Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-01-11


tive Season.
lnasmuch as Hans Wagner, OF the
Pirates. aud Tyrus Cobb OF the Tigers.
are the champion batsmen OF the Ma
uonal and American leagues for the
season OF 1907. a little about the two
men Is not out OF the way at this
time. The following is from the pen
OF an eastern baseball writer:
Some weeks ago the athletic di.
rector or great university gave out
an interesting interview on the various
physical requirements necessary to
the athlete who would excel I'm any
or the great outdoor sports He spoke
or the short lower legs and strong
ankles OF the jumper; the long mus
cied. clean-cut frame OF the runner:
the broad, sturdy frame OF the foot
pail player, and so on. But when he
came TO baseball he threw up his
hands. Baseball players are OF all
Shapes, sizes and ages. and there is
not the slightest warrant for naming
anything but good health as an essen
tial. he said.
Young Ty Cobb, champion hitter
the veteran Hans Wagner, who again
distanced all Corners for honors in the
National league, seem to show the wis
| dom OF the experts views Both men
arrived at the same place, but by
widely different methods Cobb shares
with Hal Chase the fame OF being the
most remarkable young player OF the
day, and Cobb's rise to first place was
even more sensational than the yam
kee stars. Coming from a very minor
| league, the Southern, I'm two years OF
big-league ball he is the most-talked-
| or player OF the season. Besides lead
Ing the American league in batting,
with an average OF 1862, the young De-
| trott player showed the veterans Of
the league how to steal bases, leading
the list with 40 pilfered bags. Cobb
was under 20 when he came to Detroit,
and it was his business, by all big
| league tradition, to walk softly for a
couple OF years and speak when
| spoken to. But he was made OF other
material. He was filled with an ad-
mirable conceit He believed himself
to be one of the best ball players in
the country and he didn't intend losing
| any Tune In proving II.
He began to bat and run bases as IL
he had right to, and he fielded with
a headlong aggressiveness that made
him bitter enemy or two on his own
| club, and finally wound up in a pitched
battle with another outfelder OF the
| Tigers. Cobb licked him and went on
In the same old way. This year he was
! the sensation of baseball. His batting
and base-running were the fan talk OF
eight cities. OF medium height, with
a straight. clean, but muscular build,
| powerful. tapering legs, a quick, ac-
curate eye, wonderful throwing arm
and, above all, superior insolent con-
| fidence In himself, he became the
greatest ball player of the league
while but little more than boy.
"Big, awkward, conscientious, good
natured Hans Wagner, steady and
strong IN his years of baseball lore
| greatest ball player in the country. is
the direct antithesis of young Cobb
| So much has been written for years
of the virtues and ability OF the great
| Pirate shortstop that even a recapitu.
lation is almost superfuous. This
year, however. he accomplished one
feat that adds to his honors He estab.
lished new record for long batting
success on the diamond. this being the
fifth year that he has held the Nation.
al league title. He won the hating
championship with a mark of $50 and
the base-running honoTs with 81 stolen
sacks. He is Just behind Cobb In bat,
ting honors and far ahead In base-run.
ming on the year No one ever saw
anything graceful or picturesque about
Wagner on the diamond His move
ments have been likened to the gam.
bols of a caracolng elephant. He Is
ungainly and so bowlegged that when
he runs his limbs seem TO be moving
in a circle, after the fashion OF a pro
| peller. But he can run like the wind
| When he starts after a grOunder every
outlying portion Of his anatomy appar.
emily has ideas OF its own abou; the
proper line OF direction to be taken
His position at the bat ~ less awk.
ward and the muscular swing Of his
great arms and shoulders Is strong
enough to drive the ball farther than
most batters who hit from their toe
spikes up Experts do not agree that
Wagner Is the greatest shortstop in
the game to-day. but there is no uues
ton that he Is the greatest all.round
player Of this or probably any other
season"
|