The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-18
WILL PLAY FIRST BASE.
If BranSfeld Plays With
Worcester He viii
Not Catch.

Kitty Bransfield will not play behind
the bat for Worcester next season. That
is positive. 1t is not yet certain that
Bransfield will play at all with Wor
cester, but if he does he will not do
the backstop work as he has done the
past season. He will cover first base
if he plays on the team at ALL
So says Manager Selee of the Bos
tons, who is vice-president and part
owner of the Worcesters. Bransfeld
had a talk with Manager Selee of the
Bostons a day or two ago relative to
his signing for next season. Brans-
field signed with Boston and at the
time of the conference Manager Selee
had no doubts that President N. E.
Young of the National league would
promulgate the contract as soon as he
received it.
Manager Selee told Bransfeld he
wanted the latter to cover first base
next season instead of going behind
tons and will not. He would as soon
play first as catch.
Bransfield showed by his work the
past season that he can play first base
as well as any man in the league. With
a little regular work on the initial sack
Bransfeld would undoubtedly develop
into the best first baseman in the
league. He has all the qualifications
for the position. He can field ground
balls excellently and is a sure catch
of thrown balls. Carr was woefully de-
ficient in both of these things. But,
worst of all, Carr was faint hearted and
the Worcesters attribute more than one
defeat to that quality in Carr and an
other player of the team. In a tight
place when everything depended on
perfect play, Carr would become so
nervous that he could not begin to field
his position, and if the next play came
his way it was all off. Carr hit Won
derfully well, but hitting alone does not
win games. If Boston wins Bransfield
in spite of Washingtons claim, Carr
will doubtless get his release.
Bransfield possesses the qualities
which Carr lacked. He is a game play
er and in a tight pinch can do better
work than at any other point of the
game. He forgets everything except
that he must play ball and he plays it.
Bransfield did not have quite as good
batting average as Carr did, but he
was not far behind, and considering
that a catcher is always handicapped
in batting, Bransfield did exceptionally
good work with the ash. If he plays
first base regularly his hitting will GER
tainly improve, and he will not have
to improve it much to hit better than
Carr did, even if the latter was close
to the top.
Bransfield has an appointment with
Manager Selee when the latter comes
to Worcester Wednesday regarding the
change Of position. He will do wise
thing by playing first base. He will
not lose his catching abilities, no mat
ter how long he remains away from be-
hind the plate and the practice he re-
ceives at first will make his services
more valuable to any team. 1t will al
so improve his hitting, and as he is
now up among the top notchers it isn't
| difficult to see that Bransfield will be-
one of the most desirable men on the
diamond.
Manager Selee will make a vigorou:
kick before he allows Bransfield to &c
to Washington. The claim of the lat.
| ter is evidently a good one judging by
the dispatch which President N. e
Young of the National league sent 81
Spy a day or two ago. But Manager
Selee doesn't give much heed to Wash
ington's claim. He told Bransfield he
expected the contract with Boston
would be promulgated before he reach
ed Worcester this week. If it is Brans-
field will receive bonus money for
signing with Boston for the purpose of
playing with Worcester.