Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-21
CLEAR BRAIN ON DIAMOND
Bonehead Players Great Detriment
to Amy Strong Team,
ABsTEN GETS HEAVY ABUSE
Claim ~ Made that He r. the Player
who Has Cost the PirnKes
Many Games During the
Last season.

NEW YORK, Nov. 2O.-The path Of a big
league base ball player is anything but
one Of roses. The latest man to come un-
der criticism Of an unappreciatlve body OF
fans is big Bin Abstein, first baseman Of
the Pittsburg Pirates and worlds cham
pions. II reports from the west are to re-
ceive credence, Abstein is very much In
disfavor at the present time. As a matter
Of fact a report has It that the big initial
sacker has been so criticised for errors
made in the recent worlds championship
series that It is probable that when the
Wagnerites trot out on the field in the
spring Abstein will not be among those
present. Just whether this fact can be
taken as gospel truth Is a question that
major league base ball followers are ask
ing themselves at the present time.
The closeness Of the recent championship
series between the Pittsburg Pirates and
the Detroit Tigers is attributed to faulty
play displayed by Abstein, Pittsburg fans
claim. The weak spot on the Pirate team
this year. Smoke Towners assert, was first
base, and II vas partly due to this fact
that the premier series was so hard to
win. The weakness OF the position cropped
out I'm every game, il Is asserted, and was
responsible FOR several Of the Pirates
early defeats in the struggle with Hughey
Jennings men.
According to one OF Abstein's critics the
first baseman is but a fair and mechanical
base ball player. He is considered a good
man to cover the sack, but when It comes
to using his brains i'm tight places, It is
said, he does not use good judgment.
Abstein Hit Hard.
The following is a sample Of a Pittsburg
fans attitude toward the wagnerite:
TT is a fact that Abstein would not have
played in the final contest of the worlds
championship series but for the injury to
Bobby Byrne. When the umpire announced
the batteries in the deciding contest he
stated that Hyatt would play first base
for P%ittsburg. However, before the Pirates
got a chance to take their first turn in
the field little Bobby had been hurt and
Clarke was forced to make a shift in his
lineup. Even then he was loath to use
Abstein. He announced that Abbaticchio
would cover the bag. A moment later,
however, he again changed his mind and
sent Leach to third. Hyatt to centerfield
and Abstein to first.
New Workers named Fred Merkle
'Bonehead' for his failure to touch second
base in that memorable contest between
the Giants and the Cubs in the fall Of 1908
but some OF the plays pulled Off by Abb
stein in the worlds series this year were
far worse than that Of the New York sub
stitute.
He lost several games for the Pirates
by intercepting throws from Wilson to the
plate, with runners on third base. Wilson
Is noted for his ability TO peg. and any
time he started a heave toward the pan
II was almost certain to go on its course
without any deviation and land there
ahead of the runner. But Abstein seemed
unable to let the ball go past him. on at
least five occasions Abstein Intercepted
the throws and allowed runs to score for
the opposition"