The Washington times., 1926-01-11

at it. They could "dust off" b
in a way that appeared purely acc
and still can, but they can't often
Up there at the plate is an ind
pitcher.
In my last chapter mentioned
Dutch Leonard as one of the ball
players whom l had threatened with
nv spikes. say threatened, be-
cause 1 did not actually cut him.
On two or three occasions Leon
ard had tried to bean me. One
time he came so close to hitting
me in the head that / had to fail
to avoid being hurt. Just the same
/ didn't back away from the plate.
I looked at him in such a way that
he knew what I was thinking.
"All right" / said to myself IF
= that is your game IN play il right
back at you He knew that ]
meant that when / looked at him.
An outfielder has no chance Of
throwing at pitcher, and he has
less chance of spilxing him on the
bases. But he must do something
or the pitcher will think he IS
getting away with something, and
will no longer respect the bat
ter's rights.
I fail to see where it is any
worse for a base runner to go in
viciously with his spikes tnan for
the pitcher to throw at a mans
head or body. That kind OF stuff
has got to be paid back in the
same coin. The only way to pre-
vent a pitcher having you nervous
and tirnid is to make him nervous
and tin1id. He must know that
there is a comeback.
So 1 made UP my mind to get
even with Dutch Leonard even II
/ had to threaten him with my
spikes. Ordinarily you'd think there
was no way of doing 1t. But there
10.
On my next appearance at the
plate ret Leonard know by my
look that he wasn't going to get
away with any attempt to bean
me-" That Is where my knowledge
Of bunting, as George Leidy taught
me, came in.
/ realized that the only way to
get even with Leonard was TO
make him cover first base. So.
deliberately hunted the ball toward
first base. Leonard ran over 10
cover the bag. 1t was an easy out
q
in the coacher's box when l got
within ten feet of it. Just the same
] deliberately took the jump. with
my feet flying forward and the
spikes showing ! did not aim at the
bag at all but slid right through
the coacher's box where Leonard
had been standing. 1 didn't touch
him but / had made the threat.
Leonard, knew full well why I
had made that slide through the
coacher's box, He knew that l
was demonstrating how he could
be paid back if he tried to bean
me again. 1t is game that both
could play at if he busted me off
again. ;
I had no hard feeling against
Leonard and l think we are pretty
good friends but by that one threat
l had saved myself from future
Tbluffing. He didn't try to bean me
again. l still think 1 was perfectly
weapons to use If it were necessary.
The other pitcher who fought
me many a battle on the diamonds
was Cy Morgan. He also tried to
dust me off several times. In fact,
he did succeed in hitting me while
stood at the bat. l let him know
that l was wise to what he was
doing and that l would get even.
! had to stop him or they would be
all trying that bean. The Boston
club, you know. had a reputation
for their pitchers keeping opposing
batters away from the plate.
After Morgan had beaned me hard
shook my finger at him as much
as TO say he would get his when
the first opportunity arose.
l don't remember exactly who
was on base or who hit the ball but
/ started in from first on a long
hit. AS l rounded third Morgan
who had run over TO cover the plate
was already set to catch the ball.
had no chance of scoring He
had me before / was 10 feet past
0third. Just the same l deliberately
Kept on and made a long and vicious
slide straight at him. A pitcher
doesn't have to take many throws
at the plate and does not know
how TO block as a catcher does.
Anyway, my slide caused Morgan
To step out of the way had
handed Morgan the same kind of
bluff he had hant ed me. He knew
very we'll why ! had done it too.
This affair started a feud be-
tween Morgan and myself just
as often as he tried to bean me
i would try to get back at him
with my spikes. On one occasion
L tried to bunt one toward first
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