Posted By:
S Gross"In the second inning of the first game of a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox on July 19,1909, while playing shortstop, he [Ball] caught a line drive hit by the Sox’s Amby McConnell. He then stepped on second base to double up Heinie Wagner, and tagged out the Sox runner, Jake Stahl, who was going from 1st to 2nd, thus completing Major League baseball’s very first Unassisted Triple Play. He also recorded 9 putouts in the game at his position, which set a record for shortstops."
I don't know -- shifty, maybe to indicate he knew how to play his position correctly (as to be in the right place at the right time), or maybe just an adjective the writer came up with (<--- dangling partaciple).
Agreed: How great would a Ball "first line" variation be. 