The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-07-20
ONLY UNASS|STED
TRIPLE PLAY IN
LEAGUE HISTORY
Made BY Neal Ball of Cleveland
Team Yesterday
TWO VERMONTERS IN GAME
Collins Of Burlington Pitched Five In
nings-McConnell of Pownal in
the Star Play

Cleveland, July 20.-Neal Ball,
shortstop for the Clevelands, earned
himself niche in baseball's hall of
fame yesterday by making a triple
play unassisted against the Bostons.
1t was the first unquestioned triple
play ever made by a single big league
player. Many triple plays have been
made in the two big leagues but not
until yesterday was one made in
which only one player took part. Ira
ditions say that Paul Hines of tae
Providence club made one in 1878 but
tdat story is disputed.
Balls one-in-a-league's -history play
came about In the second inning
Wagner led off for Boston with a sin
gle to center and Stahl succeeded in
beating out a bunt, After trying to
prevent Mcconnell from sacrificing Cy
Young grooyed the ball for the mid
get and the latter drove it on line to-
ward centerfield. Ball leaped in the
air. caught the ball clearly, retiring
Mcconnell, took two steps and touch
ed second base, retiring Wagner. took
two more steps and touched Stahl who
had no chance to turn and start back
for first.
The conditions were ideal for such
a play. There were two strikes and
three balls on Mcconnell The run
ners as they always do in such a case,
took long lead and were of with the
crack of the bat and never a chance
did they have to escape provided Ball
did his part clearly.
II was pIav that bad oraaf kaor
ing on the result of the game Had
McConnells hit gone safe Wagner
would have scored and Boston still
would have had men on first and third
with no one out. Happening as it did
to pull Cy Young out of the predica-
ment in which ne found himself inyel.'
we'd. the veteran pitcher was able to
keep the Red SoX tanned during the
remainder of the contest
Ball, however, did not stop with this
record breaking playing. In addition.
he accepted eight other chances hay
ing nine put-outs as many as any
otner player on the team and three
more than went to the credit of first
baseman Stoyall of the Maps This is
thought to be a fielding record. And
he was not content with carrying off
the fielding honors either. When he
came TO bat in the second inning after
making ais triple play, he was greeted
with tremendous applause and respon-
ded to the cheers of the fans by hit
ting the ball over Speakers head in
center field for home run.
The struggle for second place be
tween Cleveland and Boston today re-
suited in an even break, Cleveland
winning the first game to / while
Boston took the second s to ,.
In the first game Cy Young ex-Bos-
ton pitcher, was pitted against Cnar
ley Chech. ex-Nap., and the veteran
carried off the laurels. In fact Chech
was easy for his former teammates,
and when he retired at the end of the
third inning the score was 4 to In
favor of Cleveland To be sure Balls
wonderful triple play, a signt which
was enjoyed by over 10000 enthusiast
tic rooters, helped Cy Young out of a
bad hole but, aside from the SECOND
inning, there was no time when the
grand old man of the game did not
have his former team mates practic
ally at his mercy. Except in the sec
ond inning, he did not allow over one
hit to an inning. But for an error by
George Stovall, the Red Sox would
have been BANKED.
Ray Collins the University of Yer
mont southpaw, relieved Chech in the |
fourth inning, the youngster doing |
splendid work during the remainder of |
the game. For four innings he blank |
ed the Mans hut in the eighth errors |
by Stahl and Gessier allowed Cleve- |
land to score two runs. The young |
collegian looked as If he had the max |
ing of a good big league pitcher and
Is another live piece of evidence that |
good pitchers can be found in the col
Ieges