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

~ TRANGELY enough the longest
hit and the best throw ever
saw made in a baseball game
were both made by amateur players,
not by professionals.
The hit occurred during a game be-
tween Princeton and Pennsylvania
at Philadelphia in the spring of 1890.
Up to that time Princeton had never
beaten Pennsylvania a game of base
bali in their lives. and that day she
was destined once more to go down
In defeat to the Quakers.
1t 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 o feet > inches in the vertical
direction, and about 3 1-2 feet across
the shoulders but as lean as a
hound. He always used an eXcep-
tionally long stick, and he clutched
it at the extreme end.
Young looked him over but evil
L IDENTIFY wasn't worried much
about him. for Watts had done moth
ing his first two times at the platter
The Princeton captain turned loose
a neat drop for the first ball, and 1t
came squarely over the plate and just
a hairs breadth above Watts knee.
Watts. hitting left handed, swung
that long pole down off his shoulder
and made the prettiest golf drive of
it 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 to hit, and
that Young had shown unerring skill
in thus plunking the bali right on the
upcoming bat. Well wonder If
that ball isn't going yet. No one
ever saw it again. so it may be.
OUR right field fence at Penn. on
~ the old athletic field, was
about ESQ 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
stories high. Then came "A narrow
vacant lot. and after that odd Block
ley" "a city hospital, and a big one,
! can tell you.
Wei, sir. that ball started off like
skyrocket At first everybody
thought it was bound TO hit the fence
al least. which would score the run
ner on second and give US one tally,
anyway. II scored him all right, but
II didn't hit the fence. No, il dis
dained so lowly a thing as a mere
fence. Il simply kept on travelling
and by the time It scared over the
fence II appeared to be about quar-
ter Of a mile high over Spruce
Street it sailed maiestically. Float
ing over the Veterinary Building il
looked just like a balloon that has
started on an International long dis
lance matCh-distanCe. OH so very
small and distant. The whole crowd
was on it's feet The Penn rooters
had gone mad with joy and noise
Wagonhurst, 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 BAN
u flew, and then. at last il seemed
70 he approaching terra frHa again.
or else Blockley was jumping up to-
ward IL. Anyway the ball and the
roof Of Old Blockley appeared 10 coll
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 lis 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 10 view.
d D Ar.-# Sea-. d.
less than $50 feet before il stopped
altogether. if it ever did, is my
guess.
After that Young made a balloon
ascension of his own, and Penn won
by the score of 10 %.
T HE best throw ! ever saw in d
game. was made by Chip Robert.
about four years ago. in game be-
tween Tech and Trinity College out
az Tech Park.
% was the first half of The last M