Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 February 1917 — BILLY EVANS SOLVES BASEBALL PROBLEMS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BILLY EVANS SOLVES BASEBALL PROBLEMS

(Written Especially for This Paper by the Famous American League Umpire.) Very often a “bone” ofa the part of some player who believes that he is pulling something new causes trouble galore.

r ln a game played last summer between two prominent semiprofessional clubs, with the score a tie in the ninth, one down and runners on second and third, things began to happen. The catcher of the visiting team noticed that the runner on third was taking a big lead op each ball pitched. He decided that an accurate snap throw ought to catch him napping. The play worked as he had expected, a pretty throw getting the .runner on third flat footed. There being no chance for the runner to get back to third, he made a dash for home. A run-up then ensued, practically every player of the team in the field joining in the play to retire the man who had been caught off third base. In the meantime, the runner on second, believ-

ing that the other runner was sure to be-retired? advanced to third, ' Upon reaching that bag, he had an inspiration, said inspiration creating all the trquble and argument that followed. He decided that w bile the other players were busy trying to retire the man who had been caught napping, he would slip by them arid score the winning run»„ Following out his plan, he got under full speed and dashed by theother players, crossing the pate a fraction of a second before tire other runner was touched out on the* lines. A goodly portion of the crowd surged on the field and began to celebrate the supposed victory. What was the proper decision, and what do you suppose the umpire was finally forced to do? Answer to Problem. The player who dashed past the other runner and believed he had pulled a bright play, perpetrated an awful “bone.” Just as soon as he passed the preceding base runner, who had not yet been legally retire , he was out for so doing, had automatically retired himself, so to speak. His actions made the second out of the inning; the other runner, when finaHy touched out, mado the third out and retired the side without a ■ run The score being still a tie, extya innings were necessary. Such a crowd had surged on the field, believing the game over, that the umpire was powerless to clear the diamond for action. He called upon the police, but they could not get the fans off the field. As a result, Hie umpire forfeited the game to the visitors and then took, it on the (Copyright by the Wheeler Syndicate, Inc.) .*>