Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-27
FIRST BASEMEN
ARE IN DEMAND
Several Big League Teams
Afflicted With a Shortage
in the Visible Supply.
BY W. A. Phelon.

BY w. A. Phelon.
Got a first baseman in your clothes
DIDN'T leave one at home on top OF the
piano. did you? II you can dig one up
fellow who can play the bag In shifty
fashion and can hit few. you can gel
big money for him. Oddly enough. first
basemen OF the class A quality have sud
denly become extremely scarce and valua.
Die. while few years ago they were a
drug in the market. It was taken for
granted. not so long ago, that q first
baseman needn't know how to do any
thing but catch easy throws and hit--es-
pecially hit That was plenty Minor
league first basemen were treated with
disrespect when they cut into fast COM
pany and were offered puny salaries.
First basing, in fact. was considered more
or less Of a ond-handed, second-rate
occupation-but that was some time ago.
Good first basemen have the call this
| spring. Several big teams are an to the
bad without them and you can't extract
one of the live ones from his present en-
ployers for any money. Among the clubs
that need a first Dagger Is the Giants.
but there are others.
Giant Needs.
While the Giants have two professional
first basemen and some eager young
subs. the team is, nevertheless, up
against 1t proper. Fred Tenney, once
one of the greatest players that ever
drew on the first bagman's glove, is
about through and the spring practice
does not seem to be reviving the plucky
veteran. Merkle has been subbing on
the station for two hut ho
has not even yet shown that he classes
with the masters OF the job. The young
experiments are unknown quantities,
and there you are. Looks fine for the
bull talk about getting Konetchy or Hob
litzell? Oh. choke that noise!
Brooklyn has Big Tim Jordan, who Is
all O. r., and also has a good minor
Lacquer named Daubert Daub, old boss,
is not chicken, having first based for
many years. but he is said to have the
goods and be ready to deliver them.
Why not fork him over to the Giants?
Well, IL the Giants couldn't go and find
a first baseman at drafting time, whose
fault Is it they haven't one now, and
why should Brooklyn cough up a player?
The Boston Nationals don't even know
yet just what they will do for a first
baseman and are crying aloud for one.
They need a lot OF other players on that
Boston team, but they sure do need
first Dagger.
More Sorrows.
That erudite and foxy leader. Mr.. F.
Leroy Chance. isn't shy on first base
men, though He IS all there himself of
course, but, just to be sure In case of
fire. he has whopping male named
Luderus, who looms up as one Of the
best grabs from the little leagues. Would
oa,r orf, IN,
Chicago, but useful here, to New York?
Yes. he would, in pigs sunbonnet
Cincinnati is all right. Dick Hobitzell
is the real walloping kid, and can play
we'll Off with Bransfeld, but he is be-
ginning to get little slow, and the
Quakers would like to have nice young
man to bring up in the way that he
should follow.
The champion Pirates are in trouble.
They fired their first Dagger, and now
they don't know whether Flynn, the man
they are trying out, will do or will prove
fivver. Down at st. Louis they are
all to the good, for Eddie Konetchy is a
star both on the bag and at Whanging
the leather on the heavy pedal.
Happy stallings.
The New York Americans are all right,
for Hal Chase is right in the zenith Of
his playing powers. This boy Is a mas
ter of the bag. and the Highlanders are
finely fixed while Halibut is in the game
Boston's Red Sox are well or with
Jake Stabilize big boy can cover the
bag superbly. and seems to be getting
better all the time as slugger. Connie
Mack still relies on Harry Davis, a most
artistic and capable player. but one who
is beginning to grow old. Mack wouldn't
object to training a promising youngster
for the furture.
McAleer. at Washington is perplexed.
Bob Lnglaub is pretty good first
baseman, but is also useful in other
places, and Jimmy would be delighted to
lard fresh and ambitious juvenile
Comskey's two great first basemen,
ISbell and Donohue, are both gone now
and he is trying to train new star from
bunch OF candidates, with only prob
lematical success. At Cleveland, Mr.
CURE, although owning a good first base
man-Stovall--is thinking of putting La
joie on the base, SO that Turner can
work on second.
The champion Tigers are worried, in
asmuch as Tom Jones is slowing up and
getting a little listless. Jennings would
he glad to hear from a lively kid with
first base ability.
ST. Louis will try National League
observation-disclosures may make good
with him, or may fail. O'Connor wouldn't
mind having a sturdy youngster in re-
serve.
Great chances for young first basemen
these days, if there were only a few
such to be found.