Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-05
year. / feel confident that / will

did last year. l feel confident that will
not be forced to touch this combination.
Jennings stuck to this winning combina-
ton until 1t became apparent that the stu
alton was alarming. The team was los
ing. so Hughey deemed IL advisable to do
some shifting. Had the team been win
ming. Jennings would not have considered
changes.
Detroit fans will recall how the infield
went to pieces in 1908. Red" Killifer
and Jerry Downs came to Schaefers aid
at second. Schaefer was switched to Bill
Coughlin's corner to help. Bill was
sliding faster every succeeding day. Sam
Crawford played seventeen games on tirsr
base, and near the close OF the season
''Doni' Bush was injected into the fray
at short. and came at a time to bolster
the team and steady ii through to a sec
ond pennant
Yet the winning combination OF loot
looked good for years.
For two seasons. years in which Boston
won pennants in succession. 1903 and
1904. the Red Sox boosted of the greatest
winning combination in Candy La
chance at first. nobe" Ferris at second.
Freddie Parent at short and Jimmy Col
| Inns at third.
After Boston won the flag in 1903 Pres
ident II. w. Killilea eulogized his play
ers. and added that he would consider no
changes for 1904. Il have the best in
field in tie country" he said.
This remark must have impressed John
l. Taylor. who bought the club in 1904.
President Taylor agreed with Manager
Collins that the infield. above everything
else. was to remain intact. No one was
disturbed and the club galloped through
the league with a second gonfalon.
President Taylor believed his winning
infield would prove successful again. He
refused to consider any changes at the
start of the 1903 campaign. Before the
season was half over the Boston club
flew flag of distress The team was I'm
bad shape for an infield. Even the peer
less Collins was slipping.
President Taylor perceived that his
combination was no longer a winning one
So he started to repair. 1t was not long
before all four of the infielders lost out
Parent is the only one who managed
to stick in fast company. He is an out
fielder now with the Chicago White Sox.
There was one manager who figured
mat Jimmy Collins was still a great
third baseman. 1t was Connie Mack. He
paid $4,000 and tossed in Schoolboy Jack
knight as bargain.
Collins could not win a pennant for
Mack, but he gave the team great pres
tige. 1t did not take Mack long. how
ever. to find out that he was worsted in
the deal.
But Mack can find consolation in the
fact that Boston overlooked a bet also
Knight never did appeal TO President
Taylor and was passed up without much
OF trial. Baltimore secured the player;
he starred there and New York bought
him. Today he IS recognized as one or
the American Leagues best alI-around
players. If knight had a reliable arm
the New York club could get fancy
price for him.
There We're other great infield combi-
nations Baltimore had a fast outtield in
Jack Doyle at first. "Heine" Reitz at
second. Hughey Jennings at short AMI
John McGraw at third. This infield was
not a bit better that the Boston infielders
of 1898. Fred Tenny was holding down
first base, "Link' Lowe played second.
Herman Long was the shortstop and
Jimmy Collins cavorted around third.
And there were two seasons when the
Cubs combination, consisting of First
Baseman Frank Chance. Second Basemaa
Johnny Evers, Shortstop Joe Tinker and
Third Baseman 'Henie' Steinfeldt, look
ed like the best ever TO Detroters.
There were many other winning COM
binations which were broken up when
it was thoroughly demonstrated that their
days of usefulness had passed.
II Doc Gessler comes back. and most
every one interested in the welfare OF the
Nationals hopes SO. il Is going 10 he
Jack Lelivelt. 1T seems to be settled that
Lelivelt can't play left field The fact
that he is a poor fielder and a leftrhand-
ed thrower handicaps him in that ppsi-
ZION, ana Yet the team neeuS MS nltunE.
Gessler cant play left for virtually the
same reason. 1t may be that Le1fvelt
can be developed into a first baseman.
but he would have to show "A lot more
than he did in practice in that position.
There is some consolation. how
ever, in the fact that McAleer
is we'll fortified far right
field is concerned, for either Ges-
sler or Lelivelt is sure to make good in
that position. With Milan in center
there are two positions in the outfield
sure TO be we'll taken care of. and per-
haps Ralston will come up to expecta-
tions IN left