Evening journal., 1907-10-11
WHO IS THE BEST
BASEBALL PLAYER 2
Question for the Fans to
Settle as P0st-SeaSln
PaSiime
LEANING TOWARD WAGNER

Who is the greatest baseball player
Of the day?
That is a question that has been
asked time and time again, and every
time that it is answered some critics
are bound to dispute IL. That Is but
natural So long as baseball thrives
so long will arguments arise as to who
is the king of players.
But the fact remains that John
HoAus Wagner comes as near being
the peer OF players as amy man in the
business. This season Wagner has
had brilliant success, and baseball
writer's and other authorities all over
the circuit are unanimous in the opin-
ion that Wagner is entitled to being
crowned king of the diamond There
lis only one other player who is being
compared in earnest TO tho great
lPittsburg ortstop-Napoleon Lajoie'
of the cleveland Americans.
From the writer's standpoint Wag-
lner Is a more valuable man to team
than Lajoie although the latter Is
manager Honus is better all
around player than the king of the
American League.
Bill Hanna, baseball writer Of the
New York Sun, says:
] IN the course of my experience o
have known a few bali players, and !
know this. that when everyone admits
that a rival player is the best in the
Hand that there is some truth IN it."
Says sam Crane, baseball writer Of
the New York Journal:
Hans Wagner IS the standard oy
(which all baseball players must be
lljudged. If a player tries for bail,
land does not get It, TO hear it said'
i Wagner could not get H. is plain evil
-ldence that the player shouldn't come
I'm for any censure"
4 Jimmy Casey, captain Of the Brook
llyn Club;
ITS a great help to a pitcher when
lhe Knows that no matter how hard the
lban goes to the inheld there is some
lone who can get it. Wagner plays
shortstop. assists second and thlrc
base and a little left and center field
That helps some. And at the bat h'
lis a demon"
Edward Heinemann, director Of thu
Philadelphia National League Club.
He gets everything that comes neal
him in the field. He always plays th'
: game and he always delivers III
! goods why should we not say tha
he Is the best in the business? An,
he does not get swelled up. Just an
other proof"
John Pollock baseball writer Of tn
! New York Evening Worlds
e Every game that is played you Sc
E Wagner doing something or stoppin
} some one from doing something. Nel
4 Yorkers stick TO their teams. but every
: body bows to the Dutchman fror
lPittsbure."
Abe wager sporting editor Brookly
: Eagle:
J Wagner is the topnotcher in base
{ ball No player has yet crossed IN
world who cen touch him. There wer
famous men in the oden day but th
majority were famous in one wa
only Hans IS there with the bat an
in the field, and in nearly every oths
Y lpositlon on the team besides his own
Patsy Donovan. manager OF Brook
lyn:
I "The first man I would like TO secui
], would be Hans Wagner He Is M
@ only an infelder, but he is an outfeit
- er and need not take a back seat
j. any outgardener in the business"
T. Dr, Earb. physician for both Bostc
II teams:
t. wagner is built along peculi'
il lines, not those Of outward beauty. bl
to any expert they show possibiliti
l. for ball playing which are borne out
y. the game. Loosely built. to Gov
a ground; height and reach for the san
IS purpose: broad shoulders, the battif
n averages give the result OF that
g fact. he is built from the ground ,
as ball player, and he fills the bill.'