Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-13
WALLACE HAS NO
RIVAL IN LEAGUE
Mcbride and Wagner the Only
Others Who Show Real
Class.
Special Dispatch TO The Star.

LESELAND, ONO. December L.
Selecting the star shortstop this season
is comparatively easy. for when 1t comes
to all-around ability, Bobby Wallace, the
ST. Louis veteran. = stands head ard
shoulders above all rivals. Unlike wine.
ball players, as a rule, are supposed to
decline in quality as the years go by.
Wallace, however, is one Of the few ex-
ceptions.
When he was grabbed by Davis Haw-
ley, the former Cleveland magnate. from
the Oil City team, Wallace was a pitcher.
He never became a star finger for Pat
Tebeau. although he could NOW the
Brooklyn club down as easily as Louis
Franz, Cleveland's king pin bowler.
smashes the ten pins. In need OF a third
sacker, Tebeau placed the Scot on the
third cushion and he promptly became
the best In the land at that station.
Over at ST. Louis McAleer was forced
every year since he has ranked either
first or second among the shortstops or
the league. Some years Terry Turner
has done the better work, while once
many fans were Of the opinion that
Kid Elberfeld had little on him.
Had No Rival.
This year, however, he had no rival.
Not another shortstop in the league was
in his class when all-around ability Is
considered. In fact, there were only two
that approached him In fielding ability.
and they were Mcbride OF Washington
and Wagner of Boston. Both of these
fielded grandly this year, but Wallace
not only had it on them In brilliance. but
also in reliability. and 1t is no disparage-
ment of Mcbride and Wagner to say that
they were scarcely in Wallace's class.
Wallace can come up behind the pitcher,
make a quick shoe lace stab and nall the
runner at first; he can skip over back OF
second and shoot the ball to the initial
sack without recovering his equilibrium:
he can play deep short when hard
hitter like Lajoie comes to bat. and his
heave from short left field will beat the
runner: he can go as far as any short
stop living for a foul fly and get 1t ninety
nine times out Of hundred.
He Is also a quick thinker, and 1t was
his physical and mental alertness that
caused McAleer to let Harry Niles go to
man on his feet as there Is in the league.
but Wallace was too quick thinker for
him, and Niles was caught fiat footed on
numerous occasions when Wallace wished
to start double play. Time and again
he would make phenomenal stops. but
Niles would not be ready to cover second.
Beats Maps Out Of Pennant.
Wallace wound up his work for tho
year with the most marvellous play that
Clevelanders ever saw him make. IL
was in the eleven-inning tie game that
Cleveland and st. Louis played ut st.
Louis October 4, being the play that with
Umpire Egan's assistance put Cleveland
practically out of the race. Hinchnan
hit the ball on the ground over second;
Wallace ran over. scooped it up while
on the run, almost fell on his head.
whirled about and looped the ball into
Tom Jones hands in time enough (ac-
cording to Egan) to retire the runner
and prevent the winning run from cross
ing the plate.
Had Wallace been member OF tho
Maps and had this play won the pennant
for Cleveland. the fans Of this town would
have touted him all winter as the great
est hero that ever wore a Cleveland suit.
At bat Wallace Is also a more valu-
able man than either Mcbride or Wagner.
although each of these showed improve
ment during the last year. Wallace Is
good hitter, day in and day out, and
a timely batter. as we'll.
There is not much choice between Wag-
ner and Mcbride. The latter. however. IL
taller than the German who sports the
Boston Red Sox. and for that reason was
able to kill many a line drive that Wag-
ner was unable to reach. Both are good
throwers and field their positions most
satisfactorily. Each did very snowy work
on the Cleveland field. Wagner excelling
early in the year, while Mcbride was the
classy boy in the fall.
Turner Out Of Game.
Had Terry Turner been able to play
shortstop al year there Is no doubt OF
Wallace having had a rival for first hon.
ors. Turner played only a few games
at his regular position. but for the time
that he did he led the shortstops In field
ing and batting and led the entire league
in base running. Had he not met with
an accident the chances are that he would
have had the very best year of his ca
reer.
As it was, he was forced to warm the
bench or hold down a piece Of right field
while Mil. Hinchman. Bradley and Per-
ring tried to fill, his regular position. or
the four Perring did the best work. Tho
latter was far from snowy. but he man
aged to get his man on nearly every occa-
sion. and he was lucky. in that his errors
were seldom costly. His weak point was
putting the ball on the runner. but he
managed to overcome this fault to GER
tain extent but In so doing managed to
give his feet. legs and hands many .
cut and bruise. In fact, when he nm
ished the season he was ready for tho
hospital. Bradley was a pretty fielder,
but could not get accustomed to the long
throw SO often necessary. Hinchman was
erratic. while Mil could not be seen 1t
all.
The other shortstops of the American
League had an OF year. Even Freddie
Parent. who has always been considered
one of the classy shortstops OF the coun-
try. did nothing out Of the ordinary. be-
ing handicapped by injuries. Charley
OLeary of Detroit was an in-and-outer.
while Simon Nichols Of the Athletics
played very amateurish at times. Bail
Of New York made almost as many errors
as assists. and mono Of tho substitutes on
the various teams looked good except,
Germany Schaefer. who subbed Tor
O'Leary for time. .
Paris Mutuels Advocated.