|
|
 |
| Players on other American League teams began to recognize Chase's ability and some sought to challenge the Yankees brash star. They saw him as a showoff or "Fancy Dan," to use a term of the time. Napoleon Lajoie, a future Hall of Famer, had heard about Chase's habit of darting in to scoop up bunts. "If he tries that on me," Lajoe once said, "I'll fix it so he won't try it again, on me or anyone else!" Against the Yankees one afternoon, Lajoe came to bat with a man on second and none out. He faked a bunt at the first pitch and stepped back. Chase had, of course, rushed in to field the play and was almost on top of the plate. On the next pitch, Hal broke in again. Lajoe, however, was not bunting, but swung away viciously, trying to knock Chase into the outfield. Chase did not flinch or duck. He snapped the ball into his glove and threw to second to double up the runner. Lajoe hadn't "fixed" the Prince, and he was seldom challenged in the field again. Some said that Ty Cobb often avoided hitting the ball to the right side of the infield against New York. Thus, Chase could not show off his fielding skill. Clyde Milan had this to say about Chase's fielding: "I saw Chase come in to break up a squeeze play, field the bunt, tag the man coming into the plate, and double up the batter with a throw to the second baseman covering first, all in one motion. You couldn't cross Chase by hitting the ball by him as he charged in. He'd snatch the ball regardless of how hard it was hit provided it was within his reach. The ball appeared to follow his glove. I could get down to first base with a fair degree of speed. I could drag (bunt) as good as anybody but I couldn't drag the ball against Chase. Many a time I was within two or three strides of the bag, positive I had him beaten, but he never failed to both pop up out of somewhere and tag me out." On August 30, 1906, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Washington Senators, Chase became the first Yankee to get four base hits in one game, knocking three triples and one double. On the strength of Chase's batting, the Yankees won 9-8 in 10 innings. |
