New-York tribune., 1911-01-21
TIMELY BITS Of SPORT
McGraw Trades Shafer for
Shean, Of the Doves.
TENNEY GETS YOUNGSTER
New York Club Profits, However,
by the Addition of a Seasoned
Second Baseman

SeCOnQ BdSeman.
Fred Tcnney did not look n his former
chief in vain when he came 10 New York
cunning for new baseball material IN
strengthen his Boston team. He got Ar
thur Shafer. one OF McGraw's sparkling
young infielders. but was conpelled IN nav
dearly by giving UP a seasoned second
haseman in David Shean. who will don the
uniform of the Giants next year.
Judging from previous performances il
looks as though the Little Napoleon got
the best Of the deal. At any rate he has
strengthened his team by adding shean to
the roster. Shafer is undoubtedly n player
Of great possibilities. or otherwise McGraw
would not have kept him in tow for two
years. As substitute infelder on the Giants
Shafer has played brilliantly at times The
New York infeld has stuck together so
well, however, that the youngster has had
little more than half a chance 10 show
what he could do. not playing in more than
a dozen games either season.
While his fielding has been brilliant. he
has proved to be decidedly weak with the
stick. although his base running has been
vice to the club by substituting for In
jured players on the bases. As a pinch
hitter or any kind of a hitter he was OF
little worth.
Tenney evidently believes Shafer will de-
velop into brilliant player, and is willing
to take a chance The youngster is more
than likely TO do so if given the oppor-
tunity McGraw, with Fletcher warming
the bench and his regulars doing good
work, has little use for Shafer
Shean is 2 graduate Of Fordham Univer-
sity and was tried out at the beginning Of
his career BY Connie Mack lie did not
come up to tho latter's expectations. how
ever, and was turned loose the Philadel-
phia Nationals swapping him UP. shean
performed brilliantly for the PhIlics but
with Knabe on hand. It was decided TO
trade him 70 Boston for Bates
Last season Shean was one OF the fastest
and most accurate fielders among the sec
ond basemen OF the league He played
regularly and proved to he remarkably
consistent. He maintained a fielding aver
age Of .9o3 standing above Evers and Zim-
norman. of the Cubs; Miller, OF the RI
rates, and Larry Doyle, Of the Giants He
covers A tremendous amount Of territory in
his position, and has quick undcrhanded
throw which kills off the runners at first
with a deadly certainty.
AS a hitter ne did nothing remarkable
having an average OF only 80 last year
He played I'm liS games was at bat 5i3
times and scored 20 runs. His l3O hits went
for total OF lS5 bases, there being twelve
doubles, seven triples and three home runs.
He made seventeen sacrifice hits He
showed some ability as a base runner, pill
fering sixteen bags
McGraw will find Shean HANDY man TO
have on call. Being we'll seasoned PLAYER,
he will prove q valuable substitute IN case
Of injury TO any Of the regulars. Shean's
weakness in hitting is due to a large ex-
tent TO his peculiar style Of batting, as he
has tendency 20 stand away from the
plate and does not step in 10 the ball
Under the tutelage Of MCGraw he may de.
velOp into a good hitter.
Word comes from Cincinnati that the
promoters Of last falls all-star baseball
series that was not played are unable to
get their money out OF bank because Chris
tie Mathewson, Ty Cobb. Chief Bender.
Speaker and other prominent players will
not surrender the certified checks.
Charles Webb Murphy, owner OF the Chi
cago cubs and a member OF the National
League rules committee, has asked the
fans for suggestions on changes in the
code. He himself suggests that the run
ner be allowed 10 overrun second and third
bases, the same as first base
otto Knabe. who has been holding OUT
signed a contract with the Phillies yester-
day at a big increase in sal5fy.
Johnny Coulon. who SAYS he is tho ban
tam weight champion of this country, has
accepted tentative offer to make his FIRST
appearance in England against an Austria
liam bantam to be named by Hugh Nc
Intosh.
The hockey scvens ~ Yale and Cornell
will face each other at the 81. Nicholas
Rink this evening for their game in the
intercollegiate championship series. Cor
nell won three games from Yale in chi
cago during the holidays.
Tho loo-yard metropolitan swimming
championship will be decided tonight I'm
the tank Of the City Athletic Club. Charles
NJ. Daniels is entered among others.
Robert Mclean defatd Edmund Lamy.
the champion speed skater, in two races AZ
Clvelsnd late on Thursday evening The
Chicago boy beat his rival in both the half
mile and one mile races.