The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1907-06-07
ALL-STAR TEAM
FROM WEST BEST
COULD DEFEAT ANY cOMBINA-
TON OF EASTERN DIVISION
PLAYERS SAYS CRITIC.
BEST AT BAT AND in FIELD
Nearly All Leaders in Both National
and American Leagues at Close of
Last Season from Clubs Playing in
Western Cities-Stone Wall In
field That Cannot Be Surpassed
Anywhere in World.

field That Cannot Be Surpassed
Anywhere in World.
A short time ago the eastern base
ball experts were busy picking out
all-New York and all-eastern teams
guaranteed to defeat the world, and
overlooking the fact that the west not
only decided the championship last
season, but appears to hold the whip
hand even stronger this year. Not
only that, but the stars of both leagues
are almost all with clubs playing in
western cities. In fact, glance at
the figures made last season is enough
to convince anyone that the greatest
team in the history of the game could
be picked from the west, provided, of
course, team work went with indi-
vidual qualifications.
Both of the championship batsmen
of last season come from the west,
and the two second men in the Ameri-
can league are both western players,
while this is also true of the first two
out of three of the leaders in the Ma
tional. Stone, the premier batter of
them all last season, belongs to the
Browns, while Clarke, who played in
smaller number of games and fin
ished just decimal below Stone, be-
longs to Cleveland. Lajoie, who comes
third, is also from Cleveland. In the
National league, Wagner, the leader,
belongs to Pittsburg. while Steinfeldt,
who comes third is Chicago player.
Not only are all five of these men
great !batters, but every one of them
is among the leaders in fielding and
other departments of the game as
well. Add on to these two such pitch
ers as Altrock, one of the greatest left
handed twirlers in the country, who
did such brilliant service for the
White Sox in the worlds champion
ship series, and Miner" Brown, a
right handed pitcher, who made a rec
ord in the National league last season
which stands by itself, and there is
already bunch of stars which classes
almost by itself.
Not only can the west pick one
team which will be pretty much in
class by itself but it can pick Sec
ond one which should defeat any 9TH
er in the country. Beginning on an
all-star western team and taking only
men who are playing in the positions
they would fill on such nine, there
is Stone to start with Stone is not
only a great hitter, but brilliant
fielder and base runner as we'll Stone
plays left, and only his particularly
brilliant record gives him the prefer
ence in that position over such men
as Jimmy Sheckard and Fred Clarke.
toll pf he White
be chosen, and he is admittedly one
of the greatest men who has ever
played the outfield. owing to his bril-
liant fielding, great work on the bases
and fine head work, despite the fact
that he is light hitter.
When it comes to right field,
Schultz, of Chicago, is probably the
best regular man in that position. as
he bats well, fields well and runs
bases we'll On the other hand, this
position could be filled much better
by playing another representative
there. Both Hemphill and Crawford
are brilliant players, and both have
played and can play right field in fine
style, Hemphill in particular being
great man in that position.
An infield composed of Chance on
| first, Lajoie at second, Wagner at
shortstop and Steinfeldt at third,
would be pretty near impregnable.
Every man in that lineup is a cham
| pionship batter, fielder and base run
ner. Not only that, but there are
enough more stars to make up sec
ond infield which would shine along
| side of any other in the country.
| There is Jiggs Donohue and Tom
Jones, of Chicago and st. Louis, for
first base, Higgins and Evers for Sec
ond base, Turner and Wallace for
shortstop and Bradley for third base.
When it comes to batteries the west
is as well provided as in other re
spects. For catchers there is Johnny
King, one of the greatest backstops
of the game to-day and a 800 hitter.
and Sullivan, who piloted the White
Sox to worlds championship honors
and one of the brainiest catchers in
the business, but only an average bat
ter, Clarke is a third catcher who is
great batter and a high-class man
behind the bat. For pitchers there is
wealth of material. AS before men
toned, Altrock and Brown would
make an ideal combination, as one is
Highlander, while the other is Q
southpaw, and at least two pitchers
with opposite deliveries are needed
to round out a team. White of the
White Sox, or Walsh of that team,
and Lever, of Pittsburg, would form