The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-26
SOME DIAMOND LORE
BY MANHATTAN

New York, September 25.-(Special.)- J. The Brooklyn and Boston National league clubs are now engaged in desperate struggle to avoid seventh place in col umn of eight.
 At this writing Brooklyn is seventh, struggling bravely to remain so.
 Bets are being made that the Trolley Dodgers will end the season as the tar get carriers in the league procession.
 To charge a baseball team with sig nal tipping is one of the most serious complaints possible.
 Charges and counter-charges of systems whereby visiting clubs were handicapped by having their signals revealed to the home teams batsmen were circulated freely last year in the American league that the New York Americans were talk ing unfair advantage of the Chicago Americans, but no evidence could be found of such questionable work.
 The first case of this alleged tipping reported in the Eastern league in somo time came in the game between the New ark and Buffalo teams recently, and it was McGinnity who preferred the
 
 pitching and the Bisons were driving his curves to all points of the compass; in fact, "The Iron Man was batted out of the box in the second inning, during which the home club made six runs.
 Under the circumstances little faith was placed in McGinnity's charges. His complaint would have carried weight if he had secured proof that the Buffalo club was indulging in unfair tactics.
 As far as baseball history goes, there was but one quadruple play ever made. According to Ben Dodson, an old-time fan, who was present on the memorable occasion, 1t took place in New York in 1878 and saved game for the old Metro politans from Chicago.
 "On this occasion New York had the best of it--I believe 9 to sand 1t seemed clinch to put out the game, even allow ing the enemy to take the eighth and ninth in bunch. But the Chicago team rallied Bing, Diff. went the hits; before the crowd could really wake up Chicago had driven In five runs.
 Two men out, bases full, and four to be put out ere the seance could legal ly close. The batsman drove a liner knee high across the diamond. Cover ing short for the Nets was little fellow named Gaskins.
 'The ball ripped at Gaskins, who held it. He sprang to second. getting run ner who had left the middle station He fired to first, and the man who had been there was caught. The first base man threw to third, and runner who had been sliding for the plate arose to learn that he was out, and that the quad ruple play had been completed"
 Gaskins wore no gloves.
 Richmond has the record batter of them all. His name is Edward c. Tate. He is now a police sergeant
 Pope" Tate has a batting average that puts the rest in the shade. It was the old Virginia State league and Tate made his highest average. In that league, playing for Norfolk, in 1885, he partici- pated in sS games, and hammered the ball for an average of .531.
 In those days the Virginia State league was a factor in baseball, and the teams in that league could tackle any teams playing the game. And Tate was the best of all when it came to homers, triples and singles.
 Pop" started playing professional ball with the Norfolk team. Then it was that he batted the ball for .531. He stayed with Norfolk two years, and then in 1885 received a call from Boston in the National league.
 
 though he could not reach .531 again. He was also a star catcher.
 Pop went to Baltimore in 1889. where he was just as eco7 with the stick as ever. In 1890, however, his arm went back on him, and he had to lay off. He had strained his arm.
 "Pop" finished his career as player in Reading Pa., the next season.
 When his baseball career was over he went to Richmond Later he was made a member of the police force, and now he is Sergeant Tate.
 But the fact remains that .531 in the old Virginia State league still stands as the record, which has never even been ap- preached.
 In the memory of many devoted fol. lower of intercollegiate football the early nineties remain enthroned as the heroic age of the game. It was in this period that individual play seemed splendidly combined with progressive team work that team work that lent itself so well tc the beginning of the light. flying in terference and other tentative advances Strategy was in its heyday. Not that modern generalship is not superior; but