New Britain herald., 1924-04-03
BASEBALL BRIGHT
 WITH THE UNUSUAL No Other Game Offers So Many
 Chances for Freak Plays
(By Billy Eyans) Baseball features the unusual.

No sport offers so many opportunl- ties for freak happenings.
 The uncertainty of the sport is what makes for it's continued popularity with the fans.
 Every year I learn q lot of things about baseball through happenings that seem well nigh impossible.
 Many comes under my personal ob- servation, while the dope on scores of others is written in to me. requesting my opinion.
 X majority of the freak happenings is reported from the amateurs and the minors, but the majors are not without their unusual stunts.
 In all probability Eddie Charity. for a number of years Washington catcher. who has quit organized ball. figured in an episode that is without parallel in baseball.
 Washington was playing at Chicago. There was one runner on and two out when Charity came to the bat. The Washington catcher, always a hard hitter, took a healthy swing and hit long fly to left field.
 The runner, off with the crack Of the bat, was midway between third and home when his brain quit work ing. Freak plays on the ball field are invariably created by "hones.' This one was no exception.
 Chicago fans, always fair, loudly checred Gharrity's home run when the ball passed into inc left field bleachers. Hearing the applause, the runner decided 1t must be for the fielder who had made the catch.
 
 Iaboring under that delusion, the runner preceding Charity turned about and hastened to his position at short which he was playing for the Washington club.
 Charity. the hitter, had been tear ing like mad around the bases in an effort to get as many bases as possible on the hit in case it did not pass into tho hleachcrs
 It so happened that Charity on his way from third 10 the plate passed the other runner on his way back to his position in he inilcld.
 The rule covering the play states that bascrunner is automatically out the moment he passes another runner on the base lines.
 Tho umpires in charge held that Charity had technically passed the other runner between third and home, and even though he had hit the ball out of playing territory for a homo run he was out for so doing.
 Instead Of two runs crossing the plato the slde was retired without a run and Charity received credit for only three-base hit. The ruling caused tho Washington club to make a strenuous protest, but the umpires in charge refused to- change the original ruling that Char rity was out While the ruling was technically 1 correct, it is more than probable 1T | it ever comes up again in the Amer | ican league inc umpircs would allow tho runs 10 score.
 Such a ruling would call common | sense interpretation of tho rule. which | is often dangerous for the umpire 10 make.
 It could be contended that tho run rer who started back to third, and m | a sense did pass or be passed by Inc | batsman, had perfect right to make tho distance to inc plate that much | longer. provided the batsman who hit the bsll did net touch the home plate | in advance Of him. ] Since there Is no chance for a play | on inc man who hits the ball over the fence, same entitiing him 10 a | home run. it seeins rather unjust to let so lightly a technicality erase the homer.
 It is just such plays, however, that make baseball the immensely popular game that it is.