Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 208, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 September 1918 — DELEHANTY DID NOT UNDERSTAND BUNTS [ARTICLE]

DELEHANTY DID NOT UNDERSTAND BUNTS

Couldn’t Make Sacrifice Hit as Ordered by Manager. With Runner* on First and Second and No One Out, Instead of Advancing .Them, He Lands on First Ball Pitched for Home Run. Charles Webb Murphy, who still fans seven days a week, though ha .la out of baseball, was watching Cactus Cravath of the Phillies hit those long drives of his during practice at the Cubs’ park In Chicago recently. “None of them can swat the ball like Delehanty could when he was with the team,” said Murphy. “He had some mates who could go too, Flick, Lajole and others. “I once heard how Billy Earl caught Uis first game against Delehanty. It seems that Del cracked the first ball, a'high one, way on the outside, for a double. Next time up, Earl gave another signal and Del nailed one low on the inside for a triple. “On Delehanty’s third journey to the plate the pitcher'threw a wild one that hit in front of Del. The batter caught it as he would If he tvere playing cricket, and converted it into a single. “Earl was plainly amazed. So when Delehanty appeared for his fourth effort, Earl asked, ‘Don’t you ever wait till the bAll comes across the plate?” “Delehanty grinned. ‘No,’ he replied, ‘Only the poor batters wait for that kind.* "Another time, when Shettsllne, now secretary of the Quakers, was manager of the team, an important stage came where runs were badly needed. Philly goto runners on first and second before anybody was out. It was then Delehanty’s turn at bat “Shettsline Ed to one side and said, ‘You lay down a sacrifice bunt now, and I’ll have the next fellow try to knock one out and score both men. Delehanty nodded. ‘All right,’ he answered. - “Shettsllne was surprised when Delehanty laid on the first ball pitched and slammed it out for a home run. As he rounded third Shettsline called out, ‘How was it you didn’t bunt?* “ ‘Oh, I never bunt,’ laughed Del. 1 don’t even know how.’ ”