Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-18
WHO Is THE BEST
FIRST BASEMAN7

Who is the best first baseman in base
ball? asked the st. Louis Republic.
Tim Murnane of Boston picks "Jiggs" !
Donahue of the Chicago White Sox, as the
crack guardian of the initial bag from
fielding standpoint.
Tim was impressed with "Jiggs" mar
velous work In the worlds championship
series. and after summing up the situation
from a general standpoint, went on record
as favoring Donahue over Hal Chase,
Frank Chance, Fred Tenney and Harry
Davis, whom he considers the pick of the
rest.
Tim Murnane acknowledged that Chase
had it on Donahue with the stick but he
argued that Donahues unquestiOned edge
over Chase in experience onset whatever
advantage Chase might have on DOnahue
with the bat.
No base ball expert in the business is bet
ter qualified to decide question of this
kind than Tim Murnane, but to the man up
the tree it looks as though the eminent
Boston base ball critic has overlooked one
of the grandest young first basemen in the
game when he passed up Tim Jordan the
smashing young guardian OF bag NO. on
the Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers.
Considering 1t was his first season in ma
jor league company, Jordan's work with
the Brooklyn team was nothing short OF
phenomenal.
Frank Chance of the Chicago Cubs was
the only National League first baseman
that had anything on Jordan in the 1906
campaign.
Tenney is not to be classed with Jordan
on their work at League Park.
Fred Tenney was the best first baseman
in his day, but his day is about over. Ten
ney succeeded Tommy Tucker as the pre-
mier first baseman Of base ball, and main
tanned his supremacy for many years, but
his work of late has been growing very
ragged, and he is no longer to be classed
with men like Chase, Chance Donahue,
Davis and Jordan.
Chase has the call over the whole field.
Hal is the brilliant young Californian who
has been covering the initial bag for the
last two seasons for Clarke Griff1ths New
York Americans.
Chase Another Comiskey.
He reminds me more of Comiskey than
any man who ever played the bag, and
"Commy' was beyond peradventure the
king of all first basemen in his day.
Prior to Comiskeys time, first basemen
were never expected to do anything except
slug the ball and catch accurately directed
throws.
"Commy' revoiutionized the position by
showing that a first baseman could and
should cover ground around his station.
When "Commy" appeared on the scene
men of base ball were giants like Pop"
Arson, Joe Start, Roger Conner, Dan
Brouthers. AL McKennon and Dave Orr
Anson Common. Orr and Brouthers were
the greatest sluggers in the game then, but
all they could do was to hit the ball.
Intieders had to throw the ball squarely
in their mitts, otherwise these Goiiaths
would never catch 1t. AS for covering
ground around the first base. Orr. Brouth-
ers and Arson could hardly stoop over for
a grounder
first base like Chase does today. The fact
that Chase plays as deep as 'Commy" is
all the more remarkable because in Com
my'sr day there was little bunting toward
6rSf hoe
Now they sacrifice regularly toward first
base and the guardian of this station must
fake care of these rollers and try for the
runner heading for second or third.
This play was practically unknown in
Conafskey's day.
Has Marvellous Speed.
Chases marvellous speed enables him to
cover an extraordinary amount of ground
around the initial bag. Then the High
lander is a fine base runner and one of the
greatest stickers In baseball. His one
handed ''spearing' act set the st. Louis
fans crazy with enthusiasm last season.
No such base ball as he played for New
York at Sportsman's Park last season was
ever exhibited before In this part of the
country-and we have seen all the great
guardians of bag No. l come and go.
Donahue wore a st. Louis uniform before
he Joined the White Sox, and he still has
a following in st. Louis. but local fans
would vote Chase the king of all first base
men III CANVASS was taken OF lnelr seHtl-
ment.
Chance ranks second with the st. Louis
fans when 1t comes to playing the initial
bag acceptably Chance is the best hitting
first baseman, with the exception of Chase.
Chance also ranks high as base runner.
leading the National League In this respect,
believe. Chance was formerly catcher
and q grand one, too.
Frank Selee made first baseman out OF
him. Chance was always getting hurt while
doing backstop duty. and the Chicago club |
missed his great hitting when he was laid
up.
Selee suggested that he try his hand at
first base. and the California catcher made |
good from the start.
Chance succeeded Selee as manager OF
the Chicago club. and the mastery manner
10 which ~ directed the Cubs winning