The Washington herald., 1911-01-22

Editor Of who's Who in BASEBALL
tCopnisht lsl1. b. National Weekly Later Buresu
In turning from the nattering and
seemingly extravagant estimates Of early
players by early scribes, and seeking
the rise and fall Of baseball players for
nearly fffty years, It II surprising upon
how few points these old experienced
men agree. But this difference of opin-
ion serves to show that these old fans
have formed opinions Of their own and
have not blindly followed the lead OF
others.
Hence. when a very large majority OF
these ardent followers Of the game. who
live as fully on the bleachers to-day a.
they ever did In the days Of their youth
who watch the fine points Of the game
as keenly and as critically as ever. and
who give their judgment Of the relative
merits Of players Of this year Impair.
tally and justly-when these men agree
that any individual was the one creates,
player that the game has ever known
the historian Of the game must give
great weight to their opinions.
II this Is to be ones guide in deciding
what. second baseman was the greatest
IN the history of the game. one Is forced
to say that the honor belongs to Fred
Dunlap. And AZ one seeks to verify thts
almost universal high estimate Of Dun
laps skill and searches the professional
record OF this idol of the old fans.
there is much to justify the enthusiastic
praise, even in the cold-blooded oncial
records
Graduated from the City Lots.
From the time when this neglected vail
for Dunlap was an orphan almost from
infancy-was learning the game at ten
years Of age on the lots on the outskirts
OF Philadelphia. he was then easily the
leading player among his childish team
mates. -s
1t was there that a scout-yes; they had
them in those days. too-found him play
ing dazzling game at second among
the amateurs a few years later. and. II
was not long before he was ono of the
famous quartet on the infield of the old
Cleveland Nationals with Jerry Denny,
John Glasscock, and Bill Phillips.
1t was at Clevelend that Lucas coaxed
him and Mccormick. the pitcher. to leave
the Nationals and to cast in tAeir lot
with the Inflated Unions In 1884. And
after that It was the St. Louis Browns,
Detroits, and Pittsburgs. where he led
second baSemen or the Nat1onol League
in 1885. 1887. and 1883.
Swift and Accurate Throw.
Dunlap could throw with the speed Of Q
bullet and the accuracy Of q trained
He could bat, too. as his "a in
1881, rs in 1888, go with the Unions In 1884.
and 326 In 1857 well show. And. strangest
of all, though he could not read or even
write his name, he was pre-eminent
among players for his knowledge Of the
subtleties and technicalities Of the game.
II ever there was a scientific baseball
player it was Fred Dunlap.
In fact, he knew nothing else but the
game for which he had neglected every
thing. himself neglected, and his quick
ness of action and the sureness Of his
throwing were surpassed only by the
alertness of his mind and the accuracy
of his judgment He caught equally
well with both hands, and could put the
bah on q player sliding to second as
well with his left as with his right hand
The great suppleness Of his splendidly
developed body and his pfodigious and
unsupported strength enabled Dunlap to
cover an ara around second that. In
the opinion Of men who have seen them
all. has never been equaled.
But II one is confined to the records,
and II the credit Of the leading second
baseman is to 60 to the player who has