The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-06

Bill Coughlin. players no longer in III,
big leagues; also Jimmy Williams. now a
second baseman. Present day big
Steinfeldt, Elberfeld. Leach. though COW.
ering centre field this season; Lennon
and Ferris. These men are all ti~ptoppers.
They are not exactly matched In ability
but there isn't the difference that there IA
among first basemen.
When it comes to playing shortstop
there have been so many high class perr.
o%utnumber those who are not quite frat
class. They are numerous from the time
OF George Wright down. The illustrioue
Wagner is among the lot, and the roster
contains such names as Williamson,
Glasscock, Fuller. Fred Ely. Irwin, Herman
Long. Bob Allen. George Davis, Hugh
sri m the ee rins are ssn Bill i pah fa I Frssdis
Parent, Bobby Wallace, Terry Turner,
Kid Elberfeld. converted into a third
baseman; Wagner. Bridwell. Tinker.
Doolan and Mcbride. not to mention
Bush of Detroit. picked up this season
from the minors. There isn't a short
stop in the lot who wasn't or isn't high
class in his position play.
gree Of proficiency as shortstops there
are not so many, even though there have
been three outfelders 10 shortstops' one,
There have been lots Of good outfelden,
but not so many who could measure up
to the standard set by masters of the
latter day outfelder in baseball left It
last season when Fielder Jones retired.
McAleer, LANCE. Corkhill. Griffin, Fultz.
Duffy. O'Brien. Hornung and Burkett
were all superb judges Of a fly ball who
covered a wide expanse Of ground. So
were Ned Hanlon. Mike Herman. Chick
Stahl, Joe Kelley, and Andy Leonard.
o%utfelders who are still playing and who
always have been among the best. Three
new men who are making their mark this
season are Cree. Speaker and O'Fara,
Ed Delehanty was not as finished e player
as a number who have been in the outer
garden. but was great as q bitter. Hart
Thomas. Blake, Mcintyre. Crawford
Murray and Sheokard are past or present
outfielders Of pronounced ability. The
spectacular Ty Cobb could not be over.
looked, but we're it not for his sensational
batting and base running II is a question
whether he would he regarded as in
the class with johnson. Jones, Fogarty.
Keller. Lange, MoAleer and WEIGH.
Naming the crack catohers is a briefer
task. There was only one Ewing. He
was conceded to be the best that went BE-
hind the bat. Bennett, Bushong, Tom
DAILY and Flint were good, but no Ewing.
Johnny King, Lou Criger, Roger Bresna-
han and Billy Sullivan are almost unani-
mously ranked as the best CT the catches
Of the present and in a class which is at
least a shade superior to the rest. Mike
Kelley, Wilbert Robinson. Malachi Kit
tredge and Martin Bergen we're catchers
of the past whose work rated them head
and shoulders above their rivals, and In
this list might be mentioned Duh Farrell,
Gibson, Jay Clarke, Street and William
Bergen, catohers now doing duty who are
better han the average.
notwithstanding the constant demand
for pitchers there are lots Of good twirlers
quite enough TO Offset the batting depart
ment Of the game. though they can't all b
| Mathewsons, Browns or Washes. They
have been coming and going in quantity
since the days q s%palding; Matthews and
Rusie. Ferguson, Kilroy, Nichols, Ramsey.
Whitney, hecker, Mullane, King, Gold
smith. Carruthers, Bond, Calvin and Buf.
ington are bygone names to conlure with.
AS compared to other positions the list 10
interminable.
The mere passing pitcher who flashes
through one season n maybe gets away
with a no hit game is not to be considered.
for length of service count as one test
Of a. mans worth; but taking that into
consideration as we'll as such needful
accomplishments as control. nerve. head
| work. curves and a delivery which en-
braces variety. and enough capable men
can be found to make the average OF
merit in the box noticeably large. 1t
is true that some teams arc weak in the
box. but that is offset by teams which
possess a first class corps OF twirlsrs
right through.
Modern baseball has produced Young.
| Willis, Howell. Powell. Wiltse, Bender.
Plank, McGinnity. Waddell. joss, Ortiz,
Mullin, Chesbro, Ewing. Donovan. Phil
lippe, Lever and later than these John
son, Camnitz. Summers. F. Smith.
Graham, Petty, Fromme. Bell, Overall.
McQuillen. Fucker, MoIntire. Lake.
Warhop, Quinn. Brookett, Raymond.
Marquard, Arellanes, Morgan. Cicotts'
| Mattern. Willett. Coombs. Scott. Man
ming, Cheoh, Covaleskie and Leiteld,
moundmen who already have made their
mark or give every promise OF 80 doing.