Baseball's most famous ghost is on hand at every baseball game played anywhere. Although no fan has ever seen this ghost, in the stands or on television, play-by-play announcers do see him -- all the time. They see Pop Dupp as well as they see the player who is going after the ball. To them it is no big deal, just part of the game.

This mischievous apparition is actually the ghost of a nineteenth century player whose name was George Dupp. George appears only when a batter has hit a ball straight up, fair or foul, and not very deep, usually not out of the infield.

The announcers will say, "It's Pop Dupp in foul territory," or "It's Pop Dupp at third and Hinske is on the run."

I've often wondered, when a pop-up that should have been caught was dropped, whether the impish Pop Dupp actually interfered with the player. But I've never heard a player complain that anything interfered with him.

Pop Dupp is fast. In a recent game, the ball was hit straight up on the foul side of first base. "It's Pop Dupp near first base," said the announcer, "and the first baseman dropped the ball." On the very next pitch, it was Pop Dupp again, this time down the third base line where it was almost dropped. But in both plays, the announcers never clarified whether they saw Pop Dupp interfere with either play.

Who was Pop Dupp?

In 1895, the old New York Baggers brought up the minor league's oldest player, George Dupp, as part of the September expansion. Although he was 47, George had never been in the majors, and he knew that this would be his only chance to make good. His team mates gave him the name ?Pop.?

It was the final game of the season, and the Baggers, half a game out of first place, were playing the top team, the Boston Blue Stockings. A win would put the Baggers in first place, and they would move on to play the St. Louis Redmen for the championship.

In his three times at bat, George popped up to third, to first, and to the pitcher. When the season ended, George was released. He was never able to catch on with another team, and he soon died of a broken heart. His wish to be a hitting star died with him.

However, in the great dugout, where Connie Mack and Casey Stengel manage, and Bill Stern calls the games, George ?Pop? Dupp was given permission to hang around earthly baseball parks forever. In fact it was Bill Stern who decreed that Pop Dupp would be seen only by play-by-play and color announcers who were in the park.

Today, no game of baseball is played anywhere without at least one visit by the ubiquitous Pop Dupp. And when he appears at televised games or at games broadcast on radio, you'll hear the announcers talking about Pop Dupp in the stands, or Pop Dupp

in short right field, or Pop Dupp at shortstop. And George 'Pop' Dupp is happy now in the best of both worlds. He can do anything he wants. And he'll be remembered forever.