Omaha daily bee., 1910-08-21
Zimmerman of
Cubs Plays Any
Old Position
"Heine" of Windy City is Versatile
Base Ball Player and Has Fine
Record.

All Jobs look alike to Heine Zimmerman,
the handy man Of the Chicago Cubs, one
day II is second base, the next a trial on
short or third and, Just by way of further
demonstrating his versatile qualities, the
batting favorite, better known In diamond
lore as big City" recently took a flyer
at the center field berth. No matter where
Heine is placed, he keeps right on hitting.
Heine takes just as much pride in his
fielding average as in his batting attain
ments. He's nervous Individual in both
branches of the game. At the bat Zim
positively abhors the good ones" ANY
pitcher who has tried to waste a ball on
the smuggling Heine will tell you as much,
for he dotes ON the twisters that other
careful batters would pass by unnotced.
Like Wagner. the idol Of them all. Zim-
norman is a natural free and easy bats
man. Likewise he is at home on second
base, and in the brief trial given him in
center field, he stacked up to an average
of 1000. His greatest weakness is apparent
playing the short field, conceded by many
veteran base ball men as the hardest job
of them all. Happy In the possession of
two of the greatest hands ever brought
into major league ball. Jimmie with his
tremendous speed and graceful maneuvers,
equal of Tinker, Wagner or Bush But
he's too anxious. This accounts for nine
tenths Of the wild leaves credited to him.
When Johnny Evers peer of all the sec
ond sackers, recommended Jimmie to the
Chicago management several seasons ago,
no minor leaguer ever got a better boost"
From the outset he asserted his prowess as
slugger, and many's the game that can
be called up to his pinch hitting ability.
Jimmie is nothing If not consistent. To his
way Of thinking an error is a crime.
In game on May 10 Jimmie, playing
short, vice the disabled Tinker, was guilty
of four glarbng boots" in eight chances.
And every time he went to bat he strove
to offset those miscues, succeeding fairly
well with an accumulation OF four sturdy
swats, good for total of five bases.
IL would not surprise any of the Chicago
fans to hear of Jimmie drawing a perma-
nent berth in center field before the Cubs
are many summers older. Not that Artie
Holman is falling off in his work But
Chance expressed desire to doff the role
of the playing manager, and this transition
is liable to come next spring.
In the event that "Husk" Chance re-
tires to lead his host from the bench, the
skillful Mr.. Hoffman in all probability will
shows real class in the field, cavorting
about between the veterans, Sheckard and
Schultz, prospects are bright for Heine
breaking into the picture as full Pledged
regular
OF the Cub utility artists, Jimmie is the
busiest Kane, one of the cleverest infielders
now warming a bench, has hardly been in
the game. Johnny needs no additional
schooling in the art of fielding, but his
hitting average isn't the kind that will
cast terror into the heart of any opposing
singer. Beaumont, like Jimmie, has GU
a wide swath in Chicago.
Perchance a long fly to the outfielc
will work wonders for the Cubs, In this re
spect, Beau" is a top-notcher. He knows
that sacrifice-fly business backward. for
ward, and both ways from the center
The utility men is bench warmer by
trade with nine out of ten major leagues
because the regulars, as a rule, manage
to keep in playing condition Throughout
the season. Every club must carry
corps of substitutes and in this respec
the Cubs loom up more favorably thar
any other club in major league society
Scores of tempting offers for Zimmerman
service have ratified into Murphy's greer
room since the Bronx boy first displayed
; his all-around form.
Some of the greatest twirlers in the Ma
tional league have called Heine a NOR,
dangerous batter than Wagner. Beaumon
, has fought his way up among the leader
, in batting every year until he now stand
recognized as king bee slugger. Witt
two nar-famed hitters like zim and Beau,
Chicago needs no additional pinch hitting
gentry.