1955 Yankee of the Past: Willie Keeler

"William Henry Keeler, broadly known for his genial disposition, held firmly to the idea that folks wouldn't stand in your way if you approached them with a smile and extended a friendly hand.

It certainly worked out for him between third base and home plate at the New York Americans' ball park on an afternoon in 1903.

The New Yorkers were playing the Washington club. 'Smiling Al' Orth was pitching for Washington, but he wasn't smiling by the time the tight contest reached the late innings. He had been in one jam after another, all afternoon.

Came the spot where New York had two runners on the bases, Willie Keeler on third and John Ganzel on second. Al Davis, the next batter, hit a sharp grounder to Rabbit Robinson at short. Keeler broke for the plate and was well on his way when Rabbit made a fine stop and rifled the ball to Malachi Kittredge, the catcher.

Kittredge chased Keeler back toward third base while Ganzel, seeing his teammate was trapped, came up close to the bag. As Kittredge advanced to tag Keeler, the little base runner seemed to give up. The tense expression on his face changed to a smile and he sidled up to the catcher with his right hand extended.

'Kitt,' he said, 'I don't often get caught like this and it took a good catcher like you to pull the trick.'

Kittredge, knowing Willie for the nice fellow that he was, also relaxed. He put the ball in his glove so that he could have his hand free to grip Willie's in friendship.

At that moment, Keeler again began acting like a base runner. He jumped forward and zipped past Kittredge toward the plate, which was being covered by the pitcher.

Kittredge, flat-footed and open-mouthed, grabbed the ball out of his glove and threw it to the pitcher, or at least in that general direction. His throw hit Keeler on the shoulder and the ball bounced into the grandstand, enabling Willie to score. Ganzel followed Willie across the plate while the pitcher was chasing the ball and the catcher was vowing that he never again would have faith in a human being."

-Ira L. Smith, an excerpt from Baseball's Famous Outfielders (Baseball Digest, January-February 1955)