The Southern herald., 1914-05-01
TELLS OF KING KELLY
TED SULLIVAN TALKS OF STUNTS
OF GREAT PLAYER.
Connie Mack Was Victim Of the Won.
derful Trick in Play That Tied Up
Ball Game-secOnd 5aseman
Caught Handcuffed.

AU0 DAAAAN&hI AhO AASNONCAOl "a
Comiskey, former manager of the old
St. Louis Browns and Washington, au-
thor Of baseball books and of the only
lecture on diamond subjects in exist
ence, has a wide admiration for two
players-King Kelly of the past and
Tyrus Cobb of the present.
Ted never tires telling of the mighty
king of Slide, Kelly, Slide" fame.
Many Of the plays used to this day
were thought out by the great Kelly
and tested in action by him." says
Sullivan. Then, too, he was as close
to perfection in batting and base run
ming as human body can reach, in
my humble opinion. Let me illustrate
what | mean.
Years ago when l was managing
Washington-it was in 1888-we were
playing Boston on our own grounds.
My battery was composed of two men
who are still very much in the public
eye. Hank O'Day was pitching and
Connie Mack catching.
Twas sitting on the bench as usual.
Kelly went up to bat. Although l was
naturally some distance from the plate,
l could tell from Kelly's determined
look he was bound to reach first. He
did this by drawing base on balls. To
begin with, he fouled off five and man
aged to work Hank for pass. Then
was when the fun started-although it
wasn't actually fun for me then. But |
could always appreciate good playing
in an opponent. / think / was sports
man enough for that.
"It flashed in my mind that Kelly
would steal on the second ball pitched.
So | signaled O'Day to that effect. The
turn was called all right, for King
went sailing on the second. But in
spite of the fact that Hank pitched a
waste ball and Connie made an excel
lent throw, King slid and came up
smiling and safe.
Dummy Hoy, a great character, too
was playing center for me. The batter
slapped fly at Dummy, who caught it
with ease. During this time King stood
nonchalantly on second, watching Hoy
He appeared so listless my second
sacker turned his back on him and
waited for the throw in, as they al
ways do.
"In some manner Kelly seemed tC
divine that Hoy was going to lob the
ball in, for just as Dummy reached
back his arm to throw King made a
headlong dash for third. He slid safely
Everybody was so surprised not 6
move was made to catch him. The sec
ond baseman was caught handcuffeC
on the play.
"You will note King had reached the
far corner without whit Of assistance
from any of his mates. But that's no
all. was scared Of him, can tell yol
that candidly now. We we're only {
run ahead and we wanted the victory
"King was laughing in his usual wa!
as he loafed on the third sack, but hi
mind was alert. He darted for thu
plate when the batter dumped dink!
grounder toward short. He was caugh
cold between the bases. I'll never for
get to my last day what Kelly pulleC
at that critical point.
1.-THE shortstop whipped the bal
home and Mack stood on the plat
waiting for King to come in. Kell,
walked smilingly and leisurely to tn
plate and just before he reached
said: Well, you sure got me tha
time, Connie
"At that moment he sat squat dow
and stretched his legs out In front o
him, Just touching the edge of tn
plate with his heels. Connie, who wa
straddling the rubber, stood over hiT
with the ball in his hands, thunder
struck, 1t was the neatest trick imagiI
able-one of the greatest have eve
witnessed in my long years in th
game.
This tied the score. Kelly came u
again in the thirteenth. He looked owe
at me and yelled, No walk for me thi
time, Ted He didn't, either. TIL
great player picked the ball an
brought in the runner on second wit
the winning run. He was some wol
der.
"Ty Cobb comes closest to Kelly {
any of the present day players. It
/ mighty hard to compare the two mel
. because they played different position
But really don't think Kel would eve
take off his hat to Tyrus, except as a
: equal perhaps"