The Prescott daily news., 1907-06-01
BASEBALL SHOWS
 LITTLE ADVANCE
cANE NO MORE SCIENTIFIC THAN THAT OF THIRTY YEARS
 AGO, SAYS CRITIC.
CATCHERS OF OLDEN DAYS

LA NiILNO VI OLDLN DA p Receivers and Also Pitchers, Infied-
 CTS and Even Men in the Outfied
 Far Superior to Those of Present
 Time, According to Murnane-Vet-
 erans Whose Records Have Never
 Been Equaled.
 Has baseball reached it's limits as
 eientific game? 1 am inclined to fhink it has, although 1 would not be surprised to learn of some pitcher dis covering a new curve in the near fu- lure. writes Tim Murnane, the Bos- ton critic. Men threw as strong and accurately 90 years ago as they do at the present time Men ran the bases as well 20 years ago as they do now, and the catchers threw just as we'll to second Nat Hicks, who died recently at his old home in Hoboken was a grand throwing catcher for the New York Mutuals in the early seventies No man of the present day had any thing on this perfect athlete when it came to dancing the ball down to sec ond Where can you find any catch CTS of the present time who could out throw Mike Kelley. Buck Ewing, Charlie Bennett, Charley Snyder, Emil Gross, Old Hoss Flint, John Clapp, Mike McGeary, Doug Allison or Charley GanZel?
 I have yet to see shortstop who would outthrow George Wright in his prime over 30 years ago. l played with him one whole season without noting one poor throw, and he would throw from any position in which he got the ball, unless he had oceans of time. No third baseman has ever displayed more form than Ezra Slut ton in throwing from third. Andrew Leonard could outthrow any outfield- CT the game has produced for long range accuracy as well as speed. Jake Evans has never been approached as a remarkable thrower from right field to first and home. Taking the ball on the dead run he would cut it over to first forcing the fastest runners to their top speed to avoid an out. John Hatfield, who still holds the official record for long-distance throwing, has never had superior in shooting the ball to the four bases from center field. Throwing is the foundations of baseball, weak throwing teams can never win the prize in the major leagues, while accurate throwing will cut off reckless base running and force all to earn their way around the bases. Men stopped ground balls as well 20 years ago as they do at the present time. and without the use of gloves For instance, Big Ed William son and Fred Pfeffer, of Chicago; Bid McPhee, of Cincinnati Danny Rich ardson, of New York; John Burdock, of Boston; Fred Dunlap, of Detroit, and scores of others. Who could beat Danny Richardson, Bid McPhee, Fred Pfeffer, Fred Dunlap, John Farrell or Joe Gerhardt on pivot work in a dou- ble play?
 Pitchers were as clever ten or 20 years ago as at the present time. There were fewer of the box artists employed and the regular men were accustomed to their work, making stronger combination. l have never seen finer all-round team work than was displayed by Baltimore, Boston and Cleveland ten years ago, unless it was by the New York Giants in 1889.
 John F. Morrill, was by all odds the finest throwing first baseman the game has produced, and l have in mind all the clever men of the pres ent time, for Morrill, had great speed as well as absolute accuracy, and was off like flash on every play, being wonder on ground balls.
 The games have grown mechanical, and the team that makes the fewest mistakes will be apt to win out, for blunders are costly where teams are evenly matched outside of aggressive ness and brain work There is too much sameness about the methods used to make runs. A player reaches hrst and the next man walks up and bunts for an easy out. Sometimes l think the sacrifice bunt should be cut out of the game, making it more open and giving a chance for unlocked field Dlavs