Norwich bulletin., 1910-05-04
TO SEE HAL CHASE
 PLAY FIRST BASE
Many New York Fans Go For That Reason-Think Game of Secondary importance.

When Clark Griffith was pitching for Chicago under Pop" Arson he had an 1 argument one day about the most inn portant infeld position. Anson said first base. Griffith said a first base man ought to be forced to pay admis- sIon to the grounds. But Griffith has changed his mind, and Hal Chase of the New York Americans is one req son. Fred Penney was the man who revolutionized first-base play with the way he headed off players at second
 and third base, and by his accuracy In combination plays. Being a left
 handler, it was easy for Penney to whip a bunt to any part of the diamond and
 get back to his bag for double plays
 Without detracting from Tenney's
 ability, it is the opinion of baseball
 experts who have seen Chase in action
 that he has something on Penney
 when tine latter was at his best.
 Chase is one of the youngest of the
 men playing in the big league today,
 being about 24 years of age. He Is a
 native of San Jose, Cal, and attended
 Santa Clara college in that state.
 There he played. not only first base,
 but every other position on the college team. In the middle Of the season of
 1904 he was induced to join the Los
 Angeles team of the Pacific Coast
 league. He played first base for the
 Angels" for four months and in spite of his inexperience helped that team
 materially to win the Coast league
 pennant. Let Clark Griffith tell how the Highlanders came to secure this great young player: "A griend of ing man." says Grif, first called by attention to Chase's playing. He is a good judge of ball players, and wrote me that Chase was a sure conner. I then wrote Danny Long, our agent in California, to watch Chase's work and advise me. Long verified CarrolPs opinion and I drafed Chase at the end of the Pacific coast league season."
 had Gf Irlt ,aI before between the American and Ma tional and the Pacific coast leagues, but President Morley of the Los An geles club was so bitter over losing Chase that he persuaded the young ster to sign with Los Angeles in viola ton of the national agreement. Chase wanted to stay in California another season. but under baseball law. if Grifflch insisted on his draft, Chase could only play with the EHghlanders Grifhth did insist, and then Morley an- nounced that he was ready for an- other war rather than give up the player. President Bert of the Coast league called a special meeting of the club owners, who decided they had had enough war, and regused to side with Morley. The result was that Chase joined the Highlanders in the spring of 1905.
 Chase is star batsman as well as wonderful fielder. His mark last year was .2S3. which is certainly high. Umpire silk O'Loughlin, who ought to be a good judge, says Chase is a quicker thinker than any man he ever saw play first base. Chase has all the speed necessary to carry out his quick thinks. He plays a deep field and at the same time can nail an infield nit with an almost infalIible accuracy. Sharp hits down the first base line are always hits. Nobody hits the ball any harder than Sam Crawford, the 1 Detroit slugger. In one game two sea- sons ago Sam" rapped three sizzlers | labeled three bases" over the bag and Chase bounced on all of them, get | ting his man at first. He is sure on | foul flies and makes remarkable plays | in getting high or low bad throws. In | act, many people go to the American | league park at New York to see Hal l Chase play, instead of seeing a game.