Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-24
I'M DEL EHANTY LIKELY TO
PLAY THE OUTFIELD IN 1912
Tigers Slugger Will Be Shifted to Left Gar
: den If His Injured Leg Will Not
Permit Him on Infield.
SpecIal DISPATCH to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
DETROIT, December 2S.-There are
number of excellent reasons for believing
that when the next American League sea-
son opens Detroit fans will read in the
box scores: "Delehanty. l. f." OF course, 1t
is much too early as yet to predict the
lineup of the 1912 Tigers definitely
Many things can happen between now
and the middle Of April. but right now 1t
looks very much as though James the
Red. would adorn that left garden when
the umpire next calls PLAY ball. at
Bennett Park
The condition Of Delehanty's leg will
have a lot to do with the position he
plays next year. In 1911 Jim had a lot
Of trouble from the injury sustained the
previous season, and almost all year he
was badly handicapped by Inability to
cover ground in his accustomed style.
Considerable doubt has been expressed as
to whether he ever will regain the full
strength Of the injured limb, and unless
he does his days as infielder are num-
bered.
Must Start Quickly.
No man can be expected to play an in
field position unless he Is able to move
around rapidly and, above all. to start
quickly. Quick starting is the hardest
thing in the world on a weak leg, as a
large number Of big leaguers have dis
covered to their sorrow.
In the outfield the players duties are
much less exacting For one thing his
chances are fewer and there is less of
the hustling for sharply hit grounders
that is regular part Of the duties of the
first line of defense. OF course, an out
fielder is expected to be fast. but he has
nothing like SO many demands on him as
one of the fellows in the diamond, ground
balls especially coming to him at wider
angle and not nearly so fast.
Anybody who can hit the ball like
Jim Deiehanty is needed in the Dig
circuits. Right-hand sluggers Of his
caliber are SO scarce that the Amer
lean Leagues supply Of them can be
counted on the fingers of one hand.
President Navin Is far too wise to let
Jim decorate the bench or get away
entirely while some weaker batsman
is in the lineup. Hitting, after all.
is the main accomplishment of ball
player. and Jim Delehanty belongs to
the class Of sluggers par excellence:
side of the plate makes him doubly
valuable to the Tigers, a club that is
long on left-hand whackers.
Should Make Good.
If 1t is found that the Irishman can't
hold down an inf1eld Job In an ac-
ceptable manner he most certainly will
be shifted to the outfield, where he
will get his regular turn at the bat,
but will have less to do in the de-
fensive way. De. ehanty may not turn
out to be Speaker, Cobb or Milan in
the meadows. but he certainly will be
able to acquit himself as well as some
of the men who were fooling the pub
lie in suburban positions last season,
to say nothing OF hitting better than
80 per cent Of the men who were born
| to the outfield, so to speak.
Jim has expressed willingness to
play left field. or any other position
! to which he may be assigned. and to
| give the club the best he has Last
| season after Gainor was put out OF the
game and the other men who were
| tried at first base fell down, Del went
to the initial bag and played there for
about three months. He never was a
star as fielder in the strange position.
and didn't make any claims to be a
dangerous rival of Hal Chase's. He
| took care Of the routine work In fair
style, however, mixing some good plays
with q lot Of bad ones.
For weeks at a time the plucky son o.