Evening star., 1908-12-20
.BLAMES It ON THE
THIRD BASEMAN
"Wi|Iie" KeeIer's Slump Due to
Clever Handling of
Bunt Hits.

one OF the We'll known players VINO
was in constant attendance during thu
American League meeting last week was
Willie Keeler. twice champion batsman
OF the world and probably the best
bunter in the history of the game. His
decline as batter came up one after
noon at the Wolcott Hotel and keeler
explained it as follows:
my big batting averages in the years
when I was right in my prime were due
to my ability to bunt. 1 can still bunt
just as skillfully. but it must be remem-
bered that each year I have slowed up a
trifle. The first year or two that I lost
little of my speed it was scarcely no
ticeable. but now. after four or Ave years.
find that / am often beaten by stride
at first base on bunts that l formerly
beat out with ease.
"Then. the third basemen are han
ding bunts better than they used to ir
the old days. When I was at my best
the National League that would try to
throw me out. He would be satisfied to
pick up the ball and hold it, taking no
chances on a wild throw to first. o.
course If he came in near the plate to
play for bunt / would lift it over his
head or smash 1t through him.
Better Third Sackers.
| The third basemen. though, are better
nowadays. 1 know lots of the old-timers
say that the game has not improved In
| way I am an old-timer. I have been a,
1t for close on to twenty years and have
bunted the ball to scores of good third
basemen, the stars OF the old days and
the stars of today. The. hardest man of
| them all to bunt safely on is Bill Brad
ley Of Cleveland. OF all the men I know
| that have played third base i cannot re-
call one that can handle bunts as he can.
have been up against others that might
beat me out of two or three bunts in a
! single game, but for consistent handling
Of bunts day after day Bradley has no
| rival.
"Shipke OF Washington, TannehiI OF
Chicago. Ferris of st. Louis and Lord OF
Boston are also mighty handy killing
bunts. With SO many fast men around
the third base cushion it's no wonder that
they have shrunk my batting average.
Then there is the spit ball. I hate
| to join the ranks Of those who say tina,
the reason that they are not batting as
we'll as they used to is because OF the
Splitter but / want to say that it is a
true excuse. It's got me. How is a
man going to bunt splitter with any
degree OF accuracy. HOW Is ne gong lC
hit a ball that even the catcher and
pitcher do not know where it is going:
II they don't know how can the public
expect the batter to?
Spit Ball Puzzling.
eff more of these spit ball pitchers
were like Walsh we would not have any
batting average at all. But luckily some
are like Glenn Liebhardt. Glenn likes
| to monkey with his curve ball and there
| he makes a mistake. Were he to stick tt
the splitter almost entirely he would be
a second Walsh.
How did I happen to become SO pro-
ficient in bunting? BY watching John NJ
Ward. the famous old Giant l was bat
boy in the old days when Ward was the
most talked of player in the country.
He was the kingpin of bunters and HI
gave me a few lessons. Then got a job
to play for $40 month. 1 was let ou
because I was too small, but Binghamtor
gave me a chance and then New York
| bought me. Freedman. though. could
not see me at all and let me go to Brook.
lyn. Since that time things broke well
| until the last two years. But l don't
think I am ready for the minor leagues
yet"