The Washington herald., 1908-08-22

Charley Street. OF the Washington ball
club. yesterday accomplished the unpre-
cedented and supposedly impossible feat
Of catching a ball dropped from the top
Of the Washington Monument
The first day Street saw the memorial
shaft he determined 10 make the catch;
but when he learned that there was a
law prohibiting dropping missiles from
the windows. so feet from the ground.
he decided TO give up the idea, but yes
uerday his opportunity came. and he ac-
cepJed the chance without any hesitancy.
When John Bi65le q member Of the
local Metropolitan Club. heard that Street
was anxious 20 make a trial, he made q
Sbet with Preston Gibson. a feIow-club-
mate. that Street could make good, and,
after obtaining a permit from Gel Br0m-
vel, superintendent Of public buildings
and grounds. the two went 20 the ball
grounds yesterday morning and sought
out Street
The two clUbmen and the catcher. ac-
c0mpauied by Capt Bob Garley and
George Mcbride. went TO the Monument
IL an automobile They took five slightly
dlscoIored balls with them, and had
rigged up seven-foot chute from which
10 roll the balls from the windows
sun Worries Catcher.
There was q slight southern wind blow
ing when they arrived in the AIau, and
IN order 10 have the sun at his back
Street had the ball dropped from the
southern window. 1Ir Gibson was Sc
IeCts5 70 roll the balls out on the chute.
but the glare on the granite was so in
tense that The catcher found IL tmpossi-
be 20 gauge tae ball Ten times he tried
70 get under the sphere. but each time
missed, and the ball. striking the con
crete. bounded nearly fifty feet
At the suggestion OF Ganiey and Nc
Bride. Street went 20 the northern side
Of the shaft and after failing TO reach
three balls that were dropped finally got
fairly under the fourteenth and caught
It squareIy IN his nit and squeezed It
while the crowd Of nearly fifty people
who had gathered after the first attempt
cheered the pIucky catcher. Il was the
first ball dropped that Street had sue
Ceeded IN reaching. SO he really accom-
pished the feat on the first ball that
struck his glove Il was calculated that
when the ball struck the uitt IL was
going a. q rate Of rs feet to the second.
and while the player was badly Jared.
he was In no way injured. but played in
che game yesterday afternoon, and was
an important factor IN beating Detroit
Wears Regulation Glove.
When Street made the wonderful catch
he was n shirt sleeves. and wore the
glove that ne uses tn catching cham
pIouship games
"Gabbv-' was IN high glee last night
and said that the bail. when e struck
the glove. did not feel any harder than
some OF the balls that he has received
IN catching pitchers
When Street made the catch he sue
ceeded IN doing something that some Of
The greatest backstops the game has
ever known nave failed 20 do. Although
Il has been reported several times that
different players have caught the bail
dropped from the historic Monument The
necessary witnesses were not 20 be found.
so Streets catch viii 80 down as the
first ever made There were plenty OF
witnesses yesterday 50 there VIII be
no Question about Streets catch being
accepted as the record
Charley Bennett. Of the old Detroits.
Who later had both less auVUrated
Sc1river- who was with the Chicago
White S5x under Capt Anson; Paul
Hines. Charley Snyder. Bill Everett and
Kitredge are among some OF the players
who failed where Street succeeded