The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-08
FIRST BASEMEN.
w. l. Harris Analyses the
Work of the Cracks"
THEY MUST BE GOOD BATTERS.
Arson, Common, Fou.z, Orr, Tucker,
Brouthers, Farrar, Whistler, Comiskey,
Reilly, Beckley and Ester5rook Are
the Men Considered.

There seems to be tradition that first
baseman must be great batsman. If he
is not better man than the average with
the stick he is not apt to hold his position
long on a major league team. "Can he
bat:" is one of the first questions asked by
a manager nowadays when he is looking
for first baseman. Nothing but the most
extraordinary fielding and base running
can excuse poor batting. AS big men gen
orally nit the hardest, nearly all good first
basemen are tremendous in physique.
Naturally such men are not as active as
others on the bases, and with few excep-
tions none has ever shone as a base run
ner. The greatest opponents of the posi-.
ton are Arson, Connor, Foutz, Orr,
Tucker, Brouthers, Farrar, Whistler,
Comiskey, Reilly, Bcokley and Esterbrook.
All of these men have distinctive value in
certain directions, and in their particular
speciality are almost unapproachable.
Every man who plays first base must be
able 10 hold the swiftest thrown balls and
be able to stop the most terrific ground
hits. Not only this, but he must be able
to reach out and save his felders from
wild throws, because the best throwers
have frequently such short time at their
disposal, and have to throw so many balls
while on the dead run, that they find it
next to impossible to get the ball right
into the waiting mitts of the first baseman.
In considering the dozen men named /
shall do so simply on their merits in a
team, leaving out those things which do
not apply to the position. The poorest
batsmen of the lot are Farrar, Whistler
and Comiskey, and the best, Foutz, Con-
nor, Orr and Tucker. Arson and Brouth-
ers have generally been considered the best
hitters, but during the past two years
neither of them has kept within call OF
his previous reputation.
Last year Arson fielded better than he
has for several seasons, while Brouthers
played the LATEST, most sluggish game of
his career. He never was great fielder
except in the averages, but last year he
was not in it with the others. Connor,
Foutz and Tucker are expert in every
branch of the game. Tucker is the best
base runner of the lot, anG Whistler can
do some pretty tall hustling in this line; so
can Comiskey. Foutz and Reilly excel in
getting high thrown balls. This is due
somewhat TO the fact that they are both
very tall men. Esterbrook and Beckley
dIt SUOu utluEIb, lIc' III specially oO,
and both are tremendous hitters when they
light squarely on the ball. Farrar is an
extra good fielder, 40 base runner and an
average batsman. The quickest man to
put ball thrown from pitcher or catcher
on 10 a base runner is Whistler. His abil-
ity IN this line is marvellous.
Orr and Tucker excel on thrown ground
balls and It may be said that considering
his height and weight Orr is marvel in
Quickness Esterbrook has a very snowy,
catchy style of play, and when he is play
ing his game always receives hearty APP
plause from the crowds; but this adula-
ton, which is as it were, the breath of his
nostrils often serves to really depreciate
his value as winning player, although he
is always a drawing card. Esterbrook,
when entirely pleased with his snrround-
ings and playing a brilliant same, is an
easy man to handle, but when in hard
luck he is likely to be somewhat morose
and cranky and needs great deal of pet
ting. These things count against him,
but it should be said of Esterbrook that
he is an enthusiastic and hard worker,
and has always played good ball for Jim
Mutrie when Jim was allowed TO treat him
in his own way without interference.
Arson, Foutz, Tucker and Comiskey
have peculiar value as batsmen because
they are scientific hitters, and as such al
ways able and willing 10 make sacrifice
hits. If BroutheTs, Beckley, Orr, Ester
brook, Farrar or Reilly ever make sacri-
flee hit, except hy bail, it is worthy of
special remark and is generally an acct
dent. Indeed il is doubtful if Brouthers,
Esterbrook or Reilly could make one il
he tried. Still this is nothing to their
discredit, for they are generally such good
men with the stick that they can say with
the man who was asked why he didn't
work, Il don't have to-"
Whistler is included in this combination
of great first basemen because he is some
thing in the way of phenomenon. Last
year was his first in any team of much
note-his first season in a major league
and when it is reckoned that he only put
in a few months work, and attracted the
attention of the cranlls and experts every
where as a player of remarkable promise,
Il Will be conceded that he was entitled to
mention along with the other eleven who
are veterans of many years standing
1t is a very hard matter to pick out the
best man of these twelve when ability as
manager and captain is not considered.
All things taken into account, it has been
my opinion for TWO years that Foutz leads,
and without any special attempt to do so
have made up a table of points which
shows 1t also In making the figures the
five chief things considered are batting.
base running, fielding department and
knowledge Of the points of play evolved in
the game. This latter is one of the most
important of all, ~ a man at all stupid, no
matter what his other qualifications are,
would not be considered an Al man. OF
course none of the twelve men selected is
stupid, but some are brighter than others.
CrankS will find good deal of interest
in making up table on their own judg-
ment. Nine was made by putting the
twelve names under each other, and carry
ing out in five columns opposite each name
the mans rank, in my opinion, in each of
the five points considered The totals of
my table read: Foutz, ~: Arson. A: Con-
nor, A.; Tucker, -; Comlskey, 81; Orr, -;
Reilly 81; Whistler, %; Farrar, %: Beck
ley, p; Brouthers, Is, Esterhrook. IL. In
making up tables OF this description it
must be understood department covers the
character of the nan a. d sober, reliable
and easily mana yei player
According TO my table there is very lit
tie choice between the INST five men, but
my readers may figure ii entirely differ
ent, and II their favorite has not come
out IN the calculation trust they will try
their hand At sizing up fret baseman.
". L HARRIS.
Rndolr,h A-onson t1e MANAGER Of New