Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 312, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1917 — BILLY EVANS’ BASEBALL PROBLEMS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BILLY EVANS’ BASEBALL PROBLEMS

Written Especially for This Paper by the Famous American >- League Umpire. - Freak plays are much mow frequent in the minors than In the big show, but a play came up American league that is probably wltb-

out a parallel In baseball. It haff been put up to any number of umpires, players, and managers, and all contend they never heard of a similar happening on a ball field, Washington and Philadelphia were the opposing teams. The Athletics got away to a good start, and when the ninth Inning rolled around had plied up a big lead. down in the last half of, the - ninth, Eddie Atnsmith, the crack Washington catcher, hit for a single. With a lead of seven or eight runs, none of the Athletic paid any attention “to ATnsralth/who stole BecohcT on the first hall pitched and third on the second ball delivered by Chief Bender. Then some fan in the third base -bleaches yelled: “Finish up the job, Ed-

die,’ by stealing home!” That is just what Ainsmith essayed to do, and incidentally stirred up one of the most peculiar arguments in baseball history. •• • As Benderstarted to wind up, Ainsmith started Bender, with a smile, decided he would permit Ainsmith to. go through with ~~his tntended theft? In order to make sure that the Washington catcher would reach the plate safely, Bender kept on winding up his right arm until Ainsmith had slid over the plate in safety. Just about the time Bender had finally delivered the ball to the batter, Ainsmith had regained his feet and was buSy dusting off his uniform. As luck would have it, the batter hit the ball to left field, Oldring making-the catch that retired the side and ended the game. The question naturally arose as to. whether or not the run counted. What would you have you been the umpire? Solution of Problem. The run does not count. The play, of course, is based on rule 50, which relates to the scoring of runs. Part of this rule states that a run shall not be scored if, after touching the first three bases, the runner comes hoifie from third on a play in which the third man is forced out, or is put out before reaching first. The umpires contend that the start of the play was when Bender began his wind-up, and that the completion of the play was the hitting of the fly ball to left field, the batter naturally being out before he reached first Hence, the run should not count even though Ainsmith had scored before the ball was really started on its way to the plate. That really has nothing to do with the situation, the start of the wind-up being the beginning of the play. It is a question that will cause many an argument. (Copyright by the Wheeler Syndicate, Inc.)