The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1921-04-21
SOME BONEHEAD
PLAYS

Vernacular Tor DOnenea1 phys. OF
poor plays, did you ever notice that
the successes Of the winners are
matched by the peculiar misfortunes
of the losers, and that the latter have
prominence Of their own scarcely
inferior TO that Of the former? Some
players will always be remembered
for the mistakes that they have made
rather than the brilliant plays they
were wont to figure in.
Il 1.-The bad that men do live after
\ them; the good is oft inferred with
their bones" So let it be with ball
! players.
The "bonehead" play has as unique
niche in popular fancy as the bril-
liant play. Sometimes the difference
between star play and bone is rer
markedly slight. By that ! mean
that many a bone play would have
been a circus play if it had gone thru,
and vice versa.
OF course, you have all heard Of
the celebrated John Anderson, one Of
the oldest and best known members
Of the ancient order Of bonehead he
roes Jawn's fame will never die.
Although there have been many 9th
ers since who were able to duplicate
the feat that made Jawn's name one
TO conjure bones with, it is doubtful
II his star will ever fade. John An
derson was the first ball player who
ever succeeded in stealing second with
the bases full.
More recent Is the performance of
Merkle that is too well known to re-
peat; his failure to touch second base
in that game against the Chicago
Cubs at the Polo Grounds, Septem-
Der 80, 1908, which cost the Giants a
pennant. Merkle was the victim Of
circumstances more than anything
else, as what Merkle did at that game
has been done hundreds Of times by
players in all leagues. Merkle. was
unfortunate was all. Yet it
was probably the greatest bone in
baseball
Hurry Niles was another player
famous for his tendency to pub bone
headed plays. While playing with
the Boston Red Sox against Washing
ton back in 1909 Harry was at his
best. The Red Sox were one run be-
hind, two out and Danzig on first.
Niles hit terrific drive toward CEN
ter field and with his head down he
started to tear around the bases.
Niles was very fast man and Dan
zig was not, and Harry, forgetting
that there was a runner ahead of him,
whirled around the bags and pulled
up at third. Danzig in the mean
time had halted at second, Niles hav- !
ing gone by him like streak Of light
ming. When the smoke cleared away {
Niles was declared out for passing {
a runner and Boston's chances to win
had fickered A few years ago it
was Ivy Wingo of st. Louis who star
red. Ivy's bit of brilliancy was an q
in way on "Jawn' /
Anderson's stuff, Ivy stole third with :
the bases full. 8
Chicago teams were guilty of one
huge bone" Larry Schahy, then t
captain Of the Washingtons, now man C
lger of the Buffalo Feds, had retired e
70 the clubhouse to change his trous-
ars, which he had torn in Sliding to b
4 base. Before Larry returned his t
side had been retired and Chicago was b
At bat. The Washington team took A
he field and the game went on---that t
S, all but Larry, who was covering a
second for the Senators. With only p
light men in the field they proceeded t
% retire the Sox. Fielder Jones, first |
Up, had hit one through second before r
Schahy's absence was noticed. Then o
he umpires, after consultation, de-
'ided that Jones's hit was illegal, as
here were only eight men on the dia- n
nond at the time, and he was forced e
o come back and hit over That is
bonehead work, isn't it? n
seventeen men and two umpires, and a
ven several thousand fans, were gull d
Y.
Another one on Harry Niles. I
With the bases full and only one
nut in the ninth inning, short fly
vas hit out to Niles. The fans heav- m
d sigh of relief when he caught a
he ball, but it immediately turned n,
o roar of surprise when they saw :,
liles stick the ball in his pocket and =
ear across the field to the clubhouse, % -
ihile his teammates ran frantically -
fter him Niles, of course, thought b,
hat three were out, but it did not til
revent the three men on bases from ii,
coring and winning the game for So
he opposition, nc
They happen every day-these are m
few of the most famous ones. But A.
inc times out of ten the term ''bone-