The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-10-07
STYLE AMONG THE
 GREAT BALL PLAYERS Men Whose Work Attracts
 Because of Its
 Manner. GRACE AND FINISH Wagner, Chase and Lajoie Conspicuous-Collins a Finished Performer.
GRACE AND FINISH

While style does not amount to a pinch of snuff in making baseball player any the more valuable as a per- former, it does not do him any harm, end it gives a distinction to his play that goes well with patrons of the game. It is an ornamental rather than a useful attribute, an intangible sort of a quality, but none the less in evidence. There are players in the big league isms, so to speak, attract attention and make them prominent and ofttimes popular in a degree secondary only to their ability to play the game,
 Four players stand out above all the others in the possession of this quality of style. They are Napoleon L1joie of the Clevelands, Hal Chase of the New York Americans, Jimmy Collins of the Philadelphia Americans and John (Honus) Wagner of the Pittsburgs. Wagner is somewhat different from the other three. He Is not the graceful player they are-indeed grace is not his strong point-but his movements and methods on the field are none the less pronounced.
 The brawny, active Pittshurg short stop possesses a rough-one is tempted to say uncouth-dash and energy that Is good to look upon. He Is the person. ification of power and agility and skill not from the smoothness of his nove- ments when in action but for his abil- ity to swoop hlther and thither in pur- suit of batted balls and to deal mighty blows to the ball with his bat in spite of want of smoothness of movement. His qulckness In getting over the ground are at seeming variance with his bulk, masked when in repose by an appearance of primitive clumsiness.
 Chase is type of an altogether diff ferent sort. He is the other extreme. Like Wagner, he IS fast, but, unlike Wagner, his every motion and position betoken speed. No player on the dia- mond equals him in elan He is as 1.-the and unstudled in his movements as a panther. He combines naturalness, gracefulness and certain boyish unre- strainedness. There is a magnetism about him that brings people out to the ball park just to see Chase play, this aside from his skill as a player He is a big drawing card. as are Wagner and Lajoie,
 The young first baseman of the Hill- top Is as quick as fash and though inclined to be restless and fdgety on the field, never makes false move There is no quicker thinker in baseball than he, so that his mind isl keeping with his body. Whether he is smother ing fly ball. sliding to a base, fielding a bunt or standing at the plate ready to hit, he is the embodiment of uncon- scious buoyancy and grace. He is as natural as a child, care free but vigil lant-never tense or set. There is a pe- culiar adjustment of the hands when catching fly that is one of his most marked mannerisms, an attitude as natural as for a squirrel to climb a tree, and when he is getting under a fly ball he is the poetry of motion.
 There is more finish to the graceful movements of Jimmy Collins than tc the wilder, freer movements of Chase The word finished" describes Collins better thany any other. He seems to be in repose whether standing still or gliding over the turf for ground hit He is not particularly graceful or a fast runner on the bases, but on a bunt, for instance, there is sureness speed and admirably judged expendi- ture of energy in his movements. Hi' poise is well nigh perfect-muscles ant nervous force and the brain that al. rects them seem to be in harmonious accord. He always has command of hi: physical equipment. His style is fin. ished, polished; his form" proper. IT J throwing, waiting for fly ball or mak