Evening star., 1909-09-12

| with Clarke and Dreyfuss that l won't
be asked to play the third base: but it
| isn't my arm that 1 am afraid Of
| / waited while he arranged a couple
| of pork chops and less than quart Of
French fried potatoes in such manner
that they would offer the least resist
ance. and then / got the reason.
You see'' he continued. gloomily, as
| he pulled an acre of fried eggs nearer
| to his plate, my stomach is what gets
| me when l play in the infield. So far as
| can see there is nothing the matter
| with tt couldn't see either-"but the
| last year that / played on third the
STOPPING over every few minutes for
grounders upset my stomach. / natu-
rally figure that ] must have a weak
digestion"-twO more spoonfus of French
| fried-'but out in the Outfield l am not
troubled SO much.
Outfeld Easier to Play.
Another thing-playing the outfield is
easier,' he declared frankly. Il served
a pretty good long time at one of the
hardest places in the infield, and 1
didn't see why / should wear myself out
there. Of course, if Clarke came to me
tomorrow and asked me to go back to
third because he didn't have youngster
| that would do. l would go there In
minute
That is the trouble with most young
players. / read the other day in a news
paper about a man who had some sort
of scheme for measuring the efficiency
Of the men that worked for him. 1t was
some sort Of plan by which each man
could find out what he could stand. and
then he was never permitted to do more
than that. That would be a great thing
fellows get out to play third base, for in
stance. They are full of life and pepper
and they want to make great impress
sion. They take everything they can
reach in practice and shoot the ball
across to first base at every opportunity.
Some of them feel lot stronger than
they are. And when they get into the
game they come in with a tired arm.
They may make all the throws that are
asked of them, but they are putting an
extra strain on the throwing shoulder.
| The result Is that their arms wear out
| years before they should.
Il figure that man has just about so
! many throws coming to him before his
shoulder goes wrong. He ought not
waste any Of them. / figured that out
early in my infield playing. l can go in
] there now and shoot that ball across to
! first base about as well as ever did but
it is necessary. In the last year played
at third never winged the ball over there
in the hope that the man would turn
wrong"
that there is nothing the matter with
Leach's arm so far. SO l mentioned in as
graceful a way as possible that he was
generally accounted one of the best If
not the best outfielder in base ball.
Clarke Knows Every Batter.
We'll. l told you about the outfield,"
| he said. 1T is the easiest job on the
| team. especially when you are playing
| center field alongside of left fielder like
Clarke. He knows every batter in the
league as well as he knows the way to
the ball park. When I don't know where
the word along.''
| l spoke of his remarkable G-nius for
going back after long drives.
That is easy after five or six years
at third base. You know how far
the left field line. That is the best
training In the world for the outfielder.
But notice one thing. / have no trou
BILE in going back yards after long hits
know-but when they hit right CEN
ter I lose lot Of ground. 1t is en-
tirely strange way to get bali. When
you are playing third and shortstop. sec
those"
He had finished his third cup of coffee
by this time, and / feared for his stom-
acii II kept him any longer. He wants
cause he can make the most money at Il
and he is playing it In a way to last 4
long time. Season before last he realized
that If he stuck to third base his arm
would wear QUITO say nothing of his
stomach-and he would not sign q con-
tract that winter until It was agreed be-
tween him and Clarke and Dreyfuss that
he would not have to play in the inf1eld.
He never throws ball unless there Is
something to be gained. He doesn't even
always take the batting practice. He is
next to Wagner of the regulars in bat
ting percentage, SO there Is no chance
that any one will suggest that he needs
it. Like the hero of the melodrama with
only two shots In has pistol, Leach is
going to make those count. He doesn't
intend to waste either OF them shooting
at targets. He is still a marvellous ball
player. and he believes that he Is play
Ing the right system to continue with
those honors indefinitely
Leach came to Louisville from the Au-
burn club in the New York State League.
This was back in the late nineties, and
ne was then twenty years old. He Joined
the team about five weeks before the sea-
son ended and devoted most of his time
to playing seni-professional ball for S. a
day when the team wasn't at home and
watching 1t play from the bench when 1t
was. The next season he was tried out
from time to time at second. short and
third, but never showed enough form to
take the Job away from the regular man
During the following winter the Louis
Vile and PittSburg clubs were merged
and in the excitement the management
forgot to fire him. He was consequently
| carried along as utility man. This was
the year that the base ball war broke
out. and the season was net yery old
before Jimmy Williams. then third base
man of the Pirates. jumped to the Ameri
can League. and Leach was put on third
| to fill in. He became a star in a day
He had found himself" and from that
day until he insisted on being sent to
| the outfield his master as a third base-
man did not come into the big leagues
He could probably go to third today
| and show up lot of promising young
sters but In the interest of longevity he
| is playing center field, and playing as
| few men have done.
Dineen Becomes an Umpire.
CHICAGO. September 1.-THE appoint
ment OF William Dineen of the pitching