The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1908-12-04
KID A5ERE EZD

Kids short reign was the desertion
of Chase, the quitting of Keller and
the releasing of Orth. 1t is said that
Washington would welcome Kid Ell
berfeld into the ranks of the Nation
ais. While no room could be found
be found for the Kid at short, he
would be used at third base. This
difficult position is the one weak point
in the Washington lineup. Shipke
is wonderful fielder, but too weak
with the stick to be a regular. ing
laub is cracking good hitter, but will
never master the fielding end of the
game to make him the regular third
sacker. There are few better ball
players in the American league than
Elberfeld. He is a winner, takes all
kinds of chances, can hit, field and
run the bases, and there is never a
minute that he is not in the game
from head to foot. He might not be
familiar with third base, but 1t would
take him only few weeks of practice
to become star in that position. Not
only would the National have a strong
er infield with Elberfeld at third, but
the team would be strengthened in
batting and base running.
A football sharp, who couple of
seasons ago was player, in COM
menting on the tendency of some ref
erees to cause the game to drag by not
Of hot
duties, said he thought officials were
prone to pay too much attention to
small things" which could be passed
by. Referees are on the field to note
small as well as big things, and for
them to overlook small things so as
to speed the game along would be to
set bad precedent. 1t is fact, how
ever, that the seeming uncertainty of
some referees as to just what to do
slows up the game. However, the GEN.
trail board of officials is trying hard to
see to the schooling of officials and
bring about the education of a suf-
iciently large number to handle all
games properly. A good official not
only must know the rules, but be
something of an executive. One trou.
BILE is that football officials don't get
enough practice. 1t isn't like baseball,
in which the umpires are at it every
day for six months. Once or twice a
week is as often as the football official
gets out, and then only for three
months. He doesn't get the drilling or
the experience that the baseball UNI
pire does to have the game at his fin
ger tips. A game drags sometimes not
through any fault of the referee but
of the players. In an important con-
test the other day one side was penal
lied four times because its center de-
layed the play unnecessarily. A vote
of thanks was due that referee for
having sufficient backbone to inflict
the penalty, though the spectators
didn't know what the penalty was for.
More than half the time, when there
isn't score board to announce it, the
spectators don't know the nature of
the penalty.
Merkle, the player who lost the Ma.
tional league pennant for the Giants,
came into the Southern Michigan
league as a third baseman instead of
a first-sacker, and the big, strong fell
low had a speed ball across the dia-
mond from the third base territory
which almost whistled. He threw
from the pick, but with tremendous
speed. He gained the title of Big Peg
Merkle from this cause, and his team
mates naturally cut it to Peg.
DOC" White is the first southpaw
to shaw in the American league rec.
ords, being eighth in the pitching list.
Ed Killian followed White and Bur
chell was third. vSaddell, with Is won
and Ia lost, was fourth, followed by
his former teammate, Plank. OF those
participating in less than Is games.
Wilson of New York wound up with
the best record, he winning three and
losing two. Altrock, with seven vic
tories and six defeats, was next. Ora
ham, with an oven break in IA games,
followed Altruck, while Bailey was
we'll down the list, with three games
won ahd five lost.