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Show jj BILLY EVANS SOLVES BASEBALL PROBLEMS "I (Written Especially for This Paper by the Famous American l League Umpire.) J 1 Harry Niles and a recruit first baseman figured in a funny play nt Washington several years ago. Niles at the time was a member of J the Boston Red Sox. lie hus siuce drifted out of the J big league. The first baseman was a big fellow se- cured by the Boston club for a try-out from one of the Coast league teams. I seriously doubt if a like J play will ever happen again in any league, the big league in particular. With Boston at the bat, the recruit first base- "', man had reached first because of a dropped fly ball. Niles, the next batter, hit a long fly to right field. "Doc" Gessler was playing right field for Washing- m ton. As Niles tore madly for first base, he made up i his mind that Gessler would not be able to make the m't catch. He decided that the hit ought to be good for hree bases and, possibly, for a home run. ! Jj The base runner was not so sure that Gessler J would not make the catch, so he played it safe, standing midway be- m tween first and second to await developments. Niles, who was dead J i certain that the ball would not be caught, passed the base runner between first and second, not even knowing that he had done so, for I' he always ran with his head high in the air. mm Gessler did not make the catch and as Niles slid across the plate, the man originally on first reached second. Jim Delehanty was play-m play-m ing second for Washington, and to complicate things all the more, he informed the recruit that he was out. The recruit, believing him, m walked off the bag, whereupon Delehanty, getting the ball, tried to J touch him out. He failed, and after much running up and dciwn, the J m recruit managed to slide back into first without being touched. Later, m while standing on the bag, he was touched by "Bob" Unglaub. One J J was out at the time. What would you have ruled on the two plays had 2 you been in charge of the game? Answer to Problem. When Niles passed the runner between first and second he was J instantly out. All that he did after he passed the other runner was J J of no purpose. Imagine how he felt when, instead of getting credit "I for a home run, he learned that he was out. The recruit who had I reached second and then stepped off, believing he was out, and then "I finding such was not the case, and not being able to regain second, got safely back to first before being touched, was out when touched. The fact that he was standing on the bag when touched did not protect m him. Once having touched second, that bane became his station, first base no longer offering him any protection. J m (Copyright by the Wheeler Syndicate, Inc.) V |