The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-18

fected many inside plays. such as
the hit and run. the unexpected bunt
and SO on. Keller was marvellous
place hitter. l was not SO bad at
it myself. My long suit, though, was
my eye. was a good waiter and
rarely hit at a bad ball. For that
reason l led the batting order. Keel
er, on account of his place hitting
ability, followed me, think, with all
due modesty, that we worked the
hit and run play mora perfectly than
1 have seen since. If reached
first L would give the sign and
Keeler, almost invariably. would hit
the ball in the right place. Then
we had Kelley and Brouthers. the
long hitters, to clean up If we
slipped, there were Brodie and Rob-
inson at the other end of the bat
ting order to clean up after Jennings
and Reitz had started something.
Word had reached other clubs of
our new style of play-this trick
stuff by kids. as they called 1t. All
over the league the old-timers were
disposed to kid us. 1 shall never
forget our start that year.
Bent the Giants
We went up against TIE New York
Giants managed by John Montgom-
cry Ward. in a four-game series.
They had trained at Charleston and
had come direct to Baltimore from
the camp to start the season. The
Giants had been touted as sure pen
nant winners. They had staff of
famous pitchers-Amos Rusie, Jou-
EFT Meekin, Dad Clarke and Hyler
Westervelt
All baseball was astounded by our
feat of winning four straight games
from the famous Giants. Right off
the reel, jim the first game. Willie
Keller and. I stood them on their
heads by pulling the hit and run
play.
They thought it merely a bit of
luck that We should happen to hit
the ball through hole just left by
the baseman, going to cover the bag.
Not for a moment would they be-
lieve such play was prearranged.
"Horseshoe Luck
Just a lot of horseshoe luck"
said John Ward, dumbfounded at our
victory. 6
Not until we had won four games
by these so-called tricks did Ward
grasp the system of team work and
new plays that had been sprung on
him. He sincerely believed them to
have been accidents. Later he awoke
and acknowledged that we really had
pulled something new in baseball.
What we did to his four star pitch
ers was a-plenty. 1t happened to be
my luck to win the last game by
hit in the ninth inning.
That one series made the Orioles.
Seeing that our stuff had worked, we
were full of confidence and cocki-
ness. Jennings. Keeler, Kelley, Rob
inson and myself organized ourselves
into sort of committee. We were
scheming all the time for new stunt
TO pull on our opponents. We talked,
lived and dreamed baseball. That
was the secret of our success. Woe
betide the player who failed~us His
life on the bench was not a pleasant
one. He never forgot the roasting
and never failed to deliver one if
somebody else failed.
Orioles on Rampage
Last fall / heard much of the sem
sational invasions of both the Giants
and the Yanks in the west. Well,
that year the orioles made an in
yasion that was even a greater SEN
sation. We started on the last west
ern' trip half game in the lead. We
finished four games ahead, having
won is straight games and "a out of
the last 20. But Tor an accident to
Wilbert Robinson, who slipped in the
mud while about to make a play, we
would have won the whole 20.
Our best work was at Pittsburg,
where we gave the prettiest exhibit
tion of place hitting 1 ever hope
to see. The lefthanders polsed the
ball Into left field and the right
handlers poked it into right. time and
time again. The Pirates were com
pletely confused and dazed. They
had never seen anything like that
before-neither had we.
That fall we lost the Temple cup
series to the Giants, but Jennings
and l got back to st. Bonaventure as
heroes. We were champions. 1t
was royal reception. But, speak
ing of receptions-well, tomorrow.
Copyright. 1928, United States and
Canada, by Ghristy Walsh Syndicate, for
North American Newspaper Alliance and
perh Ara