Sunday Washington globe., 1902-04-20

ana Denders which he sends up TO the
plate with such skill aud rare precision,
that it is a mystery to me that anyone ever
connects safely with the leathern spheroid.
Not least among his accomplishments is his
great speed and iron arm, which to quote
from the vernacular of the small boy. 'is
enough to change any mans religion"
Beginning with the basemen / consider
George Carey to be the finest fielding
guardian of the first sack that ever broke
into the business. This is no sudden fancy
of mine either, for / said the same thing
in 1896 when l reported the Temple cup
series for New York daily paper. Every
one who Witnessed those games must re-.
member the execrable throwing which
McGraw. Jennings and Reitz INDUCED in
during the series speak of, and vet it
seemed impossible 10 get the ball past Ca
rey. The excitement was intense, more
than 10000 persons crowding the field
Hughey Jennings remarked in my presence
that many such games would nerve rack a
man so that the trolley shed would be his
finish, and yet when the other fellows were
up in the air. and were throwing the ball
at Carey's feet one momeut, about his neck
another time, over his head and about ten
feet to either side of him, seemingly trying
to get the leather past him in some manner
the big fellow from East Liverpool was as
cool. calm and collected as an Arctic ice.
berg, and the way he gathered those wildly
thrown balls into his capacious init caused
the "bleacherites" to yell themselves
hoarse in giving vent to their admiration
for George Carey.
Washington's big first baseman Is indeed
a wonder, that left hand of his seems to be
here, there and everywhere. No matter
how badly thrown the ball is George, IN
some mysterious manner, happens to have
that left hand of his always in the proper
place when the ball arrives and thereby
saves his team mates from many an error
As a thrOwer he ranks with the best, and
at the bat his timely hitting has won many
game. All in ALL Washington has good
cause to be proud of the big and genial
guardian of the initial sack.
And now we come to my friend Bill
coughlin, the good looking, dark haired lad
from Scranton, who this season is to hold
down the sack No. 2 Anyone who saw
Bills fine work of last year around third
can have but little doubt as to his ability to
do just as good--Or if such a thing were
possible-even better work in his new
position. have seen him play his present
position several times already this spring,
and have never seen a second baseman
yet whose actions and general all around
movements reminded me more of old Sam
Wise than does MY friend from Scranton.
This should be regarded as the highest
kind of a mplimeut, as Sam Wise, in his
palmY days, had EN- all skinned when it
came to 'cavorting'' around second base
COughlin mas the same kind of square
shoulders, and the trick of "hunching"
them, and when he goes after a ball he
makes one imagine that they are again
looking az the work of that rare old second
baseman Sam Wise.
But as good baseman as Sam Wise was
do not think for moment that he ever
had our friend Bill blocked" I" no, not even
in Sans greatest days when he led all the
rest Coughlin is born player; the ele-
ments of the game seem to have been bred
in him, aud II is a genuine pleasure 20
watch the curly haired youugster at work
He is business from the start, aud " hen he
gets that cap of his sitting sidewise upon
his head then you may be sure that Bill is
right in on all the plays. He is the hardest
kind of a worker; will take any old chance
that's going; is always in the game, and the
word quitter" does not enter into his
vocabulary
predict that at the close of this season
COughlin's batting average will be we'll over
the 800 mark, as he is now swatting the ball
for keeps everytime he toes the plate and
as he possesses every essential for becom.
ing a famous batsman think / am not in
error when say that firmly believe that
Bill Coughlin will be the leading batting
second basemau as we'll as the leading
fielding second baseman in the American
League in 1902. He is a clever fellow is
Bill and I voice the sentiments of the entire
city when 1 say that the boy from up big
Jack Sivett's way is the most popular
player of the Washington team
And now as TO Harry Wolverton, the big |
blonde and decidedly gentlemanly looking |
third baseman of the team. | consider |
WolvertOn as being the most graceful |
third baseman the game has ever seen /
There is an ease and grace in his move |
ments which would compel admiration /
from a wooden man. do not mean to say /
that Harry's work is 50 much superior to /
that Of Jimmy Collins, but do say that he 1
is far ahead Of Collins from an artistic view /
point He is every Bit the equal Of Collins |
as a fielder and thrower, but as a batsman /
Harry has the Boston boy tagging behind |
him, for consider Harry WOlverton the |
hardest hitting third baseman in the busi |
ness
He has a splendid whip" also and the |
way he gets em across the diamond will |
delight the hearts Of many a fan" this /
season. He IS distinctly valuable acqui- |
sitiOn to the club. is deservedly popular
among the members of the team, and from
his rare knowledge of the game will be able /
to help the Washington's to many a victory
during 1902. So here is wishing all luck to
that big genial and thorough player, Harry
Wolverton.
Fred Ely must be heavier and stronger this
year than ever before and couseq uently
more able to play the game Of his life in
1907. He is a steady, cool player, rarely be-
coming rattled-a fault with so maryland
he is noted for his thorough knowledge of
the most minute details of the game In
quick double plays Fred is always sure to
have arrived, and as a fielder he has no
superior and but few equals, and not more
than one or two Of the latter His aim ap-
pears to be as strong and as accurate as Of
yore. From the way he has landed on the
ball this early in the season, it appears that
hfa hasfa~ . l.