The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-29
AN ALL STAR TEAM.
An Expert Selects Best National and
American Mines.

l VI 14lldAb InecAdQ1ca1 aDlHIy d WISE
head, an even temper and perfect
knowledge of plays and players. Killing
| is not so good a batter by many points
as Bresnahan, of New York He is not
so snowy catcher as Doom. of the
! Quakers, but taking all his qualities in
to consideration he is undoubtedly the
ablest backstop in the league.
AS to the pitcher, there is nothing TO
say but Mathewson. of the Giants;
| Frank Chance, of Chicago, is legiti-
mate choice for first base, though some
may prefer Dan Mccain or Fred Ten
ney- In clever fielding alone the Bos-
ton captain has no peer, but in batting
and base-rulning he falls far below the
standard set by Chance.
Higgins, of the Reds, is playing this
season the best ball : of all National
League second abasenen. He is a much
better man than he was last year, and
his fielding has been sensational in the
extreme. Gilbert, of New York, is as
good fielder, but much weaker on the
inside, while Johnny Evers. of Chicago,
has nothing on the Red midget this sea-
The league is not strong at the third
corner TommyiLeacfE of Pittsburg, is
| the best man for the place, though he
has not been playing there regularly
field on numerous occasions. When
Leach is in condition. however. he is
probably the best.
No picked team of National League
Hans Wagner as with him. The big
German is not only a wonderful hitter,
but a sensational fielder and as good
q base-runner as can be found. Dahlen,
Tinker Corcoran and Doolin, all high
class men, are none of them so valuable
to a team as the big Pirate.
The outfeld is a hard matter to pick
for there are plenty of good men, and it
is impossible, to say just how well any
three would work together. Sandow
Mertes, a heavy hitter and fast and
daring on the bases. is a sure choice
for left field. In center there Is room
are several high-class men, notable
Donlin. of New York; Beaumont of
Pitssburg; Seymour, of the Reds, and
Thomas, of Philadelphia. The last
named seems the best for this combina-
ton, as no one has an edge on him in
the matter of fielding. and he is an ex-
tfemely clever man in the inside. Say
mour and Donlin are harder hitters,
but their fielding is by no means on
par with Thomas work.
There is really no ffrst-class right
fielder in the leagues at least. no man
so good as those who have been named
for the other positions -Sebring,. OF Gin
| cinnati and sWillianlsport, has the most
| ability in that pesfkipns as the sun
never seems to bethAr him, and he is
very fast and a. good hitter, when his
| mind is on his work. His disposition,
however, bars him from consideration.
| Odwellsis the best fielder and a very in
telEgent, earnest player, but his hitting
lis scarcely strong enough to warrant
placing him in picked team. The same
| is true of George Brown, of the Giants,
who is not quite so good a man as
| Odwell.
| Though Jimmy shekard, of Brooklyn
| is playing left field, he looks like the
best man to put in the right garden. He
| is an extremely fast and accurate field
| er, a good hitter, and with high-class
team, should show additional strength.
| To manage this picked team there are
| just two candidates. McGraw and
Frank Selee, both of whom have proved
their ability by developing champion
ship teams. Selee is out of it at pres
ent, so the management would natural
| ly fall on the shoulders of McGraw,
pugnacious and intelligent, energetic
and indomitable.
In picking representative team
from the American League there is
| much more freedom of choice in select
/ ing the battery, for the newer organiza-
ton has several high-class catchers and
number of pitchers of championship
| caliber.
of the backstops Criger, of Boston,
Sullivan and Mcfarland, of Chicago,
| and Bemis of Cleveland, rank very high
and very close together The choice lies
between Criger and Bernis, and the lat
ter is. possibly just a shade better man,
though on that point there will be a
| wide difference Of opinion.
| The American League has fine gal
axy of star pitchers, and 1T is we'll
nigh impossible to select one who has a
clear shade on a number of others. It's
| clearly a matter of gueSSwork with
| such string to choose from as Young,
| Tannehill, Waddeil White, Joss, Moore
and several others. Waddell looks best.
and. he certainly is a man of wonderful
ability His disposition is against him.
| and he might not be so valuable to a
| team some other, but, taking him at
his best, no one has anything on him.
For first base Harvey Davis, of the
| Athletics, may be chosen as the class OF
! the league. as Lajoie is for the next
| corner.
| 1t is hard picking between Collins, of
j Boston, and Bradley, of Cleveland, for
! third base both wonderful fielders and
1 good stickers The fact that the former
is able to keep UP his wonderful play
ing along with the trials and tribula-
i lions of landing his team as champions
| of the world gives him the call.
The veteran George Davis, of Chicago,
looks to be the best man in place be-
tween Lajoie and Collins, though Parent
or Turner might do as well. Davis is
playing sensational ball this season and
hitting well.
effort for choice. Willie Keeler goes to
right as naturally as Laioie to second
base. Even more so. for he has orae-
| tically no competition. For the others,
! FIartzel, of Philadelphia. in left. and
Fielder Jones, of Chicago. in center, fill
tout a great team.
Racing at sheepshead Bay.
New York, Aug. 2s.-Oxford. at IL
Sheepshead bay, defeating Incarnation
and Don Royal, both added starters.
The favorite, Handzara, was inter-
fered with and knocked back. and