Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-23
PRAISES FOR THIRD
BASEMAN JIMMY COLLINS

Boston ball fans are wondering whether
their former idol, Jimmy Collins, will come
back to his old form this year as third base
man of the Hubs American League team.
Billy Hamilton, who played on the old
champion Boston Nationals with Collins,
said the other day:
81 think Collins ought to play as good ball
this year as he ever did in his life 1 believe
there is a lot of fast base ball left in him
and that good. sound judgment was shown
in keeping him on the Boston team rather
than to allow him to go elsewhere. Collins
ought to have no trouble at all in getting
will come around all right again in the
spring and he will have no difficulty at all
in regaining his old-time popularity with
the crowds in Boston.
What would 5000 be for player of his
mold when you could not replace him for
any sum at all, as players of his caliber do
not turn up once in generation Had BoS-
ton allowed Collins to go and he had then
made good in New York, st. Louis or some
other American League city, perhaps 1t
would not have made the Boston club own
ers look cheap, Let Collins get back into
the game again and it will make mighty
If there ever was player who helped more
to demoralize an opposing team single
handed than this same Collins.
''Of course, some will put other third
basemen in the same class with Collins. but
there is nothing to it. He heads the list.
There are other good men, OF course. but
they do not shine with the same brilliancy.
When Frank Selee had the Boston team
and Collins was In the outfield he was a
good man. but Selee did not know 1t. Col
Inns did not have a fair trial then. He was
played in the outfield a few games and
then it was decided that he would not do.
Boston let him go once before but luckily
had a string on him. Had it not been for
the fact that Louisville tried him on third
base and found out his worth for Boston
there is no doubt that he would have been
cast off for good. Since that time Boston
has not heard the end of the loss sustained
by letting young George Stone go. Had the
owners of the club profited by the case of
Collins, Stone would never have been re-
leased outright.
THE history of the game is full of cases
where players were taken back after the
order had gone forth for their release, and
they made good, too. 1t pays to be sure
that player is not worth a further trial
before letting him go for good. Take the case
Of Altrock of the White Sox now one of the
best left-handed pitchers in the country. 1t
may not be generally known that this play
er was not well when he was with the BOs-
ton Americans and therefore he was in no
condition to do himself justice. 1t was
thought that he was not worth further trial
and he was let go. He asked Comiskey for
trial, and promised to make good. l guess
that every one who has followed the game
knows the rest of the story-what a game
lie pilCIled ldSt StdSoIl, the ldCtoT lie was III
landing the pennant for his club and the
series for the worlds championship. The
Chicago Cubs won the National League
pennant with such ease that they thought
they had the only pitcher in the country.
But they soon found out in the world s
series that their own pitching corps was
not a marker to that of the other club,
while they also found out, to their dismay,
that the Sox knew a thing or two :.bout
playing base ball. too
Il think Chick Stahl will make a very
good record as manager of the Boston
Americans in Collins place. He knows the
game and. what is best of all, is well liked
by all the players. who will do their best
to help him make a good showing. 1t is too
bad that Collins had such an unfortunate
experience as manager last year. 1t was
enough to break up any manager, however
to have things break the way they did. and
when Collins became incapacitated himself
because of his injured knee he grew ut
terly discouraged. You see, Collins had
never been up against a losing game before
and the blow almost killed him. 1t was a
bitter experience for him, l can we'll be-
lieve.