The Washington herald., 1911-02-05
RECORD LEADERS
AT THIRD BASE
BY GEORGE r. DEWITT.

Editor Who's Who in Baseball.
1t is generally conceded by baseball au.
thorities that third base is the hardest o.
the corners to play. If fielding percent
ages are to fix the relative difficulty
of the nine positions. they would leac
one to believe that third base is the
hardest of all positions to field.
Harry Steinfeldt, playing with Chicago
National in 1907. led third basemen IL
fielding with .a67, the highest fielding
percentage ever made in major leagues
Bill Bradley, the famous third basemar
of the Cleveland Americans, who lee
American League third basemen in 1901
1905. 1896, 1909. and 1910, came within .00l
per cent of it when he made 800 in 1906
Harry Arndt. who led National League
third basemen while playing with St
Louis in 1906 made 81
These three occasions are the only in
stances in which the third base fielding
per cent has been over .959 in either
league since 1871.
In every other position in tire field the
record percentage of fielding has been
higher than that made at third base
Catchers have made $50; ten catchers
have fieIded 1000: First Baseman Chance
fieded .996 last year: Second Baseman
Lajoie made .99l in 1865; ShortStop Turner
made .9.3 last year: Leftielders Pat
Dougherty and Fred Clarke made 9S7 in
1906 and 1a0., respectively Centerfielder
Harry Bay made $50 in 1901, and Right
fielder Schultz, of Chicago. made .992 in
1905. And the highest at third base was
So
Taking the records of fielding at third
and the records of chances accepted and
comparing these with records of the
other infield positions it will be seen that
third base has fewer chances than the
others. First Baseman Donahue, of the
Chicago Americans. accepted 1,9S6 chances
in 1907; Second BaSeman Lajoie. of Cleve-
land. accepted 9SS chances in 1905; Short
stop Allen, of Philadelphia National. &C
cepted $50 chances in 1882, while Third
Baseman Jimmy Collins. of Boston Ma
tional, has the record of col chances in
1892
Players who have eXcelled at this dan
ger corner have all been expert fielders
and especially finc throwers. For that
distance from third to first in speed and
accuracy is the great test that is equaled
only by that required from the catcher
10 SetcIf 10 ntau OH steal IL was
such speed and deadly accuracy that
made Jake Evans famous for his wonder
full throws from right field to first base;
that is the daily routine of a third base
man.
The most famous men at third have all
been noted for throwing as we'll as field
ing. Ed Williamson, who led in 1850, 1881,
1852. and 1885 while playing with Chicago.
came within few inches of Jack Hat
fields famous throw of 133 yards / foot
~ inches when he threw 133 yards II
inches in 1885, Ezra Sutton. the third
baseman on the pennant- nt-winning old
Bostons before 1876. was both thrower
and batter. Will White. who led in 1874
while with Baltimore, was one of the few
ball players who wore spectacles. Anson,
who was a third baSeman before he was
the first baSeman that the ball-playing
world knows him. led in 1871 when with
the Rockfords and in 1877 with Chicago.
Bob Ferguson, catcher, third baSeman.
manager, and umpire. graduated from
the great Brooklyn school, where he led
at third with the Atlantics in 1873 John
Morrill,, of Boston, led in 1879, and he,
like Anson, was a leader at third before
he went to first where he led twice.
Jerry Denny, one of, the few who led
three times, was the idol of the men of
his day, and there are those of the pres
ent who urge his claims for the leader,
basing their estimates on his record with
the great infield of Cleveland and with
st. Louis, and Indianapolis.
T. j. Esterbrook, who tied Denny for the
lead in 1886 when with New York, came
from the old Metropolitans. where he left
a record of batting .4GS in 1854.
Arthur Whitney, who led in 1887 while
with Pittsburg, was on the pennant-
New Yorks at third in 1888 and
lSS9 Nash, who led while with Boston in
1888 and again in 1894, was close up on
the leaders when Boston led in 1891, 1892,
and 1893, just before Baltimore wrested
the lead from Boston for the three years
1884, 1895, and 1886.
McGarr led in 1890 with Boston and
again in 1893 with Cleveland. In 1891 c.
he had led at second the year
previous. Then in 1892. twenty years ago.
the leader was Bill Dahlen, playing with
Chicago, who appears again as the leader
of shortstops, with Brooklyn. in 1900.
Lave Cross in his twelve years at third
base led five times. tying Bill Bradley
for first in frequency of leads. In 1885
Ind 1886 he was with Philadelphia and in
1899 and 1900 with St Louis, Cleveland.
and Brooklyn and again with Philadel-
phia American in 1903.
Kansas City had the leading third
baseman in the American League in 1900,
and his $40 Is the lowest percentage with
which an American League third base
man has topped the players. though
who led the National League
players in 1901, made exactly the same
hgure. In 1901 Bill Bradley began his
i've years of leads at third bsse, cover
ng also 1906. 1906. 100, and $50. The lead
ITS in 1SG were 0reminger, for Boston
Nationals. and Jimmy Collins, for Bos-
on Americans. Collins vies with Bill
8radley for honoss &C third IN the last-
NATION CAFE
DINNER DAII1, - - 10 Z. Il