Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-23
Germany Schaefer Talks
About Methods of Playing
the Infield.
SECOND is HARDEST JOB
Nan at the keystone Station Given
Better Chance to Show Up
Than Anywhere Else.
No. XVI.
By HERMAN scHAEFER.

copyright, 1910 by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
What are the important qualities for
q successful infielder in the major
leagues today? Well. the only players
who become successful infieldcrs are
those with a natural aptitude for base,
ball. n good mechanical player who
can hit at a fair clip may make good
and hold position III the outfield, but
when he comes to the fnfeld he must
be quick thinker. fast fielder and a
natural player as well.
How many baseball fans have
thought of the build of tSese infeld-
ers and the part that plays in deter
mining the qualification for a certain
posftion2 For instance. take the first
baseman- He must be tall, rangy
fellow who can cover ground. but more
especially one who has reach TO catch
throws trifie wild. Height and reach
are valuable in stepping forward tc
meet thrown balls. Many first sack
er who understands his position robs
batsnan Of hits merely by stretching
out to meet them. IN the course of a
season this one or two feet advantage
will mean a score or more less base
hits.
Speaking OF the second baseman or
the shortstop. l will say that the lat
ter should be q short chunky fellow,
something on the dachShund order, for
he has to gather the ball in from all
positions while on the run. so the low
er they are to the ground the better.
The majority of the third sackers in
the major leagues today are small men
or fellows OF medium height, but it is
not essential there.
AS you know. second base is the key
TO the infield. Second sack gives a
player an opportunity to show up bet
ter than any other position. and l be
Heve a player will last longer in the
game in this position than any other
that is. if he is a natural and not a
made bail player \ second baseman
should go for short hies aud depend
on the outfe,ders for the coaching. as
they are in a better position TO judge
the ball The keystone stationer
should go in for the short throw with
the catcher sending the BAH down for
q man and q runner at third. This
play requires practice and n good
throwing catcher. When running down
q man between the bases 20 after him
on the jump and get him under full
Roadway before throwing the ball.
Who Is the Gamest Man:
Recently | vas asked who l thought /
vas the Gamest man in baseball. 1 .
know | have been IL the game for .
many years. but TN tell you l have /
not had the chance to size them all up. !
but l Will hand a lot Of candy to my /
present side partner. Kid Elberfeltl. /
Some years ago when | was playing
second base for the Detroit Tigers l /
had a little experience with the Kid.
The latter is game to the core. No /
matter what you do to him. he will /
take it without batting an eye. But
you have to watch out when his
chance comes. When he was playing
with New York he got me once when
I wasn't looking for anything and gave
me a pretty hard humping as l came
back 20 the bag. l tried to get back
at him and learned how luck viii
break against a fellow. The next time
I went to bat 1 passed the word that
If I reached first no one was to give
me the signal, because l would go
down on the first ball pitched. having
an engagement at second. | had
good lead and was away with the
pitch. But there wasn't chance to
get Norman, because Catcher Kleinow
pulled him of the bag. with a wide
throw, and 1 had to keep on for third
without a chance to exchange compli-
nents. was ready for the Kid when
he time came. He reached first, and
tipped O'Leary that l would take the
-hrow if he stole. When he came down
was all ready, with my elbows in the
light place. He came in just as
wanted him to, spikes first and feet up
n the air. But the throw was short.
md 1 had to run in to get the ball.
Afterward EIberfeId told me he had
ne dead If hadn't pulled off the bag.
But that's what he thought