Evening star., 1909-05-30
BROWNE MADE THREE
BASES ON A BUNT
Local Boy Was Fastest in Ma.
tiona| League at One
Time.
From the Detroit News.

George Browne is doing some nice work
for the Nationals. Out in left field he
fields something like the Browne Of the
New York Giants and the Boston Doves
used to field.
Not quite as fast as that Browne who
sped between the bases in eight cities in
the old league. but still fast, for this
Browne can lose a lot of speed and still
be as fast as many men in base ball.
The years are not many since Browne
was considered the best Of the National
League speed kings. He was the fastest
outfielder in base ball at one time and the
best base runner in the business.
In 1904 Browne was a member of John
]. McGraw's champion Giants. In 1905
he belonged to the same base ball organi-
zation. He played right field for McGraw
in both years. In 1904 he fielded .925 and
the following year saw him secure an
average of nine points better He hit
2S3 in 1904 and 10 points above that in
1868
New York secured him from Philadel-
phia, and although his work in the
it was in New York where he
reached the height of his fame. There
he belonged to team of stars and with
the winning club that 1t was he had a
better chance to go at his best. for
Browne is one of the men who does not
set the world on fire when the men
around him are raising no smoke.
He Could Run.
AS long as they play base ball, Browne
will be remembered as one of the men
who played it. How they would love to
see Browne 'get on" Just about as
much as they love to see Cobb get on in
these days. There was trouble when
Browne reached first.
After George made the turn and re-
turned to the sack, and before the pitcher
began winding to throw to the next bat
ter, Brownies hands would reach to
his hip pockets. That's where he had his
kid gloves. and to Browne kid gloves
meant just about as much as mask
means to catcher. Those kid gloves
were fingerless and they fitted tightly.
He would stand on first base and strip
them on in hurry. then lead far of
and get ready to steal
And he stole. He pilfered by going
into a base hands first instead of feet
first. He'd never slide that way. Hands
and arms stretched to the limit Browne
would dive for bag. Palms were down
ward, always. Injuries came to him on
rare occasions.
He was particular about his hands,
was Browne. He started the kid glove
continued it as superstition. And he
kept on stealing.
Making Third.
One day Brooklyn and New York were
engaged in a close game Browne was
at bat He made a short jab at the ball
and it began to roll slowly along the
white line between third and the plate
Sammy" Strang was playing third
bunt. He saw it roll. He heard "let
her roll from three players at the
same time. He did. The ball rolled.
1t barely touched the line and it finally
stopped rolling-inside the chalk mark
Strang picked up the ball and
one on the sack; he turned to second,
but no Browne was there; then he heard
Brownies voice behind him:
Here / be. Sammy"
The ball had not rolled more than
40 feet, but Browne turned it into a
three-base hit.
Few players would criticise strang
for letting the ball roll. 1t seemed a
good play on his part. There was
hardly chance that the pail would
stay inside; it seemed destined to 60
into foul territory if it went anywhere.
Ned Hanlon had watched Strane
from the bench. He was infuriated
AS Strang returned to the BROOKLYN side
of the lot after the inning, Hanlon met
him and fairly screeched
That trick will cost you exactly
SO You're fined that
Strang had to pay the fine.
Brownies Version.
Some fans told Browne about the fine
that Hanlon had imposed on Strang
for allowing the ball to roll instead OF
fielding 1t. Some time later Browne met
a few friends and he wanted to tell them
Ian hot fof cd.