Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-03

the ball TO left field. stole one
glance at the rapidly approaching
leather, and with his back toward
the home plate he jumped an in
credible distance into the air and
speared the ball
It may not sound spectacular.
but Coach Heisman calls il the
greatest fielding play he ever saw
on college diamond, and I'm well
content to agree with him in the
verdict
A VOLUME could be filled With
narration Of Tommys wonder
ful stunts once in game at
Clemson. with Tech leading in the
last OF the ninth. two out. two
men on bases and the score to 2
in Techs favor. nasty fly was hit
back of shortstop. Mcmillan start
ed back after It and just as he
was slowing down and settling
himself for the catch ne stumbled
and fell There was no time 10 get
up. no time to do anything but
throw himself full length and
stretch out his hands. This he did
and. lying fiat on the ground on
his back and with his hands be
yond his head at full length. he
caught the ball. retired the side and
saved the game
Probably no incident Of his col
lege career showed better his in
nate baseball instinct than one
which happened when the Tech
team was playing at Spartanburg
with the Wofford college team
Tech had a grand team that year
with LATTE and Day as twirI-
ers-and 1t won % ont Of 26 games
The Jackets had Just made a clean
run OF 2 straight wins and en-
tered the thirteenth game with
some superstitious misgivings. II
was a blustery day with a g1Isty
young hurricane blowing into the
faces of the tielders. The diamond
was skinned and sandy and to com
plicate matters the ground keeper
had used overmuch lime on the
lines
With the score 8 to in Techs
favor in the eighth inning
and with men on second and
third bases. the times were
tense, The batter nit the first ball
pitched d mighty wallop toward
Mcmillan. And az he did so the
worst gust Of the day swept a cou-
pie Of carloads Of dirt. sand and
lime down across the field and
right toward Mcmillan. The murkv
blanket reached the clever little in
fielder before the ball did
The situation looked hopeless 30
man could see through the curtain
Of lime and dirt.
Yet suddenly. out of the middle
OF the miniature WhirlWind. the
bali shot straight into the first
baseman'S hands, the runner was
out and the side retired
As Mcmillan came back to the
bench he was paving at his eyes
and almost blind.
We'll. how in the Dickens did
you see that ball?" Coach Heisman
asked
Jaw, | didn't see it," replied
Mcmillan lightly. 4 just knew
where it was coming and put my
hands out and it jumped in"
We'll, how did you manage to
throw it to hrst-you couldn't see,
could YOU Coach Heisman per
sisted
"See-naw," said Mcmillan. But
don't YOU suppose know where
first is"
WHEN Mcmillan finished his col
" lege course he decided on
baseball as his profession. And
Bernie McCay grabbed him and
took him to the Baton Rouge club
where he played his first profess
sional season in 1906 batting 1877
and fielding .S72-no very brilliant
performance. The next year. at
Jacksonville. under the leadership
or the eruptiVe Dominick Mulla-
ney and playing then on the same
Cracker, he came nearer to his
club with Vedder Sitton. a present
normal gait. batting 30 and lead
ing the shortstops of the league
With an average of 1874
The year 1908 was AtcAIiNau.s
IaSt In the South. Though his rec