The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-08-02
GREAT SHORTSTOPS,
Holders Of This important sta
ton Compared.
HANS WAGNER THE BEST,
asnial German Greatest the Game
Ever knew-Terry Turner Next,
With Joe Tinker, Kid Elberfsld and
Bill Dahlen Following.
Ry THOMAS I. CLARK.

BY THOMAS +, CLARK.
Ehortstop and third base are two Of
the most difficult positions to play on
the baseball diamond. The short field
or Is called upon to handle more assists
than any other player on ball team
Nearly all the great championship
teams have had great shortstops,
In order to be good shortstop a
player must be fast. He never has
time to stop and figure out the next
move. Brain. feet and hands must
work as one. The faster man is the
more ground he can cover, provided
be has an arm capable Of catapulting
the ball across the diamond TO first
Some men have played short fot
years, and among them are men who
made good after they commenced toI
ret slow simply because they possessed
hne baseball brains and used them all
Of the time. They knew where and
when to play every man at bat,
Hans Wagners great work at short
and with the stick materially helped 10
give several pennants to Pittsburg.
Freddie Parent, now with the Chicago
Americans, covered short field for the
Boston American league champions,
Monte Cross was the s.lortStop OF
the champion Philadelphia Athletics,
George Davis of the Chicago Amer' |
cans and Joe Tinker of the Chicago Ma |
tonals helped their respective teams
to win championship pennautS, and
0'Leary's work with Detroit stamps
him rs one Of the best fielding short |
stops In the game. Hughey Jennings.
the red haired leader of the Detroit /
Tigers. while a member Of the Balti. |
mores covered short as it was never |
played before As batter he always
was among the 800 boys. He was one
Of the mainstays of Hanlon when that
manager "copped" three straight pen
nants with his bunch Of Baltimore
youngsters. Jennings arm went back
On him, however, and he finally fell out
Of fast company, only to return as
manager and cop flag. Hughey was
one grand ball player In his day.
George Davis formerly played short.
but is now at second base for the Chi
eago Americans. He began to show
what was in him in the late nineties.
He played with Cleveland when that
team beat Baltimore for the Temple
cup. He went to New York and then
to Chicago. As fielder he is as good
as the best of them, also fair batter.
but his main asset Is his think tank"
He is one of the headiest men in base
ball.
Bobby Wallace of the ST. Louis
Americans was the best in his day, He
Is still one of the greatest felders and
is playing a star game this season for
the Browns. He Is not the best batter
in the business. but watch the pitchers
in pinch and see If they don't pass
him. In a tight place Bobby can al
ways be relied on. He is a fair man
on the sacks and rarely gets caught
mapping.
Terry Turner of the Cleveland Ameri-
cans is. next to Hans Wagner, the
greatest shortstop of today. Turner
possesses wonderful whip and catlike
agility. which makes him one Of the
wonders of the game. He Is good
batter and a splendid fielder. He is
young and has years in which to i'm
prove.
Joe Tinker of the Chicago Nationals
Is next to Terry Turner. he is .
steady. reliable batter, grand fielder
and all around ball player.
Manager Elberfeld of the New York
Americans is one of the best hitters
To the business, fine fielder and a
good inside player His throwing arm
however, is under suspicion.
Bill Dahlen Of the Boston Nationals
is still one Of the best-can field as
good as the next, is an accurate
tfTower, clever base runner and a good
man with the stick. At the present
time he is leading his team in batting.
Dahlen has shown great improvement
in all departments since be left the
New Yorks. Phil Lewis Of the Brook
Eyn Nationals would be one of the best
ii he would put his mind on it, Phil Is
wealthy and plays just for the sport
there is in it, When be is good he
plays sensational game, but on his t
off days he plays like an amateur. !
Bridwell Of the New York Nationals
was never a crack. Doolln Of the Phil.
Adelphias is one Of of the best short. {
gtops in the National league. He is
also steady, reliable batter and
grand all around player. Neil Ball OF
the New York Americans. who has been
holding down Elberfeld's place. is
promising Perhaps in year or 50
he will be one Of the leagues best. L.
Collins Of the Philadelphia Americans
Wagner of the Bostons Mcbride Of
The Washingtons and O'Rourke and {
Charles of the ST. Louis Nationals are |
all youngsters.
Now we come to the greatest Of S
them all, Hans Wagner Of the Pitts '
burg Nationals. Wagner, the broad L
bowlegged, short fielder. is
without doubt the greatest who ever |