Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-06-07
LUCK IN BASEBALL
Freak Plays by Which Games
Have Been Decided.

In the American Magazine Hugh s.
Fullerton writes Of freak plays that
have won great baseball games Fol-
lowing is one OF the most remarkable
Stories:
Among the abnormal incidents that
figured in the earlier history OF the
national game, perhaps none is as we'll
known 10 old timers as the one which
happened to Cliff Carroll on the St
LOUIS grounds when he was a mem
Der OF the famous Browns Perhaps
you have wondered why baseball play
ers have plain shirt fronts and why so
few players have breast pockets. Cliff
Carroll is the reason He was running
forward TO take a base hit on the first
bound
The ball bounced crooked and hit
him on the chest. He grabbed at the
bail hastily, and as he clutched It he
showed II down into the handkerchief
pocket on his shirt front The runner
saw Carroll Juggling and straining to
tear the ball out Of the pocket, and in.
stead OF stopping at first he sprinted
on TO second. while Carroll, still trying
20 disiodGe the ball, ran 10 second. The
batter passed the fielder and turned for
third with Carroll in pursuit. At third
Carroll stopped and tried in vain to re
lease the ball. and the runner kept Oh
across the plate and scored the win
ming run.
Chris Won der Abe. who at that
time was at the head OF the euphonic
trio. Won der Abe. Muckenfuss and
Diddlebock, which operated the club.
was furious and ordered all pockets
removed from baseball shirts. Other
teams followed. and the pockets never
have been restored except by a few
players who are willing 70 risk the
repetition of the accident"
a curious story is this one OF a game
where two balls were in play at the
same time:
Perhaps the strangest freak play
was one made by Frank McNicbols on
the Logan Square grounds in Chicago.
The Logan Square team. then owned
by Jimmy Callahan. had persuaded Nc
Nichols, ball player OF major league
caliber, TO play first base against the
Gunthers. another strong team, and the
score was tied in the ninth inning. The
Gunthers had runners on second and
third With two out, and a base hit
meant probable defeat for the LoganS
and loss OF the city championship.
"Matty Fitzgerald, well known UNI
nfre WaG nffiCiafinU nlpDa from habfpA
the pitchers slab. His blouse was ILL
ed with extra balls. and in STOPPING to
sight along the plate as the pitcher
wound up he allowed one OF the spare
balls 20 fall TO the ground behind him.
The batter hit a hard line drive that
seemed aimed at the pitchers ankles.
Fitzgerald leaped aside 10 avoid be-
Ing hit the batted ball struck the
bail on the ground. and the two balls
kissed off al right angles One went
straight toward the shortstop. the 9th
or toward the second baseman. Each
player thought the ball rolling toward
dashed forward. made clever running
scoops at the same instant and threw
10 first base AZ the same time.
The shortstop threw high and TO the
left OF McNichOls: the second basemaD
threw low and TO his right. McNichOls
with bis left hand stretched high.
caught one ball in his mitt. and with
the other hand he caught the low
throw. and Fitzgerald. after scratch
ing his head an instant. called the bat
ter out and refused 20 allow either OF
ha HaV hn Iof h.s
play 20 be recorded"
The following might be called the