Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-04-11
THIRD BASE THE
EASIEST POSITION,

Charles Hickman, Cleveland's utility
man, is authority for the assertion that
next to the outfield third base is the
easiest position to play on the diamond
Inasmuch as Hickman has played eve
ry position on ball team he should
know what he Is talking about.
The catcher has to do the most
work." says Happy Hick." THE pitch
Ell runs him close second. The first
baseman comes third. The second base
man and shortstop have about the
same amount of playing to do, and
should almost work as one man. But
the third baseman has a snap in way
compared with the other infielders and
battery.
In the old days the first baseman
must have had picnic. From what
j have heard and read up to the time
that Charley Comiskey became a fam
GUS player the first baseman did not
cover much ground. They were up To
catch the ball when 1t was thrown to
them, and to grab what grounders they
could and beat the runners to first with
the ball. When u player got too slow
for any other position on the team, or
when his arm went back on him, they
would still think him good enough for
first base, providing that he was a
good sticker.
But now II first baseman must be as
quick as any other of the infielders He
has got to be able to play hunts Just
like third baseman, but where a thiru
baseman, in handling hunts, rarely
throws anywhere except to first base,
the first sacker in making a one
handed pickup has all three bases 10
watch on many occasions. He may
have to shoot ii to third or second, or
again he may have to turn around and
toss It to either the pitcher or second
baseman, whichever one is covering
first.
THE first baseman has to be on the
watch for snap throws from pitcher
and catcher; he must have an under
standing with the pitcher on fielding
hunts and grounders between them
and, in addition, he is expected to cover
more ground than he used to and to
catch every thrown ball that comes
within ten feet of him."
Hickman has never caught profess
sional game of ball, but was the reg
ular catcher for the University OF West
Virginia team prior TO going TO New
castle as n pitcher, Boston used him
as pitcher and outfielder, and he
pitched one game for that club in the
Temple cup series against Baltimore.
losing 1t by the score OF IL TO ii. Then
he went to tho Giants, and actually
played In every position on the team
except behind the bat in single year.
He was at short for nearly three
months, and George Davis, who was
managing the team at that time, want
ed him to catch also, but Happy" de-
cllned with thanks.
While with Cleveland he played
everywhere but behind the bat short
and centerheld. He played nearly all
the positions for Washington but did
his best work at third base when Lave
Cross was hurt. That is when Hick
made up his mind that third was such
an easy place to MI. He says he did
not average over one error week, and
claims that he did not shirk any diff
cult ones at that
George stovan also thinks that third
is the easiest and first the most diff
cult OF all the infield positions 20 play,
and George ought TO know, for he has
been ali the way around the iniield and
back again.