Evening star., 1915-01-11
EVERS EXPLAINS BONE" PLAY
MADE IN THE WORLD SERIES
Declares Mistake Which Allowed Two Runs
Was First of That Kind He Ever
Was Guilty OF.

In that extra inning game of the last
world series Johnny Evers seemed tc
lose the game when he fumbled q
grounder and then. after recovering
the ball, held it while what appeared
to be the winning run was scoring
rhis play was characterized as Il
bone" Evers will explain the play III
A coming issue of the Base Ball MaSa-
zine in the following statement:
II was approached by newspaper men
the same evening" says Evers, and
asked about the play and how ] hap
oened to make it. | admitted freely
and frankly that it was "A bone and let
It go at that. ] haven't said anything
about it since. 1t was bonehead
play. There is no doubt about that
But don't think that it was as much
Of a bonehead play AS it seemed
though I may be prejudiced,
when that ball was hit to me | was
anxious to get it. 1 had my mind on
sel.,ng it just as soon as possible loI
with three men on and the game III
extra innings any slip may mean
score. No doubt, 1 was too anxious
and it is no excuse If l was. AT any
rate. the ball made rather awkward
bound before it reached me ana mt
u.
concerted me to that extent, though l
am not saying that was an excuse Tor
my playing it as did. When 1t STRUCK
me in the chest it bounded away sew
eral feet and 1 made after it me-
chanically. But as / chased it the
thought was in my mind that the game
was lost. / was sore to think had
let the ball get away from me like
that, on what looked like simple
stop. / was sore to think that through
e. Il rf 4
game was lost that we had fought SO
hard to win. That " as all. l didn't thlnk
of the men on the bases. l didn't think
OIL the crowd or the other players on
the team. 1t didn't even occur to me
that it made any difference whetheF
runs so long as they scored. For felt
that the game was lost, and that it was
my failure to field my position as |
would have liked to field it that mad
lost it.
"Whie 1 was recovering the ball
Schang was scoring and Murphy going
to third. But seeing that l was In a
trance Murphy kept on to the plate
Now, 1 became family aware that the
other players were yelling at me to
throw the ball. But l dldn' see MUIR
ply before he reached the plate: dom
know how / would have Jared II mad
seen him, for Murphy is one of the fast
est men in the game. Propaoly coulo
have caught him all rlBnt. oon
know. But L didn't see him until after
he had crossed the plate and was walk
ing to the bench. All this time had
been standing there with my head
down kicking myself to think that we
thoueht. And It is a remarkable thing
for in all my playing 1 never remem-
Der before to have stood that way with
my head down. When I was on the
Cubs 1 used always to be calling Out
Heads up' to the other players. 1t was
a favorite phrase of mine, and I acted
on it myself My attitude always was
to keep my head up and fighting till il
was all over And l am sore to think
l should pick out such an occasion as
this to act contrary to my lifetime Gus
tom and hang my head while an extra
runner was scoring. 1t isn't very pleas
ant for me to think of, though l was
fortunate in that my misplay didn't
cost the game, for we won out IN the
end. 1t was the oldest play l ever