Omaha daily bee., 1909-06-27

tiptoppers in their position. They are not
exactly matched in ability. but there isn't
the difference that there Is among first
basemen.
When Is comes TO playing shortstop
there have been SO many high class per
formers that the really good ones far out
number those who are not quite first
class. There are numerous from the time
Of George wrigh down. The illustrious
Wagner Is among the lot, and the roster
contains such names os Williamson, Glass
cock. Fuller. Fred Ely. Irwin. Herman
Long. Bob Allen, George Davis, Hugh
Jennings, George Smith and Ed Mexican.
still in the ring are Bill Dahien, Freddie
Parent. Bobby Wallace. Terry Turner, Kid
Elberfeld. converted into a third baseman;
Wagner, Birdweil, Tinker, Doolan and Nc
Bride, not TO mention Bush of Detroit,
picked up this season from the minors.
There isn't a shortstop in the lot who
wasn't or isn't high class.
In the OutHeId.
OF outflelders OF the same relative de-
gree Of proficiency as shortstops there are
not so many, even though there have been
three outfieiders to shortstops' one. There
have been lots Of good outfielders, but not
so many who could measure up TO the
NoAihAa aNA ~ AAdaANA VI AhG EukdIAN-
WEIGH johnson type. The best latter day
outfieider in base ball left It last season
when Fielder Jones retired. McAleer,
Lange, Corkhill. Griffin, Fultz, Duffy,
o'Brien, Hornung and Burkett were all
superb Judges Of a fly ball and covered a
wide exoanse Of ground. So were Ned
Hsnlon. Mike Herman, Chick stahl, Joe
Kelley and Andy leonard.
Fred Clarke and Billy Keeler are veteran
outfielders who are still playing and who
always have been among the best. Three
new ones who are making their mark this
season are Cree, Speaker and O'Hara. Ed
Delehanty was not as finished a player as
a number who have been I'm the outer
garden, but was great as a hitter. Hartsei
Hoffman, Beaumont, Mitchell. Wilson.
Thomas, Blake, Mcintyre. Crawford, Muir
ray and Sheckard are past or present out
flelders Of pronounced ability. The spec
tacular Ty Cobb could not be overlooked
but were II not for his sensational batting
and base running it is a question whether
he would be regarded as in the class with
Johnson, Jones, Fogarty, Keller. LANCE
McAleer and WEIGH.
Kings Among Catchers.
Naming the crack catchers is a briefer
task. There was only one Ewing. He was
conceded to be the best that went behind
the bat. Bennett Bushong, Tom Daily and
Flint were good. but no Ewing. Johnny
Killing Lou Criger, Roger Bresnahan and
billy Sullivan are almost unanimously
ranked as the best of the catchers of the
present and In q class which is at least a
shade superior to the rest. Mike Kelley,
Wilbert Robinson, Malachi Kittredge and
Martin Bergen were catchers of the past
whose work rQfad fbapn had and abn,,Idor.
above their rivals, and in this list might
be mentioned Duke Farrell. Gibson, Jay
Clarke, Street and William Bergen, catch
ers now doing duty who are better than
the average.
Princes In Pftchers' List.
Notwithstanding the constant demand
for pitchers there are lots of good ones
quite enough to offset the batting depart
ment OF the game, though they can't all be
a Mathewson, a Brown or a Walsh. They
have been coming and going in quantity
since the days of Spalding, Matthews and
Cumming. Dadbourne, Clarkson. Keefe.
Rusie, Ferguson, Kilroy, Nichols, Ramsey,
Whitney, Hscker. Mullane, King, Gold
smith, Carruthers, Bond, Calvin and Buff
fington are bygone names to conjure with.
AS compared to other positions the list Is
~intermlnable.
Modern base ball has produced Young,
Willis, Howell, Powell. Wiltse, Bender,
Flank, McGinnity, Waddell, Joss, Orth,
Mullin, Chesbro, Ewing, Donovan, Phil
hppe, Lever and later than these johnson,
CamnitE, Summers, f. Smith, Graham,
Petty, Fromme. Bell, Overall, McQuiIlen,
Rucker. McIntire, Lake, Warhop, Quinn.
Crockett, Raymond, Marquard, Arellanes,
Morgan. Cicotte. Mattern, willett, Coombs.
Scott. Manning. Cheek, Covacskie and
Leitield, moundmen who already have
made their mark or give every promise OF
so doing.