The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1911-05-26
Real Stars Come Every Year.
nv TOn1N1Y CLARK.


yearsY" said n prominent National
lengue baseball man recently to the
writer 1T may seem facetious, but
nevertheless Is true Just go back
over the list and you will see that
there have been but two extraordinary
players developed during this space OF
time. and one OF them is pitcher.
my point IL easily taken and to my
way of thinking is easily proved. These
last Ave years both men have gone to
and been developed In the American
league. One OF them Is Walter John
son of Washington, that marvellous
pitcher and perhaps the greatest of
this year and former years. The 9th
or player is Ty Cobb Of Detroit.
''The half decade from 1900 to 1905
brought out Pitcher Ed Walsh OF the
White Sox and Second Baseman John
ny Evers Of the Cubs. I would like
to include Pitchers Mathewson OF the
Giants, but really believe that Ed
Walsh tops him. You see. he hasn't
the club behind him that the other
two fellows have. 1t takes lot OF
pitching to win a game for the Sox,
especially last year and the one be-
fore.
ITO return to Johnson-he never
was heard OF until Joe Cantillon signed
him up. Straight from the deserts Of
Idaho he lugged Walter, and johnson
has been star ever since. He has
not got what you call a marvellous
team behind him, but his winning
average Is close to 800, and he has
worked in big lot Of games too.
cobb, Speaker, Lajoie and the other
magnificent batters Of the American
league find him hard proposition to
face. Pat Dougherty and Billy Sulli-
van Of the Chicago Americans, who
are pretty fine sluggers, cannot do any
thing but Whit when they get up
against Johnson.
Lots of the time he doesn't need
many curves. His straight, fast ball
is enough to battle most Of the batters.
In a series with the White Sox In
Washington last summer don't think
ne threw fifteen curve balls the whole
game. But when he has to he can put
on every kind Of dress that ball can
stand.
"There is no need telling Of the mer-
Its Of Ty Cobb. He has figured In
countless column baseball stories. It's
cold day when some kind Of layout
can't be woven around Tyrus."
Z During the discussion several took
exception to the baseball mans re-
marks. They claimed that he was
unfair; that IL he counted in only two
players every FIVE years that would
make about fourteen players Of that
caliber since the National league open
ed.
That's not the point" continued the
baseball man. II wanted to figure in
1.-THE real. top notch. amazing stars.
They don't come any faster than that.
Before Walsh and Evers in that gen
GRAFTON from 1895 to 1900 l would in.
clude Lajoie of Cleveland and Wagner
of Pittsburg. Others whom would
place In the list are Comiskey, Clark.
son. Kelly. Jennings, Arson and Rad
bourne.
II don't mean this as any knock
against the other players. It's the
same as classifying the great actors
or the great presidents. don't think
Sir Henry Irving would have justice
done him If you compared another
tragic actor Of good ability with him.
Sir Henry was a star of the first mag
nitude. just as Walter Johnson and
Cobb are in their profession"
The baseball man has failed to men
ton Johnny McGraw and Willie Kee-
Ter. The former was one Of the great
est third basemen that ever lived.
while Keller was great outfielder. a
wonderful batter and one Of the speed.
est base runners baseball ever pro-
duced. As for Christy Mathewson, his
equal as a pitcher will probably never
be found. For twelve seasons he has
been doing mound duty. and today he
is still without a superior. johnson Is
a marvel. and so Is Walsh. but Matty
outclasses them. johnson may or may
not surpass Mathewson In years to
come. but he will have to so some to
do it. 1t is mainly through Matty's
great work in the box that the Giants
have been so well up in the race for
years
Then how about Eddie Collins, the
Athletics second baseman? He Is a
wonderful batter. base runner and one
of the brainiest young men that ever
appeared on the diamond. And there
is still another-Russell Ford of the
New York Americans. Today he is
the peer of all spitball twirlers, and in
another season he will stand the heavy
hitters of his league on their heads.
When going over the list of great
balTplayers one cannot leave out Fred
Clarke. Show us one left fielder that
has anything on the Pirates manager
in any way. How about Hal Chase?
A more spectacular first baseman new
er appeared in baseball. There Is no
way OF figuring out how often wonder.
full ball players may pop up. There
may be one this season. who knows?
So He Kills Them Both.
Louisville, KY, May 20.-Splittine
"a