Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-04
Evers Explain. Hi. eoner.

John Evers tells in the Baseball
Magazine just how he made that bone
In the world series:
II was approa ched by newspaper
men the same evening" says Evers.
land asked about the play and how
happened to make II. I admitted free
ly and frankly that it was bone and
let it go at that. l haven't said any
thing about 1t since. 1t was bone
head play There is 10 doubt about
that. But I don't think that it was as
much Of a bonehead play as it seemed.
tho I may be prejudiced.
When that ball was hi; t., me was
anxious to get it. I had my mind on
getting 1t just as soon as possible, for
with three men on and the game in ex-
ira innings any slip may mean score.
No doubt was too anxious and 1t is
no excuse II I was. At any rate the
ball made a rather awkward bound
before it reached me and hit me in the
chest. 1t hurt some and disconnected
me to that extent. tho l am not saying
that was an excuse for my playing 1t
as I did. When 1t struck me in the
chest it bounded away several feet and
I made after 1t mechanically. But as
/ chased it the thought was in my mind
that the game was lost was sore to
think I had let the ball ge. away from
me like that, on what looked like
simple stop. I was sore to think that
thru a lack OF good fielding on my
part the game was lost. we had fought
so hard to win. That was all. didn't
think of the men on the bases. l didn't
think Of the crowd or the ether play
ers on the team. 1t didn't even occur
to me that it made any difference
whether the Athletics scored one run
or two runs so long as they scored. For
felt that the game was lost. and that
it was my failure to field NY position
as / would have liked 10 field it. that
had lost IT, While I was recovering
the ball Schang was scoring and Muir
ply going to third. But seeing that
I was in a trance Murphy kept on to
the plate. Now became 'aintly aware
that the other players were yelling at
me to throw the ball. But didn't see
Murphy before he reached the plate.
don't know how I would have Jared If
I had seen him. for Murphy is one Of
the fastest men in the game. Prob
ably could have caught him all right.
I don't know. But I didn'. see him un-
til after he had crossed the plate and
was walking to the beEch All this
time I had been standing there with
my head down kicking myself to think
that we had lost the game. l had no
other thought. And it is remarkable
thing, for in all my playing neyer>re-
member before to have stood that way
with my head down. When / was on
the Cubs l used always 20 be calling
out, Heads up to the other players. 1t
was a favorite phrase Of mine, and I
acted on it myself. Ny attitude al
ways was to keep my head up and
fighting till it was all over. And 1 am
sore to think should pick out such
an occasion as this to act contrary to
my lifetime custom and hang my head
while an extra runner was scoring. 1t
isn't very pleasant for me to think Of
tho was fortunate in that my misplay
didn't cost the game. for we won out
in the end. 1t was the oldest play
ever made and the hardes. to explain
now, tho it seemed perfectly simple to
me at the time"
1T was a bone play, won't deny
that" said Stallings, "but we all make
them. If no one ever made more than
Evers, baseball would be ad tferent
game. But even he had his share at
it that time. The spirit Of the players,
however, want to say. was the finest
thing I have ever seen on ball
ground. Naturally Evers was COM
pletely knocked out when the realiza-
ton of what he had done came over
him. He sat on the bench like man
stunned or stricken with paralysis.
tried to get him out of It by telling
him, Brace up so the young players
went see you in the dumps. But he
didn't And then every man on the
team came over and tried to cheer him
up. Never mind, John, they said, the
|agem isn't over yet. Well win yet
and show them. Even II the game Is
lost, what OF it? There's three more to
play and we'll win the rag sure. II
wasn't your fault every body slips up;
once in while And they fairly pulled
him out of his pessimism by main
strength 1t was grand exhibition Of
team cooperation, and vas glad to
see that later in the game Evers was
able to help out most effectually In
the scoring and took main part In
pulling the game out of the IRE after
| ii HAD been lost apparently beyond
u