Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 231, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1910 — GREAT CATCH BY SULLIVAN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GREAT CATCH BY SULLIVAN

Duplicates Feat of Catcher Street in Getting Ball Thrown From Top of Monument. Catcher "Billy” Sullivan of the Chicago Americans, while in Washington the other day, duplicated the feat of Catcher Charles Street of the Washington American league team last year in catching a baseball thrown from a window at the top of the Washington monument a perpendicular drop of 542 feet. The ball was tossed from the top of the monument by Pitcher Ed Walsh of the Chicago team. It was only after twenty-three attempts that Sulllcan finally caught the ball, although he succeeded several times in so gauging the sphere as to get it in his mitt. The speed of the falling ball was so terrific, however, that he was unable to hold it. It is estimated that the ball wastraveling at the rate of 161 feet a second when caught. Several members of the Chicago team, including Collins and “Doc” White, Trainer Quirk of the Washington team, and a few government officials witnessed the feat.’

While the feat has been attempted aiany'times in past years, only Street heretofore was able to accomplish It. His feat was perforpied during the summer of 1908 upon the thirteenth attempt. - Sullivan subsequently caught twp more balls thrown from the monument window. z After observing Sullivan's

first attempts and ultimate success “Doc” White suggested that the balls should be thrown farther afield. He ascended the monument and standing well back within the window hurled ball after ball as far out as he could. Sullivan caught the first one, and to show that it was no accident he also caught the fifth. Of ten balls thrown by White the catcher could get under only one other, but he was unable to hold that one.

Catcher “Billy" Sullivan.