Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1920-07-01
BALL PLAYERS OF
LONG AG0 RECALLED
Many Local Stars in Bygone
Years Played
Here
SPECTACULAR PLAYS
Sylvester Breen Gives Many addition
al Names in His Review OF Old
Time Sand Letters.

In the story "RevlcWS OF Oid- inc
Baseball Players the names Of the
following well-known and popular
players were unintentional!y omitted:
William H. Barley, catcher; Edward
;Corky" Marye, lett-hlnd pitcher;
George Hough. noted for his long-dis-
.ance and accurate sling shot throw
ny; Norman Pruitt, a lad whose
nands were Knocked in every shape
oy coming in contact with bassEails;
John Mullen. 2G0 pound youth, who
could hit a ball so hard it would al
mos. flatten; Frank S. Harper. u
star al around man, VINO would miss
,is dinner every day in the week 70
play bail; William Whalen. Matthew
+. Hicks. Luther Hayden. pitcher;
Frank Entwisle, "Felie" Steiner, Brn-
ION Minor, Bernard O'Brien. Harry
Price, Peter Hall, Edward Clark, Pete
jray Luther Switzerland; William j..
Schuler. sugger supreme, who had
the goat Of visiting managers. who
would order their fielders to play way
oack when Billy" was al bat; Fred
Schuler, Peter Hoy. George West,
John F. Peverell. William PoSs, Wal
ter w. Cation, slim" Edwards, Frank
Kraft, star first baseman: Norman
Kraft, catcher; George Nugent. catch
er; John McCuen, Martin p. Greene.
runner who could circle the bases
like flash, and Edward Ed Beach,
crack all arounder.
Other excellent players performed
on the ball fields OF Alexandria, but
their names cannot now be remember
ed. and. it is the wish Of the writer,
that he be pardoned for the om;s
sion, as no slight was intended for
those worthy lads.
Harry Gentry was the official Gm-
pire for the old Alexandria baseball
team. When officiating in that capa-
city all players were strangers to
him and his decisions were rendered
with fairness to both teams. He was
also a tip-tcp pitcher.
4 wonderful play was made at the
Episcopal High School. near this city,
about the year 1877. The old lnde-
pendents were opposing the High
School team. Three men were OF the
bases, with none out. The batter hit
a terrific line drive that appeared to
be safety and the boys on the bases
started to run like wild deer for home.
John H. Bartlett, who was playing
.Rird base, jumped in the air caught
she ball touched third base with his
foot. then threw to the catcher, who
whipped the BAH to second base; the
second baseman threw 10 the first
Daseman, and the first baseman re-
turned the ball to Bartlett on third
base, completing triple play, in fact
getting four men out. The play was
lightning ana was made before
the base-runners could ret'f.n to their
bases.
Many great fcatS have been per-
formed by teams at different periods
but that act will never be forgotten
by those who witnessed it. The High
school team had beaten the best or
ganizations in Virginia and the lnde-
pendents forced them to lever their
colors by defeating them.
Charles Steiner pitched the game in
grand style and he was ably support
ed by Norman Pruitt, wh2 was his
regular catcher.
Steiner and Prui;t also iii)ayed with
the Arlingtons. of Was zoagton, and
their wonderful! battery VII rk WAS the
pitfall for the celebratef Lord Bal
timore team. of Baltimore, Md,
when they defeated in easy fashion,
and almost broke the hearts Of the
Baltimore fans.
Major General .Abncr Doubleday
United States Army. is credited with
being the inventor Of baseball. He was
stationed at Cooperstown. \. y. IN
1899. The old way of playing baseball!
consisted of hitting ball and run
ming to base located anywhere
from 80 to 100 feet from where the
batter stood After hitting the bah he
ran to where a stone was laid for q
base. If hit by the ball thrown from
! the hands of some player the batter
was declared "out". Eleven PLAYERS