John McGraw recalls the first hit and run play
May 1894 This play happened In 1894. The Baltimore team, in charge of foxy Ned Hanlon., was playing against the Washington outfit. As I was leaning off In the batting order and Wee’ Willie Keeler was following me, we sort of conceived the Idea, to work the hit-and-run play. In fact, I believe that we were the first to begin this style of playing in order to score a man or advance him a bag or so.
At any rate we pulled off this stunt and scored two runs.
I lead off with a free ticket to the initial corner (firstbase). Keeler walked up to the plate and laced a safe one to left garden. The moment the ball was Pitched I started to second. As I neared the bag I saw that the hit by Keeler was a safe one. In a moment I figured that Abbey, who was covering left field for the Washington team, would in all likelihood toss the bail to third base. Sure enough, he did Just as I thought, as he never figured I would go on to thirdbase. But I fooled him and kept on going at top speed toward third.
“I got my think tank a-working again and said that If ‘Scrappy’ Bill Joyce, who was the guardian of the third bag. got the ball, that on account of his bad arm he would not be able to whip the ball very hard to the catcher so I took a chance and continued to sprint for the plate. Again was my opinion correct, as Joyce made a slow throw, and Just as I slid toward the plate the backstop caught the sphere. However, my feet bumped the end of his glove and the ball rolled out of his mitt, and I was safe.
All the while Keller who Is a fast runner. was tearing around the buses and was close behind me. and he also scored, as the ball had rolled a few feet from the catcher. This is how both of us tallied on a base on balls and a slngle. I have considered this to be the mot prominent play during my career .. I don’t believe that it has ever been duplicated.
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