Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-03-28
STARS WHO HAVE SHONE
AS FINE 0UTF|ELDERs
Recollections of the Days
When Gore, WEIGH, Fogar-
ty and O'Neil Were
Great Favorites.

outliclder that ever played In major
league base ball. said Jimmy Nc
Aleer, the other night. "Burkctt
couldn't catch Il fly ball when he
joined the Cleveland club in 1892, but
he knew how to clout the leather and
was willing and anxious to learn the
fielding game.
He worked alongside of me, and
no youngster ever practIccd more con-
scientiously. He finally polished up
and became fairly good outfielder,
but. of course, his hitting, base.run.
ming and run-setting ability were his
chief assets. Burkott could he relied
upon to get to first on an average OF
three times per game. He was always
on the bags when We needed n run,
and YOU know what counts for much
when Jess was in his prime he
was the best buntcr that ever stepped
up to the plate. He could lay 'em
down beautifully, and was as fast as
II deer getting down to first. never
saw his equal In this department of
base ball. All things considered, |
think my estimation of Burkett none
too high"
McAleer's remarks recall the fact
l
| that ever played base ball have worn
st. Louis uniform at one stage or
other of their base ball careers. Curt
WEIGH, the great outffelder of twenty
years ago, played center field for Com
| iskey's champion st. Louis Browns.
WEIGH was wonderful fly.chaser, but
weak with the willow. He practically
played the whole outficld for Comis-
keys great st. Louis team
Zip" O'Neill, the left fielder of the
| club, was carried for his hitting
"Commy" used Foutz and Caruthers,
his heavyhitting pitchers, in right
field. Besides taking care of center
field. WEIGH would go to right and
left for hard line shots and long hits
to the outfield that had to be ficldcd
home to catch runners. WEIGH had
an arm of steel and could throw like
Il rifle shot He was n daring base
runner and would stop n pitched ball
with some portion Of his anatomy, if
necessary to get to first base In n
crisis.
Tommy Mccarthy Star.
WEIGH played the whole st. Louis
Mccarthy made his appearance in the
1 StiiiS. NitSlllhS uSNclOUCu lIlO Olc
of the most brilliant outfielders of his
day. He played right field for st.
Louis, and finished UP his base ball
career with the champion Boston Ma
tional League team. Mccarthy was
came the best base runner Of his
time.
"Dickey" Johnston of Boston, Jim
] nrty Of Il nI,
of Chicago and New York and Ned
Hanlon of Detroit, were the other star
outfielders OF twenty years ago.
hitter of the bunch, and Johnston was
the best outfielder, although many
considered Fogarty without peer as
a fielder.
| Bill LANCE of the Chicago team was
che of the best hitting outficlders of
ten or twelve years ago. Hugh Duffy
was in his prime then. and had few
equals as an outfielder or hitter. He
was probably better man than
Lange.
ED. Delehanty and Burkett broke in.
to fast company together. De1ehanty
was the greatest hitter of his time,
but like Buurkett, he was never much
of an outfielder. McAleer says the
first time he saw Larry Lajoie play
the big Frenchman was covering cen
ter field for the Philadelphia National
League club.
"Cuppy was pitching for us at the
time" said Jimmy, "and the whole
| Cleveland team gave George terrific
roasting for letting Laioie get two
thrce-baggers off his delivery. Lajoie
could line 'em out then as well as he
can now, but we all thought he was
morning glory and would soon
shoot his bolt About two weeks lat.
CT Cuppy called my attention to the
fact that Lajoic had been rapping ont
two OF three hits per game ever since
we played against him in Phladel-
phia, with the same regularity that
clock ticks. Cuppy chuckled when
he mentioned the matter, and, of
course, he was subjected to no more
joshing' for allowing the green young.
ster, Lajoie, to sting him for two trip.
les in one game"
Stones Great Work.
| George Stone is tho third st. Louis
'lcft fielder to distinguish himself with
the stick Tip" O'Neill was the pre-
mier slugger of the American Assoc
citation when lie played left field for
the st. Louis Browns, twenty years
ago, and Jess Burkett was one of the
greatest batsmen in the game when
he went to st. Louis with Pat Te
beau's Cleveland Spiders.
Stone Is one of the most valuable
[outiieldcrs in base ball today. George
was only fair flychaser when Nc.
Aleer landed him two years ago. Jim
saw the youngsters defects and prac
ticed with him In the outfield until
George developed with him into a