The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-25
THE THIRD CORNER
Seems the One Most Difficult to
EsrODerIy Man

Properly Nan,
Harry Weldon, the able base ball critic of
the Cincinnati Enquirer, believes that of all
places the infield third base is the hardest
to play, and the most difficult to properly
man, and in support of his contention ne
writes:
1t strikes me that if I were youngstsr
bent on making fame and money as profess
sional ball player l would eschew third base.
1t has lone been claimed that it is the hardest
SSitiG,- ~ a ball team to fill, and the very
fact that there is more trouble among the
majority OF the National league clubs in fill
ing the place acceptably, more than any other
position On the team, is ample proof that this
estimate is correct. No less than five OF the
twelve clubs in the National league have been
this season. and are now, in quandary about
filling third base.
Scrappy Joyce didn't play the bag either TO
his own or anybody elses satisfaction. jim
mie D0nnelly, who took Scrappys place, made
Just about as bad a mess of it as the manager
captain Billy Nash, of the Philadelphias,
hasn't played the bag in a way to create en-
thusiasm. He and Lave Cross have taken
turns at playing third base for the Quakers
the last two seasons. Denny Lyons didn't
suit the Pittsburgs at third. They switched,
and the play of Donnelly, who took Dennys
place, was a reminder of "out Of the frying
pan into the fire. Then Hofmeister filed
the position with varying success. He was off
part of the time, and Harry Davis tried mis-
hand
Anson has had trouble with third base Bill
Everett hasn't been ali that the old man eX-
pecJ6u MIN TO De. lie mas D6eQ very weak
in the position. The Washington club once
thought well of Charlie Reilly third base
man. but finally weakened on him, and gave
him his release. Before his ten days notice
had expired the management came to the
conclusion that Reilly was better than any
one they could get in his place, and retained
him. 1t was a wise move. For two years the
Louisville club management has been threat
ening to release Billy Clingman Their fault
finding lies in the fact that Billy doesn't hit
hard enough to suit them, but Billy goes
along holding on to his job. He may not hit
up with the top-notchers, but he is of
the greatest fielding third basemen the league
has ever known.
Cleveland went short Of a third baseman
when Chippie McGarr began to age and his
joints required the June sun before they linn
bered up, but they were fortunate in getting
Wallace for the place.
St. Louis has changed third baseman nearly
every year for the past three or four seasons.
Boston has always had a grand third base
man. AS long as Billy Nash was with the
Boston club he considered the king
of the position. AS he began to fail
q little the club secured Collins and there
are many now who think that he is entitled
to the crown that Nash wore so long.
st. Louis has changed third basemen nearly
in America than Charlie Irwin. This year
he has not played quite good in the field
ing part of the game, especially when the team
was away from home, but he has batted and
run the bases better than he ever did. If
the Cincinnati team has third base played
as well next season as it was this season
there will be no chance of losing a place in
ness in that position. Irwin looks after this
extremely difficult position in a way that
places him a par with the first in the
business.