Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 107, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 May 1919 — CAUSE OF BACKSTOP MEYERS’ RETIREMENT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CAUSE OF BACKSTOP MEYERS’ RETIREMENT

Manager Irwin of - Rochester Team Relates Story. Couldn’t Figure Out Play Where Vi»iting Player Bunted With Two Strikes, Three on Bases land Scored Four Runs. '- Chief Meyers, the former Giant and Brooklyn catcher, is through with baseball. The chief is going to stick down on the farm. Arthur Irwin, manager of the Rochester team pf the International league, recently told the story of what he thinks was the direct cause of Meyers’ retirement from the national game. ' “The chief,” said Erwin, “was catching last year for Buffalo in the International. He was not going tpo well when my Rochester team came to Buffalo in August to play a series. “My players stole a lot of bases on the chief. In cue game two of them stole home. “The play that utterly disgusted Meyers with baseball, however, occurred in a game that Buffalo was winning until eighth inning. “We were three runs behind in that I session, when we filled the base's with ; two out. Bobby Orr was at bat, and when he ha‘d two strikes on him the Buffalo infield ipoved back a bit. “Orr then hit a swinging bunt toward second base. The second baseman was caught off balance, “ but dashed in and for some reason or other after picking up the ball elected to make a play at. the plate. “The throw- came in low and Meyers missed it. It hit him on the shin and bounded toward the stand. “The chief was after it quickly. He saw Orr tearing for second base as he

picked up the ball. So he threw for that bag and the ball hit Orr on the shoulder as he slid. “It bounced into the outfield this time. Before it could be recovered Orr had cantered over the plate with the fourth run scored on his bunt. It was the winning run of the game. “I saw Meyers afterward. ‘I can’t figure them in this league,’ he said. ‘Bunting with two strikes and three on and scoring four runs! That’s more than enough for me.’ ”

Chief Meyers.