Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-13
FORMER STAR OUTFIELDERS
Old.Time Fans Say They've Not Been
Excelled.
SOME WONDERS OF OTHER DAYS
From Cuthbert, Pike, Leonard, Hines,
the Great Diekey, Johnston, Pop
Cornhiu and srcAIeer, Little
Difference is seen.

- NN'"e rum Ale Dib clfculla tnls year.
They have seen their best days, like many
other great players NOW In retirement.
though not forgotten BY old timers, as
they have been released Internationally
by the Highlanders and Boston Nationals
respectively. Keeler led the right fielders
IN percentage In 1899, 1897, 1901 and 1902.
while Thomas stood at the head OF the
center fielders in 1900. 1901, 1904. 1906, 1906
and 1907 Tho passing OF these famous
tly-bau catchers recalls the fact that
the best outfielders in harness today are
considered no better than many stars Of
days gone BY.
The National league boasts OF Fred Clarke
and Tommy Leach OF the champion Pr
ates, Schultz OF the Cubs, also sheokard,
Titus and Msgee OF the PhIladelphias.
Mitchell and Paskert OF the Reds Hummel
and Burch OF the Brooklyns and Murray OF
tho Giants.
The American league has the noted Ty
Cobb Of Detroit, Iris Speaker OF the Boston
Red sox, DAM Murphy, Crawford, McIn-
tyre, Niles, Engle and others, yet veteran
fans viii tell you that these players are
by no means extraordinary. Going back to
1871, when fielding records began to mean
something, you'n find the names Of such
famous outfielders as Ed. Cuthbert of Phil
adelphia, Lip Pike OF Troy and Dave Egg
Ter Of the Mutuals. Veteran bali fans stlll
insist these men could get under long
drives as well as the modern stars, while
long-distance throwing wss their strongest
point
AL Gedney, who played with both the Mu-
tuals and the Athletics; Andy Leonard, who
was fixture as Boston's left fielder for
nearly ten years and had no equal; Paul
Hines Of Chicago and Providence, Jim
ORourke, who made a big reputation. In
Boston; Jack Manning Of the same team
Orator Shaffer Of Louisville and IndIanap-
oils Tom York, Paul Radford and Cliff
Carroll Of Providence, Jake Evans of Troy
and Joe Hornung Of Boston, were among
the leading outfielders up to 1888 and 1884
HOrnhung and Evans were superb throw
ers; In fact none OF their predecessors had
anything on them In this respect. Evans,
who later played with Worcester and Cleve-
land. was the best Of the right fielders in
1880 1881, 1881. 1883 and 1854, and also created
numerous sensations by throwing out at
first base batsmen who had made appar-
emily safe hits. Hornung. as fast as a
whlrlwind in getting under fly balls, had
suoh reputation as long distance
thFower that base runners on third seldom
made break for the home plate after one
Of his catches Hines, who led the center
fielders in 1883 and 1884 was not only q sure
catch. but he could throw with the best Of
them and was also great batsman.
Jim O'Rourle, who was with Boston in
1879. and did not quit the game until last
season. was the leading center fielder in
1876 and again In 1885, when member Of
the Giants. O'Rourke always a big hitter,
was kept on the New York team for half
dozen years more, but he became so slow
In left field that when he retired to Bridge
port he became catcher He could always
play behind the bat, for that matter, so
this experience was nothing new. Anson
had some star outfielders when Chicago
won pennants about this time--Abner. Dali
rymple, George Gore, Billy Sunday, Hugh
Siooi Hugh Duffy ana Martin Sullivan.
Every one OF these men could cover ground,
throw and hit In way that made them
stand prominently In the records.
Boston uncovered a phenomenal center
| fielder In Dickey Johnston in 1858. He was
picked up in Richmond and he hadn't
played half a dozen games In the Hub be-
fore he had the fans by the ears. Some OF
his running catches we're miraculous a
memorable one being the capture Of a
terrific drive from the big bat Of mighty
/ Ian 6iOuAnCIbs 1NaQ0SNAuS Nao EAANnlhG
for Boston in that game and he sent up a
slow one, waist high. Brouthers, the heavi-
est. slugger in the league, landed sauarely
with his stick and the ball sailed so high
and far that the crowd expected to see 1t
| clear the center field fence. The moment
the ball left the bat Johnston turned his
back and dug for the fence When he was
within a few feet OF the boards he turned
ana leaped in the air At the same time he
threw up his left hand In the nick OF time,
| for the ball lodged IN his glove just as he
l crashed into the fence. That catch made
Dlcley Johnston and he was quickly called
the leagues star center fielder. but he soon
fell by the wayside because OF his habits.
Curt Welch OF the 81. Louis Browns and
Pop Corkhill Of the Cincinnati Reds were
playing in the American association about
this time and partisan critics insisted that
they were superior to the Boston crack.
which may have been true, but the fact
remains that Boston veterans say even to-
day that the Hub has never had q better
center fielder than the boy who came from
Richmond, unknown and unsunG. Jimmy
MeAleer. now manager of the Washington
team, was another superb outfielder when
he won the uniform Of the Cleveland club.
His wonderful catches were the talk of
balloon nearly twenty years ago and
whenever he played his performances were
starred. But he was q comparatively weak
hitter which was. Of course. a serious
handicap.
The Phnadelphias had a wonder In Jimmy
Fogarty, now dead He was the leagues $
star left fielder in 1854 and 1Sse. and also
/ led the center fielders IN 1859. Fogarty was
a natural player. a star base runner, batter
/ and fielder, and those who remember him
say the only player who has ever shown
similar class Is Ty Cobb. Bug Holiday.
who passed away recently. was another
crack center fielder. As a member OF the
Cincinnati team he had the best percentage
for this position In 1890
But there were other good outiielders
In those days, notably Ed Hanlon wish
the Detrolts, waiter Wimot with the SEN
ators Pete Gillespie with the New YOr<s.
Sam Thompson and Hardie Richardson
OF the Detroits and Mike Tiernan. who
played right field for the Giants for many
years. Thompson and Richardson were not
80 fast a. the Others but they made UP
for It with their terrific batting which
helped Detroit win a worlds championship.
riernan who Is portly sal0onkeeper In
Harlem nowadays. was one OF the most
popular players who ever wore a New
York uniform at the polo grounds. He