The evening times., 1911-04-21
DICK PAODEN
USED s7RA7EGY
Made Rube Waddell Lose a
Game-Killed Hit and Run
Play

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base runner, but 1t was Padden who
at second was constantly engineering
plays, executing them, and delivering
victories.
In one game Rube Waddell, now
with Minneapolis, was putting it all
over Padden's team. They couldn't
hit him, and the game seemed lost.
In the eighth inning Padden announc-
ed that Waddell would lose the game.
His teammates laughed at him, for
the Rube was getting better as the
game grew older
''Wait and see," announced Pad
den, and strolled to the coaching
line. Then he strolled to the pitch
ers box, leaned over and said some-
thing to Waddell. After delivering
his message Padden trotted back to
the coacher's box.
Waddell heard what Padden said,
turned, glared at him, threw down
the ball he was about to pitch, and
rushed at Padden, swinging his fists
wildly. Tim Hurst was umpiring.
Tim jumped between Waddell and
Padden, and talked Waddell out Of
his plan to assassinate~ Padden.
First Glass Ascension. 4
Two bases on balls, wild pitch,
and a pair Of hits followed. Waddell
was beaten. What Padden told
'Rube' was never made known. Pad
den did not tell a soul, but he made
Waddell lose. as he predicted he
would. J.
Padden was the first player to
work the delayed steal. AS soon as
Padden got to first he would wait
for the catcher to throw the ball back
to the pitcher. If the catcher lobbed
the ball Padden got big lead. On
the next. pitched ball Padden would
wait till the catcher started the ball
back to the. pitcher. As soon as 1T
left the catcher's hand Padden made
his dash for second, yelling at the
top Of his voice, First base, first
base, first base," and nine times out
of ten the pitcher would throw to
first base. Result: Padden was
perched on second.
Destroys Hit and Run.
Dick was also the first man to take
q solid crack at the hit-and-run-play.
With man on first. providing the
base runner advanced with his head
down. and the batter signaling for
the hit and run, Padden would be
ready to do one of two things. If
the batter hit a fly, Padden would
rush over to second, hands out
stretched, and yell, "Give it here,
give me the ball." and Invariably the
runner would make desperate slide
into the base. giving the outfielder
plenty of time to make the catch the
ball and throw to first. for q double
play.
On the other hand, If the ball was
hit safe, Padden would stand with
his hands on his hips, telling the
runner that It was tough luck to hit
q fly on an attempted hit and run.
The runner generally started on q
mad scramble back to first, and num-
eroue were the occasions when he
was forced out at second, because
Padden got the ball from the outf1eld
before the runner realized his mis-
take.
Topsy Hartsel always runs with
his head far down, and man run
ming like Topsy doesn't know where
the ball is hit to. Topsy was on
first one afternoon, and the hit and
run was called for. Topsy ducked
his head and started as he heard the
crack of the bat. It was a high fly.
Topsy, with his head down, heard
Padden yelling for the ball at Sec
ond. Topsy made a grand slide AS
he stood up and wiped his uniform,
Padden remarked, "These> infielders
are playing like q lot of schoolboys."
Hartsel was about to reply when he
saw the ball thrown to first for the
double play, and realized he was a
victim of Paddcn's bluff.