Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
BY BILLY EVANS.

You've often seen a player. Mr.. Fan.
with two down. throw off his glove and
rush for the bench. thinking the side has
been retired. 1t is Barry that is COM
mitted time and again during the sea-
son, stars as we'll as bushers being the
offenders. Usually the player is given the
laugh, whether he be home player or
visitor. but the jibes are all the stronger
If the offender is one of the visiting team.
Such a thing is liable to happen at any
time. and such a crime doesn't mean
that the fellow making the slip is a solid
ivory performer Often during the sea-
son find myself in doubt as to just how
many men out. At such times 1 get
inquisitive and ask some one for the de-
sired Information. Players generally do
the same thing. but in a game at New
York last summer all the active partici-
pants, as we'll as bench warmers, got
mixed up on the number of outs The
miX-up that followed was one of the fun
NEST l have ever seen I'm base ball
The Boston team was playing New
York, and was handing the Highlanders
an awful trOuncing. 1t was I'm the eighth
inning. l believe. that the crossing of Sig
nails occurred. and at that time the Red
SOX had lead of about eight runs so
that lack of interest had made everybody
more or less careless. Duffy Lewis was
the batter at the time. and he had two
balls and two strikes when the runners on
first and second started double steal.
There was one man out. / was working
the bases. but was back of the pitcher
long enough to see that the ball was sure
to be pretty good one. Lewis let it go
by, and I'D Sweeney, who was catching
peg to third. getting the runner on
fairly close decision. AS l waved the
runner out noticed the New York play
ers toss off their gloves and hustle to
the BENCH while the Boston players ran
out TO take their positions in the field.
First to Discover Mistake.
Immediately OWNED that the young
umpire who was working the plate with
me that day. had called the last delivery
a strike. retiring the side. | started for
my position at first base. In the mean
time practically all the players were in
the field and most of the New YorKers
sitting on the bench Some fan in he
stand, who had evidently noticed that
the umpire had not raised his right arm
on the last ball delivered to Lewis,
shouted:
Say. imp, what did you call that last
one on Lewis
Il called it ball." shouted back the
obliging young arbiter. Immediately
there was a chorus from the stand:
well in that case there are only two
men out. This cry was taken up by
everybody in the grounds it seemed, and
in Il few moments I'll bet there were a
thousand arguments as to the number
OF men really out. Players ran hither
and thither. while word came from the
scribes in the press box that. while they
wanted to get the game over as quick
ly as possible, they were unable to re-
tire only two men, After. consulting
with the man back of the plate and
learning that he had made the count
three balls and two strikes on Lewis, in
stead of striking him out. as was
generally believed. we decided that only
two men were out. Now for the funny
part of it. for about this time every
fan in the grounds was having the laugh
of his life at the expense of us fellows
on the field.
Enjoyed Big Laugh.
The Boston players were motioned in
from their positions in the field. while
the New Workers hustled out to their
places from the bench In the interim !