Evening star., 1925-10-11


Rice's Catch Unrivaled.
Without question that catch by
Rice in the eighth inning that kept
a tying home run from Earl Smith
was the most wonderful fielding feat
ever accomplished in or out Of a
world series. And without question
Marberry's steadiness while pitching
in that tense ninth inning exceiled by
far the performance that won fame
for Aldridge In the fifth and ninth in
nings of the game in Pittsburgh on
Thursday.
Old base ball men. players and
writer's, searched their memories for
q catch that could rival Rice's, but
found none. Clark Griffith. president
of the Nationals, who played base ball
when the game was in short trousers
and since has followed the sport In
administrative capacities. declared he
had never seen any catch approach
ing II. 1T was catch you are lucky
TO witness in a lifetime" Griffith said.
famous outfielders, but Rice's was far
ahead of any of them"
Nick Altrock, coach of the Nation
ais, who has been in and around base
ball almost as long as Griffith. was
rendered almost speechlesS by Rice'S
stunt.
Congratulated by Mates.
In the club dressing room after the
game all Nick could murmur was
'How did he do it?" Rice was warm.
ly congratulated by his fellow players
when he came to the Nationals bench
after making the play that ended the
fCht In nd
their praise of the feat in the seclu
sion of the clubhouse, too.
But all the nice remarks OF the ath-
letes in the clubhouse were not for
Rice. Freddy Marberry certainly got
a good measure OF them and he de-
served all he got. too. For Freddy's
pitching arm that went back on him
in August was none too good yester-
day. The cold had affected the wing
in the morning and when the relief
pitcher reported at the park shortly
before noon his right elbow. was pain.
ing him severely.
But Freddy Is a game one and
when his boss called upon him to
warm up he did not hesitate. And
he performed brilliantly in the eighth
inning. his first on the hill In the
contest. my arm hurt me little in
that inning" Freddy remarked after
the game, anu IL Suio Oio huiI III
the ninth. 1t was the pain that made
me so wild"
Nerve Unshalen.
The pain, however. did not shake
Marberry's nerve. Those two singles
that put Pirates on first and third
bases with only one out would have
been enough to unbalance an ordinary
pitcher. Hitting man after getting
two strikes across and filling the bases
would have meant ruin to many pitch
ers of long service. But MarberTy
evidently has a castiron nerve.
His performance when the sacks
were loaded-only one was out and
but a run needed to tie the game
was truly indicative Of Freddy's fine
balance. With Clyde Barnhart at bat
the relief hurler worked his way to q
two.and-two count, then sent a good
pitch to the batter. Barnhart swung
and met the ball. only to lift a foul
to Ruel.
But the most wonderful exhibition
OF nerve followed. The first three
pitches to Pie Traynor, dangerous
+ hitter, were wide of the plate. Freddy
had to get the next over or force
run home. He got 1t over. And with
; the following pitch he made the count
| three and two.
He heaved another straight in and
almost shoulder high. Traynor slam
med this last one, but 1t sailed to
FEarf McNeely in right.center field
\ and the game was over.
ON that ninth inning alone Marberry
Will 60 down in base ball history as
( one Of the gamest pitchers ever to
I toe the slab.
! Rice and Marberry did not garner
! all the glory in yesterdays engage
! ment. Another sharing the spotlight
was Goose GoSAn, who fairly sparkled
Z an the seventh inning in taking care
/ of Barnhart's loft close to the tenn
porary bleachers back Of left-center
/ {ield. The Goose had to sprint far to
get to the ball, and after grabbing 1t
fell and turned a somersault against
} the bleacher barrier. But he clung
/. TO the sphere to complete a play that
would have commanded much atten-
ton had not Rice made that marvel.
! GUS catch an inning later.
Any doubt as to the quality Of base
ball Buddy Myer Is capable Of play
ing was dispelled by his splendid field.
ing Of Cuyler's slow roller toward
third base in the fifth frame. The re-
I ing at the far corner until Ossie
Bluege returns to the series, dashed
in for a smooth pickup and got the
ball away in a flash to flag the batter
at the initial sack. It was a play
worthy of Traynor, n Bluege or any
other of the high-class third sackers
of both major leagues.
Max Carey's conversion Of a single
into a double in the fifth inning was
too risky to be considered smart base
running. The blow to center was but
an ordinary one-baser and Rice did
not hurry his return to Peck. After
turning first, Carey hesitated only an
instant then sprinted for second. He
slid into the bag just ahead of the
heave from Sam. 1t was a. .hashy bit
of basework. but Of the kind that
gains nothing nine out Of ten times.
Unquestionably the smartest play
Of the game was made in the seventh
inning and did much to put the Ma.
tionals ahead. With runners on hrst
and second and one out. Goslfn took
2 healthy swing at one of Kremer,s
pftcho0. Then on the next pitch the
Goose crossed tho entire Pirate in.
Geld and Catcher Smith by laying