dali closely, and as he afterward said. he
expected to see the ball go foul To the
CONSERVATION of everybody, one Of the
pleacherites stood up. extended his hands
into faR territory and caught the ball
The Chicago batter and runners made the
circuit and home run was claimed
Although in base ball over twenty years
1t was the first time Sheridan had been
called upon to decide such a play Jack
calied the batter back and sent the run
ners to the bases they occupied before
the hit was made. On his Sc cond chance
the batter flied out. Chicago won the
game and but little more was said about
the play. but some of the White Sox still
insist that Sheridan. ruled against them
inasmuch as the ball was in fair terri
tory when interfered with by an outsider.
Sheridan contended that the ball would
nave surely gone foul. had no interference
taken place. and it would have been an
injustice to Boston to have decided other
wise.
Bill Armour, who managed Detroit in
1906. tried to sneak a clever trick on
Tommy Connolly. but it failed to work
Armour protested against Connolly's de-
cision. but President Johnson ruled that
he had decided correctly. The play had
EVIDENTLY been rehearsed ,by Detroit for
1t was attempted al the first opportunity
Detroit had the bases filled and Bobby
Lowe at the bat. Lowe worked Hess,
who was pitching for Cleveland, until it
was three and two. Just as soon as
Hess placed his foot on the rubber. the
runner on third made dash for the plate
Hess threw home. Connolly declared the
runner out retiring the side. Armour
kicked strenuously on the decision. He
insisted that when Hess faced the batter
with his foot on the rubber and delivered
the ball to the plate, 1t was a legal deliv-
cry In this case. he argued. the ball
was wide of the plate and should have
been declared a ball. This would have
given Lowe his base on balls and forced
the run across the plate. Connolly couldn't
see it that way and ruled that Hess had
just as much right to throw home to catch
runner as he had to throw to any other
base. provided he hadn't started his pitch
ing motion.
1t was put up to President johnson and
he upheld Connolly. If Armour had been
would always be worked with the bases
filled and three and two on the batter.
George Davis of the White Sox OBJ
tatned an assist at Detroit last season
that will go down as one Of the funniest
unconscious man who never knew what
happened until it was all over.
Schafer Of Detroit attempted to score
on play in which Pitcher Walsh of the
White Sox covered the plate. Schafer
was being run down between home and
third, and when Walsh put the ball on
him the two came together with crash,
rendering both unconscious for some time.
George Davis was assisting in making
the play, and when Walsh dropped the
ball he recovered it and put the ball on
Schafer before the Tigers could drag him
over the plate. Jack Stafford, who was
working the game with Sheridan THAI
day, declared Schafer out. The Detroit
players protested against the decision,
claiming that Stafford should have stop
ped play just as soon as he saw that the
two players were unable to continue.
Stafford held otherwise and his decision
prevailed.
Later in the year Hank O'Day had a
play come up at Brooklyn IN which Doyle
of the Giants was injured Mn a collision
with base runner after he had allowed
a drive to get away from him. Runners
were on second and third at the time and
both scored on the hit. O'Day ruled that
only one man could score and sent the
other runner beck to third, claiming that
he had called time when he discovered
that Doyle was in no condition to re-
sumo play.
The Giants kicked long and loud and
even protested the game. but ODay was
upheld by President Pulliam on the
ground that it was in the interest of
humanity and that the rule of common
sense prevailed in such case.
Terry Turner and George Stovall pulled
off a play at Washington that didn t
cause the umpire in charge any trouble,
but caused number Of fans a lot of
worry and loss of sleep.
In about the fifth inning of the game
Turner was on third and Stovall on sec
ond. A snap throw from the catcher
caught Stovall mapping and he dashed
for third. OF course, the only thing for
Turner to do was make for the plate The
play then shifted from Stovall to Turner
and ended with both players holding down
third base. The ball was tossed to Lave
Cross, who touched Stovall, retiring him,
as Turner was entitled to the bag In a
moment of thoughtlessness Turner
thought he was forced and stepped off the
bag. He discovered his mistake instantly
and tried to get back to the bag in safe
ty. but according to the umpire Lave won
the decision.
All of the players thoroughly under
stood the play, but the fans didn't. They
couldn't figure how a double play was
possible under the conditions. The dis
cussion that arose over the play kept the
scribes busy for weeks explaining just
how it happened.
Tommy Connolly got into all kinds of
trouble in Cleveland last year over a rule
that was made before the game started.
Connolly never likes to be caught nap
ping, and when he goes on the field to
start game he always likes to have all
points covered that might cause dispute.
1t was shortly after the subway was
built at the Cleveland grounds. BY way
of explanation the subway is frail fence
built about three feet inside of the main
fence. Through this subway the fans
pass to the right-field bleachers. The
regular fence is some distance higher