Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-04-11
BY j. w. Heisnan.


~ TRANGELY enough the longest
hit and the best throw / ever
saw made in a baseball g8me
were both made by amateur players,
not by professionals.
The hit occurred during a game be-
tween Princeton and Rennaylyania
at Philadelphia In the spring of 1899.
Up 20 that time Princeton had never
beaten Pennsylvania game Of base
ball in their lives, and that day she
was destined once more to go down
in defeat TO the Quakers,
Il was about the sixth inning, and
as yet neither side had scored. Penn
had a runner on second base
and two men were down. Captain
Young was In the box for Princeton,
and "a grand pitcher he was.
Up to the plate steps our center
fielder, jim Watts, a raw bOned rail-
splitter from Minnesota. He was
about feet inches In the vertical
the shoulders, but as lean as a
hound. He always used an eNeep-
tlenglly long stick and he elutched
II at the extreme end.
YOUNG looked him over, but evil
IDENTIFY wasn't worried much
about him. for Watts had done moth
ing his first two times at ths platter
The Princeton captain turned loose
a neat drop for the first ball, and IL
came squarely. over the plate and just
a hairs breadth above WATTS knee.
Watts, hitting left handed, swung
that long pole down of his shoulder
and made the pFettiest golf drive Of
II you ever saw. The way that drop
ball pumped right down onto the
nose of that bat would have made
you think that Watts had been hold
ing his bat right there all the time
as a target for Young 10 bit, and
that Young had shown unerring skin
In thus plumbing the ball right on the
upcomlng bat Well wonder il
that ball isn't going yet! No one
ever saw II asaia. 50 ~ may he.
OUR right field fence at Penn, an
" the old athletic field. was
about 280 feet away. Then, just on
the outside. was Spruce Street, then
came the main building Of the Uni
versity Veterinary Department,
building fully 40 feet wide, and three
vacant lot, and after thai odd Hock-
ley" a city hospital, and a big one
! can tell you.
Well sir that bali started off like
skyroCket At first everybody
thought Il was bound TO hit the fence
al least. which would score the run
nsr on second and give as one tally,
anyway. Il scored him ali right, but
II didn't hit the fence, No, IL dis
dained so lowly a thing as mere
fence II simply kept on travelling,
and by the time il scared over the
fence # appeared 10 be about a quar-
ter Of mile high. over Spruce
Street il sailed majestically. Float
ing over the Veterinary Building il
looked Just like q balloon that has
started on an International long dis
lance match-distanC6 oh, so very
small and distant. The whole crowd
was on its feet, The Penn rOoters
had gone mad with joy and noise.
WagonhuFst, our runner on second,
had arrived at the plate on schedule
time, and was now standing with the
Princeton catcher shading his eyes
and looking after the departed planet.
a CROSS the vacant lot the bail
a flew, and then at last, IL seemed
20 be approaching terra firma again,
or else Blockley was jumping up to-
ward it, Anyway the ball and the
roof Of old Blockley appeared To col
Tide something like what seemed an
agile after Watts swat, and there
came a high bound Of the horse hide
that all could see. Then on its way
it went again, bounding and bound
ing over the roof Of the big build
ing. ever away from US. until il was
completely lost to view.
How far do I guess Not an inch
less than $50 feet before il stopped
altogether. if it ever did, is my
guess.
After that Young made q balloon
ascension OF his own, and Penn won
by the score Of 90 o.
T HE best throw I ever saw in a
game was made by Chip Robert
about four years ago, in a game be
tween Tech and Trinity College out
at Tech Park.
II was the first half of the last in
ming and the score was tied, but