Out at Home, Safety First

Here's 2 because I missed yesterday -

Out at Home

Colorful Larry McLean used to catch for the Giants. Once, with a man on second, the batter shot a single to right on which the runner tried to score. He made a desperate slide, raising a cloud of dust. McLean was bowled over and the ball knocked out of his hand. The runner, however, missed the plate.

McLean scrambled after the ball, picked it up, and turned to make the tag. Alas, the dust was so thick that he couldn't distinguish the runner from the umpire. All he could see were four feet. He tagged each foot as fast as he could.

"I don't know which of youse is which," he exclaimed, "but one of youse is out!"

Safety First

Trailing Philadelphia by a run in the eighth inning, Detroit put the first two men on base and then elected to bunt. Ferris Fain, the daring Athletic first sacker, plunged in, grabbed the bunt, and threw to third. His throw eluded Pete Suder and the runner scored the tying run standing up.

"Darn it, Ferris!" sputtered Connie Mack when the A's came back to the bench. "I don't want you ever to try that play again!"

Most of Mack's employees would have sat down and sulked. Not the high-spirited Fain. "What did you want me to do with the ball?" he bellowed. "Eat it!"

"Well, by golly!" Mack yelled right back. "It'd be a whole lot safer in your mouth!"