Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-30
STELLAR CATCHES
IN THE 0UTF|ELD
Some of the Most Remarkable
Plays Seen in the Gardens
of the Big Leagues.

There are two styles of catches which
always drive a crowd wild with glee-
the capture of roaring liner by an In
fielder, and of distant fly by a garden
player. The first sort of catch requires
light ming action combined with pluck,
for the inf1elder must get his hands up
quick as a flash, with good chance of
getting a lovely bruise upon his hands.
even through the fielding glove. The
outfielder, per contra, has no catches to
make that involve physical courage
unless he runs into a fence. But the
vast area Of territory he has to cover
makes his work grandly spectacular.
Moreover. his catches are of more i'm
portance than those Of an inflelder A
liner that tears through baseman
means, as a rule, only one sack for the
batter. but fly that passes the out
fielder means from two to four cushions
every time.
Every fan carries In his memory thrill
field catches that he saw during his
years of perching on the bleachers. Even
the thought of these dazzling plays is
enough to start the blood leaping, and.
in the long dull days of winter. to COM
pensate In great measure for the alb
get some Of those plays-they Will be
there through all the years to come. and
when you see new performance. no
matter how startling. you don't forget
the others-vou simply file the new one
away for reference among its brothers.
One by Holiday.
One Of the longest catches the writer
saw during his twentyone years of base
ball watching was pulled off by Bug
Holliday-and the Bug could certainly
go some when he was young. 1t was a
roaring drive that seemed good for a
clean home run. and there seemed no
chance for any man to even get below 1t.
but the Bug. starting with the crack of
the bat, galloped down the field. Back
by the fence running with his hands
high over his head. he got that bail. and.
while the catch was not as snowy as
many, it was about the longest ever
made in point Of distance from the plate
to where the ball came down.
The shortest catch was made by George
Gore. when old George was playing center
for the Giants twenty years ago. A tow
ering fly had gone up. and the infield
had gathered under it. Suddenly there
came a believing cry Of Look out
got it, and Gore came charging In from
center He was coming on a full TIT.
and was heavy man. Like q flash the
second baseman and the shortstop leaped
aside. Gore came tearing through. and
actually got that ball inside the pitch
ers box-probably the shortest distance
from the plate at which any outhelder
ever caught a fly.
Eddie Hahn Of the White sox about
three years ago made the highest catch
on record. Circus seats had been built
in Comiskey's outfield and a fly rose over
them Hahn ran up the seats and near
the top Of the structure pulled down the
ball. Then he fell, crashing down among
the planks. but still holding the ball,
while the multitude fairly tore up the
park with mad approval.
Many fans claim that Red Murray made
catch at Pittsburg last fall that was
up to the finest mark OF the game. Red
galloped through the smoke and dark of
late Pittsburg afternoon. rose high and
came down through the mist with a ball
drive surely ticketed for a lost ball and
a home run.
Dalrymple's Stunt.
Red really caught the ball. but Abner
Dalrymple Of Anson's famous team won
a game one day when he didn't catch
one. With the old White Stockings
ahead in the ninth, the enemy got the
bases full. Two out. Bing, and a ter
rife fly came booming through the dusk.
Dial lost sight OF the ball and 1t went
clear to the clubhouse. That didn't rat
tie Uncle Abner. though. He leaped up,
clapped his hands over an imaginary ball
and tore for the clubhouse. while the
umpire, gazing vaguely through the
gloom, yelled "Outr and the opposition
didn't even tumble to the play.
Curtis WEIGH was perhaps the prettiest
one-handed outfielder that ever played
the game While WEIGH could field with
both paws as well as any one, he was
the Jerry Denny of the gardens. He de-
lighted in spearing impossible flies with
one far-reaching hand. and some of the
things he pulled off in this fashion, with
the bare f1n, would bewilder the glove
Tended fielders of today. Rushing back
ward half the length of the field. learing
up and dragging down the ball with his
right hand. was a favorite stunt with
WEIGH, and there have been few, if any.
of the men since his day who could equal
his bewildering plays.