Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-03-17
Base Running May
Be Lost Art, But
Yankees Steal MANY
By BRICK OWENS
American League Umpire

art with the advent of the rabbit"
ball. The high records of some
years ago appear all out of pro-
portion to the batting averages Of
other days. However, some years
ago, during spring training, the slid
ing pit was part and parcel of the
daily grind. John McGraw has al
ways been a strict advocate of base
stealing. And yet, the leading base
stealer in the major leaves falls far
| short Of those Of a decade ago.
The slide is made valuable IN
recent years in an endeavor to stop
a double play. A second baSeman
or shortstop must need be a dane
ing master to escape the flashing
steel Of the runner coming n from
first base, whose idea is to prevent
the batter from being put out IN a
double killing.
Some there are who slide into
second base completely upsettlng
the pivot man in an attempted two
ply killing. They have timed their
slide so as to knock the fielder over
Nothing in the rules covers any
play of this kind. 1t is perfectly
legitimate. The only harm is to
the uniform of the bowled-over
player.
Teams who play the "hit and
rum need that additional help. 1t
is not always successful and, oc-
caSionally, the batter hits directly
to an infielder. The reSult-baSeS
cleared and two hands down.
In the New York-St. Louis series,
last fall, one of the best examples
of breaking up a double play came
to light. The third game Of the
series was played in st. Louis. From
the first inning, due to a misjudged
fly ball by burst, the Yanks were
trailing. With Haines going great
guns" there appeared but little OPP
portunity for Miller Higgins crew
to get started. But the art Of slid
ing to, prevent a double play was to
be the means Of putting the Thun-
dering Herd in. the game with both
feet.
Koenig pried open the fifth in
ming with a single. Babe Ruth hit
to Frisch and Koenig was forced
at second. HaineS had pitched too
carefully to Gehrig and for the sec
ond time the sturdy first baSeman
was passed. With MeuSel at bat,
the Cards infield played back for
a force play. Big Bob hit the first
pitch to third base. High took it
clearly and threw to Frisch, fore
s,1~ Gay,Ni~ Tho hit onl- RIM hod
been flashed and Gehrig had started
with the pitch. He reached second
base almost as Dol as Frisch, but,
instead of going in standing up, he
slid. Before the Card second sack
er had gotten his throw away clean
ly to Bottomley, to double MeuSel,
Big Lou slid into second, hitting
Frisch's feet. The resultant bad
throw to Bottomley allowed Meusel
to reach first base safely. The ball
rolled but a few feet away to allow
the speeding outfielder Of the Yanks
to continue on to the plate.
Bottomley's throw to Wilson ar
rived at the plate a split second be-
fore Ruth. The Battering Ram
did not go in standing up. He
slid-but not in an effort to topple
over the catcher. He slid for the
plate and was tagged by Wilson.
However, Ruth does not do things
by halves. When he hits that is
what he does, and when he slides
he slides. He slid and Wilson
failed to hold the ball. McGowen,
who was officiating behind the bat,
had called Ruth out, but when he
saw the ball roll away, he was COM
PEELED to change his decision. The
Yanks had scored, and Meusel was
on third base from where he scored
a few seconds later when Lazzeri
hit safely.
The amusing part of all this
happened in the midst of the mix
up. When Gehrig succeeded in
spelling Frisch's throw, Fordham
frankie at one grabbed his foot
and began to take off his shoe to
see if he had been cut by the Yank's
spikes. Gehrig, who lives in the
Big City not far from Frisch, was
just as anxious to know if he had
hurt the Cards second sacker.
When Ruth scored by virtue of
Wilson'S error, Meusel started for
second base. Without looking to see
who was to take thethrow, Wilson
propelled the ball toward second to
head off MeuSel. He made a perfect
throw, but the base was empty.
with Frisch sitting on the ground
and Gehrig lowering close by. It
then that Meusel ambled to
third.
After this the Yanks were not
headed again and won their third
straight game. Had Gehrig not
played the game to the limit and
performed his part, Meusel might
have been doubled at first and no
runs scored in that inning. Sure
ly, Bottomley would have had much
more time to throw to Wilson, in
which caSe the Battering Ram
would have had much difficulty in
scoring. In no game in which the
writer has ever appeared has SO
much good come from a slide to
prevent a double play.