Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-26
FIRST BASE NO SNAP
Position Requires Player of
Nerve and Ability.
FEW TEAMS HAVE STARS
Chase Considered Greatest in Games
History-Chance's Place Is One
Which Requires Thought.

| Special Dspatch 10 The Star.
| PITTSBURG, July 26.-Despite the con-
\ tention of many we'll informed base ball
| people that first base is one of the easiest
| positions on the diamond to play, it re-
quires all the mental and physical
strength of such base ball giants as
| Chance, Chase, Davis and others of more
or less fame to meet what is expected
| of them by the public which supports
the game.
| Regardless of the fact that to the occa-
! sional visitor to a ball park the first
baseman seems to have an easy time of
it. the careful observer and student of
the game will perceive, after watching
the actions of first Sacker for a pro-
longed period. that life is not one sweet
dream for the guardian of the initial
sack after all.
Il have played first base for a number
of years. said Frank Chance, manager
of the Chicago Cubs, touching on this
subject recently, "and there isn't day
passes that l don't learn just a trifie
more. No doubt it is an easy position
to play, but there are times when a first
oaSeman is placed in a more perilous
situation than any member of the team.
Take for example a batter at the
plate, who is bent upon bunting the
ball Invariably if a man is on sec
ond or third he will bunt toward first
Now suppose the pitcher runs in and
over to almost the foul line to get the
ball There the first baseman is on the
bag waiting for the throw. He sees
ing at the same time. Occasionally the
runner gets in the way and he can't
for the life of him see the ball until
tbs on pa top Is of c him - Then the If
the bag spikes first. Then the first
baseman has also to watch out for the
other men on the bags and see that
they do not steal an extra base, all of
which happens in the fraction of min
ute So there you are"
But after all there really are not more
than few great first basemen. AL
though 1T is claimed that Chance is one
of the greatest first basemen in the
league, there is no denying the fact
that he has his weaknesses, which are
plainly apparent to the close observer of
the game.
Chance is slow on fielding difficult
ground balls. Not so, however. with his
said. takes care of many a ball that
should rightfuly be handled by "Husk."
OF course. Chance is only human, and,
like every one else. has weaknesses. but
he more than makes up for this deficien-
cy in the remarkable manner in which he
leads one of the greatest ball clubs to
victory after victory. He is also mighty
with the stick.
Ever see H. Davis play the bag? He's
not SO awfully graceful. that's admitted,
but he's there when it comes to hand
ling himself around first. Harry is rather
heavy. weighing almost 200, but he GER
ta1nly can get around the bases In
remarkable manner. Connie Mack, one
ers. is we'll satisfied with the work of
Davis. and when that wise old owl is
pleased nothing will bear more weight in
the line of recommendation.
"Bonehead" Merkle. Yes, we've all
heard of him. He's been called dub.
a wooden head and everything imagi-
nable under the sun. But getting right
down to facts, Merkle is one Of the braini-
est first basemen playing major league
base ball today. Nobody realizes this any
better than does Muggsy McGraw, who
can tell good man when he sees him
just as well as a good race horse.
Then there's old Tom Jones. Toms all
right now. but he wasn't so much when
playing the initial sack for the Browns.
At least that was what the st. Louis fans
thought. Some of the scribes, too. said
Tom was getting old-too old. in fact. to
play base ball. But then "Ee-Yah" Jen-
since Jones has been regarded as good
enough for any team in either league
Cleveland has first baseman in Stovall.
While there is nothing sensational about
his playing. he is what might be termed
a steady and reliable mana player who
does what is expected of him at the right
time, and a man who can be depended
upon in emergencies He has been on
the bench on several occasions, however,
in hopes of building up the batting de-
partment of the Maps. but it was always
discovered that Stovall was good enough
and back he went to his favorite position.
Undoubtedly Hal Chase is the greatest
fielding first baseman in either league
and great hitter as well. All around
the circuit Hal brings the crowds to
their feet by pulling off some of the
most unusual and sensational plays ever
seen on any diamond. Chase is without
peer in this line and had only one
good rival as a graceful fielder in the
last five or six years, that being "Jiggs"
Donahue,, the ex-frst baseman of the
Chicago White Sox.
Although still an unknown quantity,
Gandil of Chicago is a coming ball play
er. He has one of the strongest whips
on the diamond 1t is a pleasure to at
tend game just to see this man throw.
He is also fAst on his feet and hits the
ball harder than any man on the White
Sox team, with the possible exception of
Pat Dougherty.
Then there is konetchy of st. Louis,