The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-04-08
STANACE TO TRY
THE WASHINGTON
MONUMENT FEAT
Will Attempt to Catch Ball
Thrown From Top of 555
Feet of Masonry
TALKS 1T OVER WITH
STREET. WHO DID 1T
Charlie Says 1t Was One of
Strangest Experiences
of His Life

ST. LOUIS, April S.-Oscar Stan
age, Tiger catcher, will, this coming
year, attempt TO catch baseball
thrown from the top Of Washington
monument, $50 feet high.
While at Chattanooga, he got 10
talking over the feat with Charlie
Street, former Washington catcher
now at Chattanooga, who accomplish
ed 1t In 1908. Charlie described the
peculiar sensations that he expert
enced while catching the ball and
Stanage decided that he wanted some
of that himself.
Oscar will do the stunt merely for
out of 1t. Street did It at the behest
of friends In Washington for the sake
OF 4 newspaper story and TO give him
self some publicity.
In 1910, Billy Sullivan. then WASH
ington catcher, succeeded in catching
three balls thrown from the top OF
the monument. He did this to show
Charlie that somebody besides he
could do it, Stanage has nothing Of
this In mind, merely wanting the ex-
perience.
1t Is necessary to get permit from
some Washington official before the
stunt can be tried. II is against the
law TO throw anything, even a paper
sack. from the monument. BY some
special permission can sometimes be
obtained.
When Street accomplished the feat.
there were newspaper reporters and
photographers on the scene. When
Stanage does II he will probably do
SO quietly.
II didn't want to attempt to catch
fhe ball at all" said Charlie, telling
Spin the story OF the stunt. ED
Grillo of the Washington Star asked
me TO do 1t but told him that better
catchers than | had failed, SO didn't
think that / would be- successful.
lie insisted, however. and finally
consented. The day was bad for tlIe
stunt. II was very bright and the sky
was high and there was bad wind
blowing. Thirteen balls were thrown
from the top. might have caught
the first one IL had tried but !
didn't dare. 1t landed only about four
feet from me.
The first. few balls were tossed
out OF window on side facing the
light In the sky was 30 strong, how
ever, that | couldn't see the ball. The
wind carried IL on that side also.
Finally, ] went over into the
shadow OF the monument and ha
them throw the balls over there
They threv three before I had the
ball judged. ! caught the fourth one
thrown into the shadow.
II didn't catch II all alone. had
helper. When the ball started
paid no attention to It. When it got
about 200 feet from me in the air, my
helper who had been watching It,,
yelled There It is Above you,'
II looked up and as saw 1t coming
down. I knew that was going to
catch 1t. 1t Is a very peculiar sensa-
tion al you see II coming at you and
you know that you are going to get II.
II stepped forward two or three
steps. then back one and caught the
ball over my head, stiff armed. II
was the speediest and heaviest ball I
ever caught.
THE mistake that most catchers
who try to do this will make liz that
they will try TO follow the ball from
| the time IL starts until il reaches the
ground. You've seen catchers 60 after
high fouls, circle around few times
and then lunge savagely after the
ball as it sails away from them? Well
that's the way did at first with these
balls. They cant be, caught that way,
You have to wait until they get pret,
,ty close to the ground before you try
to Judge them.
THE ball can't be seen when 1t
fret starts. II drops about a hundred
4 feet before II gets into view. II 10
supposed to be travelling 500 feet a
second when Il hits the glove
Street has. the ball that he caught
and the glove that he caught II with,
as well as pictures OF the affair.
I H/I/ AR. l.. Y.
For pstepts apo trademarks see
usrtheI a Bsrthet, 3: West Csngreps
| ADV