Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-09-18
Quadruple Play
on Ball Diamond
Many Years Ago
Fans May Well Sit Up and Wonder
at This Wierd Tale of the
Diamond.

NEW YORK, Sept 17-As far as base
ball history goes, there was but one quad
ripple play ever made. Triple plays hap
pen ever and anon, and there have been
unassisted triple plays, but there was just
one auadruple play. and there may never
be another Under the rules now govern
ing base ball, IL is not likely that the op-
portunity will be presented again. The
uuadrupie play was made generation
ago, and few OF those who saw It are
now in the land of the living. According
to Ben Dodson. an old-time fan, who was
present on the memorable occasion, il took
place in New York in 1876. and saved a
game for the old Metropolitans.
"As nearly as I can reeollect," says Dod-
son. the Chicago club wanted to catch a
train. They had q custom in those days
II was last repeated as late as 1892 in the
National Ieague-of letting the under dog
take two OF three punched innings, II so
agreed. thus saving time, as the winning
team didn't go to bat at all. II anyone
disputes this assertion, they can find by
looking through the files of 1898 an in
stance where the Chicago team permitted
an adversary TO bat three successive as
terisks, as though each round had been the
last half of the ninth for the victorious
club.
''Cn this occasion, way back in 1876. New
York had the best of it'll believe by tab
OF to sand It seemed a cinch 70 put out
the game, even allowing the enemy TO take
the eighth and ninth in a bunch. But the
Chicago team rallied. and IL began to look
as if-according to the understood agree
ment-the Nets would have to take their
unusual innings after ALL Bing, biff, went
rIsr
wake up to the doings. Chicago had driven
in five runs.
Two men out bases full, and four to
be put out ere the seanoe could legally
close. The batsman drove a liner knee
high across tlss diamond. Covering short
for the Nets that day was little. stocky
fellow named Gaskins-not Caskins, who
AFTERWARDS became a star of the early
Gisnts-but Gaskins. a smaller player. and
one who never. aside from this one per-
Torrance, achieved any special fame
THE ball. ripped at Gaskins, who wore
no giove-that was long before the time
OF the infield mitten. II seemed to drive
his hands back as though they had been
struck with a mallet, but. nevertheless,
with his wrists back between his knees,
Gaskins held that ball. He whirled like
flash and sprang to second. getting a
runner who had left the middle station.
He fired across to first and the man who
had been on the initial bag was caugt. The
first baseman threw IL over to third. and a
runner who had been sliding for the plate
arose to learn that he was out and that
the Quadruple play had been completed.
1T was so long ago. and the games were
so poorly recorded in those days, that even
the story Of the quadruple play has passed
from authentic archives. Nevertheless. il
happened. and doubtless the few of the
old-time players who were In that game
could recclIect the details. All l, myself,
can clearly remember after all these years
il this; That the circumstances were as ]
have said, that the quadruple play was
really made, and that il was an obscure
fielder named Gaskins who pulled down
the ball