Evening star., 1913-12-07
BY BILLY EVANS.

Base bail will make a fellow do many
foolish Things. IL you have any doubts
on this point just take a seat in the
bleachers some afternoon when a highly
exciting game is in progress. and you
will soon be convinced. Very often base
ball has somewhat similar effect on
the active participants.
1t would have been hard proposition
to stack Frank Chance against a more
strenuous JOB than leading the New
York Americans of last year. From the
very outset il was evident that his ma
teriai was limited, and to make matters
worse some of his very best players were
put out of commission early in the spring.
For two whole months the New York
club failed to win a game at the Polo
Grounds on the road the club did fair,
but. try as it might. it seemed impossi-
BILE to win a game on the home grounds.
The Gothamites had been very kind to
Chance, and he wanted to repay the well
come by making a good showing. Natu-
rally TO lose game after game without
once breaking INTO the won column put
Chances nerve to severe test.
Game Finally Won.
The first game was finally Won under
most extraordinary circumstances. 1t
was keating DAY, in honor of the New
York pitcher by that name. Several
thousand friends from his home town
had journeyed TO New York to Eay tribute
To him. About the second inning rain
came down in torrents. 1t rained for
nearly an hour Usually the game would
n called off nj he >n1 nf 10
thirty minutes. Out of respect to the
big out-of-town delegation it was decided
to play the game. if possible. both. man
ayers waving claim TO the time limit.
After "a wait Of a little over an hour the
game was resumed and was finally won
in the ninth on q single by Peckinpaugh.
Strangely enough. the game won
with Ed Walsh doing the pitching for
Chicago.
A few DAYS prior 10 this victory Man
ager Chance gave me good laugh and
incidentally proved to me that the man
ager OF losing team is usually in bad
way. Late in the game, with his team
six seven runs behind. the New York
ers started a batting rally. -Four runs
were scored. a double by Borton driving
in the last two. Chance in his anxiety
over Borton's hit ran almost to second
Ease with him from the coaching lines
a first. Borton is slow runner and he
feared he would be thrown out Sudden
L. Chance came to and realized that
instead OF being in the coachers box
he was Well into playing territory.
Warming to Chance.
umpiring the bases that after
noon. and although Chance in no way in
terfered with the play, l feared some pro-
tcst would be made, since he was on the
playing field. prodding along Borton. AS
Chance hurried back 10 the coaching box
| quietly remarked:
BE u little careful Frank, you almost
beat Borton to second.'' | knew just
how defeat after defeat had made the
former Cub leader feel, also knew that
none but a game fellow would Keep up
the fight. Chance smiled at my words.
You'll have to overlook that boot,
Bill but it is so long since my team made
four runs in the same inning it almost
drove me crazy.
Very often failure TO know just what
really happened makes the fans peeved
al the umpire. Such an occurrence caused
a most amusing incident To come up after
a game in st. Louis last summer. In
the first half of the ninth, with the score
q tie and TWO men down. Chick Gandil
attempted a steal of home. The play at
The plate was very close, but figured
Gandil out, and the instant the play was
completed SO waved my decision Gan
lil came tearing into the plate at full
caused the ST. Louis catcher to drop the
bail OF course / was compelled 10 re-
verse the original ruling and declare
Gandil safe.
AS | waved Gandil out. the ST. Louis
fans cheered wildly for the out would
have retired the side and given the
Browns a chance to put over the deciding
run in the last half of the NINTH !
doubt if any person in the park noticed
that the ball was dropped. \ cloud or
dust momentarily hovered over the plate
and in an instant the catcher mad re-
covered the bah. The Washington bat
ter as well as the next hitter had seen
the slip and both rushed toward me,
but | stopped them Immediately when !
told them Gandil was safe. There was
not a protest from a single player. al
though Il good many III the crowd took
exception TO the ruling.
Run Decided Game.
That run decided the game. ST. Louis
failing TO score in its half. As The last
man was retired. walked in the direction
OF the st. Louis bench To get a drink
and proceed to my dressing room. | had
scarcely removed my mask and pro-
tector and started jim that direction be-
fore | discovered that | was being pnr-
sued \ Very intelligent. nicely dressed
chap. who looked as If he should have
known better. was telling me IN anything
but complimentary terms Just what he
thought of my umpirinE
Il have been attending ball games
for twenty years, b,K that decision at