The Detroit times., 1910-03-15
LISTER MAKES A
PRONOUNCED HIT
] WITH HUGH|E
Left. Hand Hitting Handicap May Be
Balanced by Carrying an Assistant
Who Bats From the Opposite
Side of the Pan.
Huqhie Thinks His Three Youngsters
Bat Better Than Tom Jones and II
Looks Like a Real Battle.
nv PAUL HALE 6RuskE.

a y
There Is every reason TO believe mat
the Detroit baseball ciuo carry
for two months more. its present tolai
OF four rst-basemen. with possible
chance that there will be three OF lhem
ON the club for the greater part OF the
season. Tom Jones, Pete Lister, John
Ness and George Simmons comprise
the quartet, the last mentioned being
also a third-baseman OF considerable
promise. When the fact is recalled 10
mind That Moriarty is a seasoned hrst
sacker who made New York nearly
forget that such person as Hat Chase
ever lived. and when ones memory Is
also logged a bit on the ability OF
Nahoo Sam Crawford az the same po-
sition n Is not hard 10 understand
that Manager Jennings Is better IMAM
fairly well fortified at the initial cor
ner this year.
That Jennings. nevertheless. regards
the sack as the danger point on the
Tiger defense Is obvious from the man
ner in which he Is proceeding 10 Sc
lect the man he deems strongest. Be
fore leaving on the present trip wlth
-
he believed he would carry two men,
not including Simmons. for first base
all through the season. Al this june
fure he is strongly of the opinion mat
one OF these men will be Pete Lister,
Pete the Best Fielder.
Pete Is uRquestionably the best field
er OF the four meu mentioned. He is
probably the best batter though in TINS
respect Simmons and Ness must be
considered as very dangerous men. All
three OF them bat better than Jones.
in Hughie Jennings opinion, and all
az them--Ness in particular-are fast
er on the paths than the man VINO
played such good bali at he position
In Detroit last year, after the Ross
man defamation. On the other hand
Is old Toms unexcelled ability to sac
rifice-hit and squeeze. as well as his
knowledge of the American league
batters and runners. and their ways
"A left-hand hitting frst-baseman
isn't an impossibility with us, but his
presence would also require right
hand hitter on the club who could go
In and play the bag on days when We
are opposed by left-handed pitching.
II the way that Jennings sizes up the
situation And that summary seems
10 hang a few finkling bells on the
chances of Mr.. Lister This player.
Hughie believes. has learned a lot
about baseball since leaving Toledo
two years ago. after his brief tryout
with Cleveland He is now an artist
OF the finished order in his fielding.
while his batting is hard and he sell
dom offers at ball not over the plate.
,,F IN RI
ing Listers aggressiyeness are no
longer OF that opinion. Pete has shown
as much zeal in the games played up
TO date. as any member of the club,
and his coaching has really develop
I'd into feature.
If Manager fIughie's present inten-
tons hold good. Lister will be the log
zeal rival of Tom Jones and their bat
tie mere and through the first month
OF the season will be more interest
ing affair than it seemed TO promise
week ago.
First or Nowhere for Jones.
IL the younger man wins the right
10 the regular job. u will be all on
with Thomas, for the assistant first
sacker job is going To fall 10 either
Ness or Simmons. Neither OF these
men Is IA. Jones class when II comes
TO salary aud both are youngsters
whom il will pay To develop. It's
hound to be first or nothing with the
old war horse. Simmons. Hughie
says, is sure To be on the club. and
only the other day the little manager
told Ness that there wasn't chance
in the world for him to go back To the
Wisconsin league for while yet. at
any rate. tie information being called
out by telegram from the manager
OF the aggregation for which John won
the pennant last year. The manager
wanted John back and was willing to
pay his Detroit salary. which is con-
siderable for burg like Madison
John naturally took the letter 10
Hushie for an answer.
That Ness has il on Simmons as a
fiTsi-sacker j. the general belief. as
their batting ability seems about equal.
With speed and natural equipment all
IN Moss favor. But II hardly seems
possible that the club will carry three
fIrst-sackcrs all the year round