Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-17
GREAT MOMENTS IN
BALL PLAYERS LIVES
Games Which Have Been
Saved by Sensational
Plays.

TOiu A"eTiSdh ."oeoA'HN'
The greatest individual feat ever per-
formed in base ball was the play by
which Bill LANCE. now retired, saved
game for Chicago and S2OO Tor himseil III
Washington In 1895.
LANCE had missed a train in Boston two
days before. failed to reach New YORK
in time to play there and Arson had
fined him $1OO
Thereupon he missed a train to WASH
ineton, arrived on the grounds after the
teams had practiced and just i'll time 10
play, and for that Arson fined him an
other S1OO The game that afternoon went
eleven innings. Chicago scoring one run
in the eleventh.
There were two men out and a runner
on the bases when KIP Selbach, then one
of the hardest hitters in the business.
smote the ball terrific blow and sent 1t
flying over Lange's head toward the CEN
ter field fence.
The hit seemed a sure home run. but
Lange, man weighing 2oo pounds. turn
ed and without looking sprlnted desper-
ately straight out toward the fence, rae
ing with the flying ball. At the last in
slant. as the ball was going over his
head, Lange leaped. stuck up both
hands, turned somersault and crashed
against the fence.
The boards spllntered. one entire panel
crashed outward, and out of the wreck
age crawied LANCE, holding the ball IN
his hand, and the crowd went mad Lange
came limpng in, with the crowd standing
on seats shouting. and he said to Anson
Fines go, cap:' Nope" said Anson
and the catch had saved the big fielder
$500.
Funny ;Predicament.
There is one more interesting incident
that stands unique, and it Is play by
which Jimmy Slag!e STAYED of disaster
to the Chicago team in a twenty-inn.ng
battle between Chicago and Philadelphia.
which Ruelbach finally won, 2 to 1. In
the eighteenth inning of that struggle,
with a runner on first base, Sherwood
Magee drove hard line hit to left center.
Slagle had just showed his hand into his
hip pocket to get his chewing tobacco when
the ball was hit. and as he started In pur-
suit of it he discovered to his horror that
his right hand was caught In the pocket
and refused to come out. quick jerk
failed to release the hand, and Siagle, rae
ing on, leaped, stuck up his left hand and
caught the ball. saving the Cubs. Then
he pulled out, his tobacco. bit off piece
and grinned as the crowd aplauded
One Of the greatest exhibitions of indi-
vidual daring was the performance of Wee
Willie kecler. Of the Baltimore team, on
the home grounds. Right field on the Bal
timore grounds of those days was the ter
ror of visiting players.
It was down hill, rough and weedy. and
back of it was high fence. peculiarly
constructed for advertising pui poses. In
side the fence sloped at an angle of about
Is degrees. being straight on the outer side.
Boston was playing there late tn the sea-
son In which the two teams had their
frantic struggle for the pennant, and late
in the game with runners on bases, Stahl
drove long fly to right that seemed like
ly to win the game for Boston.
Keller. one of the fleetest men in the
business. seeing the ball was going over
his head, leaped upon the slope of the
fence and started to run along 1t, going
higher and higher, and just as the ball
was going over the fence he caught 1t.
His momentum carried him higher along
the incline. and before the big crowd real
lied that he had caught the ball he was
running along the top of the fence. and
then, holding the ball aloft. he plunged
over and went outside the grounds. Prob
ably never a base ball player In the world
received such a rous ng ovation as he did
when he climbed over the fence and tossed
the ball to the inf1eld.
"The Break
Nearly every base ball game is won and
lost on one play. play that comes at the
psychological instant. Among the players
who do not study psychology the crucial
! moment is known as 'the break" phe-
nomenon which no one has analysed and
which the players themselves do not un-
derstand.
twenty men on the bench are watching
closely and intently every move OF the
pitcher. every swing of his arm. The tide
Of battle rises. ebbs-and then suddenly
at the start OF some inning something
happens. What 1t Is no one outside the
psychic sphere OF influence ever will UNI
derstand. but the silent. tight-hpp@d.
watchful. alert fellows on the bench see
something or feel something, and the
mysterious "break" has come.
Zone bali..' The players on the bench
suddenly stiffen and prepare for action.
1.-TWO oalls!' Two players jump for
bats and begin swinging them. the coach
ers, who have yelled only because it was
their duty, suddenly begin raging. scream
ing and paving the dirt. and the manager,
who has appeared half asleep, makes n
trumpet of his hands and leads his men.
| bawling loud orders and wild taunts.
The spectators do not understand any
thing has happened. Other batters have
had two balls called many times-and it
looks the same to the spectator. who is
beyond the mysterious "break' sphere.
In two more moments the players bench
Is a madhouse, with twenty men shout
ing. screaming ordering. moving. Three
balls!' And a mailman PUSHES out to the
| deck -Four balls." And the spec
tdtOIS Joil thc RioS Clio Al e'iS NS'''o"SSAN
ton.
The madness is spreading. Crack.
| base hit--a bunt wild throw. another
base hit-screams, shouts, imprecations-
a roar Of frantic applause, flnal long
| fly. The manager reaches for his glove,
spits into it and says. quietly: -Four
runs-we've got EN-" The break is
over and the players bench Is again the
Quietest part Of the grounds The surge
| Of enthusiasm, confidence and noise sub
sides and the game Is won.
The Big Problems.
| Base ball is almost as much psycholog-
ical as athletic. Why one team can beat
I a stronger team regularly and lose to a
| weaker with the same regularity; why
one batter can hit one pitcher and Is
helpless before another; why one pitcher
Is effective against a strong team and at
| the mercy OF another that cannot bat
J half as hard. these are psychological
pre- blems.
There are three decisive moments that
stand alone In base ball history. Possibly
| the greatest Of these was the famous
tenth inning at Columbus. Ohio. when
| with one hit big Dave Orr decided the
| American Association race and kept st.
Louis from breaking all records as PEN
nant- winning team. Brooklyn and St.
| Louis practically tied for the champion
| ship on the last day OF the season.
i If both teams lost or both won St.
Louis would win its fifth pennant. If St.
| Louis won and Brooklyn lost the Browns
would have the honors-but if Brooklyn