Omaha daily bee., 1915-04-11
CHANCE TELLS OF NEAT PLAY
Worked Exclusively by Chance and
Tinker and it Caught the Peer
less Tyrus Cobb.
WON WORLDS SERIES FOR CUBS

NEW YORK, Apfil l0.@-Joe Tinker for
many years one of the star shortstops
of the country. and myself evolved a play
several years ago that have never seen
duplicated, says Frank Chance. The play
is devised to save a shortstop an error
when the play is on wet and muddy
field We tried the play many times
when there was enough rain to make the
ball wet and slippery. and in every case
It turned out to be the right play.
This play should not be attempted un-
less the first baseman and the shortstop
are in perfect accord. BY this l mean
the first baseman, by subtle inteiH-
gence which comes to him through his
familiarity with first base play. should
know when the play is to be made.
We tried the play first during our open
ing game with Detroit, with the worlds
series looming in front Of us. At first
both Tinker and myself were rather
afraid of the play. We talked it over on
the bench, and finally decided to try It.
1t looked rather dangerous to both OF us,
but we thought enough of it to try It in
the opening game Of the series for the
worlds championship in 1908.
The play Is simplicity itself when 1t is
made right In the 1905 series with De-
troit, after we had made the jump from
New York to play the Tigers, we found a
wet and muddy field. with a slight driz-
zling rain falling. We were before a
hostile crowd. which filled the grand
stand and, bleachers.
Hleachers Close 10 Field.
The right field bIeachcrs in Detroit are
built close to the field. They are built so
close in that a wild throw over first
base is liable to bound into the hleachers
and turn an error into a home run. Tinker
and 1 were thoroughly familiar with the
field. We had played there the season
before, when we had beaten the Detroit
Tigers for the worlds championship in
1907.
The play that was evolved in Detroit
that day not only helped US win the first
game, but gave us such Jump" on the
Tigers that we had little trouble In win
ming the premier honors Of the base ball
world.
When Tinker told me that he was hav-
ing trouble in handling the wet ball he
and 1 put our heads together and we
fixed up play.
Bounce the ball TO me-" suggested
to Tinker. Then and there we perfected.
the play. We decided that it was too
great a risk for him 10 throw the ball
straight across the diamond to me.
"Iil throw It so It will hit about ten
feet in front. of first base and you can
take it on the bound" said Tinker.
The next inning we tried it out and we
tried 1t on that superb hitter. Tyrus Cobb,
Cobb hit one to Tinker. and L believe
that he hit 1t slowly on purpose.
Caught Cobb n Foot.
Tinker came in fast and grabbed the
ball AS he Strengthened up to throw,
Cobb was tearing down the base line at
full speed. Tinker let so OF the ball,
and It hit about ten feet In front of first
base. 1t bounded perfectly. 1 was stand
ing back of the bag. 1 got the ball In
my hands in nice fashion, and Cobb was
out by step. 1t was a pretty play. and
the minute the umpire waved his hands
for the out l knew we had perfected a
play that was to help US materially in
winning the worlds championship. Three
times in that same game Tinker and
made the same play. and 1t went through
each time.
| The first baseman, in making this play,
should stand back of the bag. II he takes
this position he can go forward or back
ward several feet in order to get the ball
at the right angle. In this position he
can keep his foot on the bag and get the
throw in time to get the runner.
Here Is a play that often comes up in
a game and most first basemen are ex-
tremely liable to make the play in the
wrong fashion
man is on second base and the batter,
! in order 70 sacrifice him along. hunts
toward first base. OF course. In this
situation, the first baseman is laying
for hint. When the ball Is hit the first
baseman takes one quick look at the
runner at second. He knows whether he
has good start or not. II the runner
has started to third on the bunt-and II
Is a ten-to-one shot he hss--don't make
any attempt to get him. Get the runner
at first.