The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-04-17

" play In right field, although doubt.
less there have been men who played
the bastmon better and men who
threw more accurately.
No one will question the assertion
that Cobb covers as much ground as
any player ever did. and as he catches
almost everything he reaches. and
reaches lots OF balls that other iiclu.
ers could not reach. | don't see what
more any one could ask Of him. He
has good throwing arm. and, what =
better. he Is not afraid to use H. lie
lets 20 of the ball the minute he
knows where he is going to throw,
aud he usually throws to the right
place On recovering long and short
hits 20 the outfeld the Detroit man
has few equals.
Now. | want to say something about
this spiking business Don't ever le,
any one tell you that Cobb purposely
spikes bascmcn. He Is too good a
sportsman for anything like that. and
tha; he Is q sportsman was proven by
his letter on the spike question 10
President Johnson OF the American
league. He was willing 10 have the
spikes dullcd although he knew that
such action would slow him up in his
play.
Cobb slides to a base with the in.
tcntion of getti there, and getting
safely He does. take more space
on the baselines tnin is coming to
him. To be sure. he never refuses
TO slide because the baseman is in
his way. but he would not be sue.
ccssful baSerunner II he Stacked up
10 avoid possible collision with an
awkward fielder or on some unusual
play. Besides. Cobb is taking even
uiore chances in his daring slides than
is the man waiting to tag him.
Nerve Of Al Brand.
one OF The most important assets
Of the great ball player is possessed
by Cobb to a wonderful degree. This
is nerve. He Is not afraid OF any
pitching and it seems TO delight him
20 be in pinch. with his teams
fate hanging in the balance.
Cobb Is better ball player today
than he was two years ago. He will
be better ball player this year than
he was last This is because he is q
student He is willing to learn some
thing new about baseball every day
OF his life. and he Is willing To be
shown his faults and told about his
mistakes. OF these latter he makes
far less now than he did when hi
first broke into fast company. iis
has had good teachers and good ex
amples, and he has not failed to TAKE
advantage OF his opportunities tC
cram baseball knowledge into his
head.
This is a day OF great ball players
and there are many who could be nam
ed In the same breath with Cobb with
out disgracing the latter. Two OF III,
best of the present day are Eyers o
the Chicago Cubs and Wagner OF tn,
Pittsburg club.
Evers Ranks Close to Cobb.
/ consider Evers almost In a class
with the Detroit man. There neye
existed brainicr player than the Chi
! cago National league teams secon'
basemau and the two things that move
me TO name Cobb as his superior ar,
Ty's batting ability and speed. Ever
thinks as much OF the game and stud
les 1t as closely as any of them. II,
always knows why he made pla.
and knows why he is going to max,
one, and he seldom goes wrong In mai
tiers OF Judgment. He is wonderful
helder, in fact. the king of secon'
basemcn, in my opinion. While no
on CobO's level as batsman. he is
dangerous one, because he also ha
plenty OF nerve and good baseball
sense.
Wasncr's great all round proves
Is too Well known to need a great dea
OF comment, He is a terror to pitcher,
because Of his marvellous batting eye
He apparently is able to see the sean
on the ball all the way up to the plat,
and pitchers fool him SO seldom tina
they hardly think 1t worth while I,
try. Wagner Is another OF the clean
up batters and is Of inestimable valu,
to his team. He is a baseball genius
one whose instinct guides him arigh
In the innumerable questions tha
come up daily In game and that mus
be answered without hesitancy.
= Wagner Is among the best Of tn,
games shortstops. past and present