Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-10-31
QUICK THINKING IS -
STARS GREAT ASSET
Ability to Think Quickly Is an
Essential to Success in
Fast Company.

Ball players pride themselves-the
good ones-on their ability to think.
quickly. says 1. E. Sanborn in the Chi
cago Tribune. 1t is an essential to
success in fast company, and the slow
thinkers never get above the mediocre
level in the majors. But the players
are not h only ones out there on the
field who have to ave their wits keyed
up to high speed and figure out all
the possible plays in advance.
The umpire's job. requires a lot moro
than accurate eyesight and judgment.
and the ability to stand the gibes OF
the rooters. The successful arbitrator
u think as fast as any of the play
erS, sometimes faster than the foxy
men of the diamond, or they will catch
him mapping. Occasionally. they do. but
not as often as n would believe, to
a the players talk.
The quickest exhibition of thinking
I ever saw under the circumstances
was given by Silk O'Loughlin, of the
American league staff. some half dozen
years ago. A situation arose without
warning which never before or since
has been duplicated on the major league
diamonds.
washington was playing at the old
White SOx park and long Tom Hughes,
was being hit pretty hare by the south,
siders. At the end of the inning Cap-l
team temporarily, left the field to hunt
up another pitcher who vas warming;
up back of the pavilion to be ready to
relieve Hughes.
Three Senators were disposed Of In.
succession In a remarkably short time,
and the White Sox went to bat again.
Hughes remained on the slab and Man.
ager M stepped to the plate.
He hit the first ball pitched on q.
fast bound straight through the posi-,
ton usually occupied by the second
baseman-but there was no second
ing for the relief pitcher, and no one
had noticed his absence from the In.
field.
Before the right field picked up the
ball or n reached first base on the
hit, Umpire O'Loughlin had slipped off
his mask and was vigorously notion,
ing for Jones to come back to the plate.
The Sox manager was inclined to argue
and stuck to ' the advantage he had
gained on first base. He did not get
IO'Loughlin yelled, You can't play ball
with eight men In the field"
That Is as true as gospel, and it is
STATED In plain language in the playing
have thought of that obscure rule, sell
dom referred to. and nave applied it
lin did?
Recently Bill KLEIN had an original
problem to solve It came off In Phil.
Phillies. with two out. Becker was on
third, Knabe on second, Inc Lobert on
first. Paskert played the string out
to three and two" and. of course. the,
next ball pitched. Knabe took such al
long lead he rounded third and was
only a few yards behind Becker, plan
ming to score along with his predecessor
IL the Cubs failed to get Paskert out.
Lavender failed to get the ball over
and Paskert walked. thereby forcing all
1.-THE runners to advance. Knabei
crouched as If trying to escape notice.
and sneaked back toward third base.
but Needham spotted him and fired the
ball to Phelan, who tagged h runner
Out before he could retouch third.
Nearly all witnesses agreed that
Becker had not crossed the plate when
|Knabe was touched out, retiring the side.
can score after the third out is made
but there ts also 9 rule declaring h
"a runne IL entitled to advance one
base when he is forced 30 to advances
lsy the awarding of a base on balls
to a successful hatsman. It does not
say anything about how long said rum
ner may take to complete his Journey.
There might have been q lengthy
argument n perhaps q protest OF the
game, but KLEIN did some quick think
ing right there, and declared Becker
touched the plate before Knabe was
declared out. That removed the play
from the argumentative stage.
There can be no protest except 4,
Misrepresentation Of the rules isi
charged. KLEIN did not try to %unravell
that rule tangle, he merely made It ~
Question Of his Judgment as to whether(
/ or not Becker had registered in time.|
and there 10 no protesting the judg-l
ment Of an umpire.