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Show CATCHES SEVEN OFF FIRST BASE Altrock Recalls Stunt. While Pitching for Los Angeles Club BY MICK ALTROCK Probably I never took baseball seriously se-riously enough. No matter how close the game I generally was able to get a couple of laughs out of it. Possibly my lack of seriousness often got me out of a serious hole In which poor pitching or bad fielding often placed me. One of my pot stunt was to josh the base runners. I believe I had as good a motion to first as any left bander that ever pitched. Nothing gave me greater satisfaction than catching a runner off first base. TOOK GREATER CHANCE. I found by experience that nothing will make a runner take a bigger lead off a base than telling him that he better bet-ter uso a Utile judgment or he will be caught napping. This was a favorite line wiih me Have a care or I will pick you off" The moment I so warned a base run : nor. he would immediately take a lead I of a few more feet. Such an act was usually fatal. As he took such a lead i would snap the ball to first I have often bren asked the greatest number of runners I ever caught off first base. In the major leagues I never nipped mote than four runners I have picked off three runners any number of times. My best performance perform-ance was seven in a game, made while I was pitching for the Los Angeles club. CALLED OFF THE FINES. EcMIe Ashenbat k. In his day the clown of the minors, was In charge of the Sa r.itni nto club When things displeased dis-pleased Ashenback. he would always flue some player five or leu buckd. which was quite a jolf in the old days I was wild and walked eight men, sovon of whom I picked off first base. Even- time 1 picked off a runner. Ashenback Ash-enback would veil o you could hear him all over the park, "That will cost you five " In the eighth Inning he reached first on a base on balls, tho only time he had gotten on during the game "Here is one guy you won't get." yelled Ashenback. "I can't get ou If ou keep yourj feet on the bag," I replied Whereupon; Ashenback, who was a good base inn ner. proceeded to take a long lead A qu k it snap throw and he was an easy out. Getting to his feet, wild srlthj rage, he announced ' Boys, all the fines aro off." no |