The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1912-01-04
EDDIE COLLINS is
zs BEST AMONG BEST
Connie Macks Stellar In6elder Has Hunch on Ty Cobb
When 1t Comes to Showing Real Class Under Every
Condition-Leads Infelders

II there Is anything in the theory that
a wonderful infielder Is Of more value
to team than a wonderful outfielder,
then Eddie Collins is the greatest player
in America.
1t Is only the fact that Ty Cobb IL the
best player Of the epoch, a player who
does SO many audaciously clever things
in batting, base running and fielding,
othat possibly gives him better right to
the title of the king OF baseball. He 10
simply such an exceptional outfielder
that the rule doesn't apply to him.
Up to the time Connie Mack coaxed
Collins from Columbia. Wagner and
Lajoie had for years reigned as the I'M
disputed kings Of the infield. They could
both bat and field In an extraordinary
fashion, and while some rival inner
works were conspicuous for q brief time,
they never had real rival until the
coming of Collins. Even today. al
past thirty. they are the only infeid
rivals that Collins has.
The youthful Collins ana the veterans,
Wagner and La1oie, form the greatest
,ne Se. Of Il 9hrse ne not because of his
youth, but for his superiority In run
getting and timely batting. He Is also
more active in the field, and covers
more ground than the veterans. great
It must not be Inferred that there are
not other valuable infielders Who COM
bine both hitting and fielding ability.
Hoblitzeli. OF the Reds; Lord. Of the
White Sox; Chase, Of the Highlanders:
Kcnetchy. of the Cardinals. Doyle. of
tho Giants, and several others have a
high ranking; but the only infelders
year in and year out. and at the Same
time renk as masters in fielding. are
Collins. Wagner. and Lajoie.
Big Hunch ON Cobb.
Collins has a big bunch on Cobb in
that he doesn't forget everything he
knows about baseball in a worlds
series. Cobb was a failure in every
worlds championship in which he
played.
Eddie's fancy fielding and batting
were greatly responsible for the Ath-
letics whipping the Cubs in 1910. Last
fall Collins was a trifie Ell; attic In his
fielding. He made some errors, every
It was noticeable, however that Eddie
didn't fall down or the hard ones He
made a stop of Doyle in the second
game in New York that saved Connie
no denying Collins invaluable hitting In
the series. Nearly every lick that shot
from his bat hit the Giants In vital
spot.
In the first game in Philadelphia, re-
member II was Collins who started the
wrecking of Marquard. Two Were down
in the sixth when Eddie touched OF the
winning batting rally by polling two.
the rest. His home-iun punch over the
right field fence completed what Collins
started, and Collins must be entitled to
no small share of the credit for the VIC
tory.
Eddie Starts Another Rally.
The next day in New York Eddie
started the rally that beat Mathewsor
| for the first time in a world series. One
was out when he sliced out a single to
left. Baker and Davis followed with
hits, which. coupled with a pair Ct er.
rors gave the champions two runs ane
| victory.
In Philadelphia. when the series wa,
| resumed, the Athletics beat the Giants
4 to 2. With two out in the NTH, Col
Inns smote single and scored OF
Mattbewson and ciinched the game for
| the Mackmen. In the concluding con
| test. Collins figured In the run-gettint
! in the seventh inning, when the Athlet
les piled up s seven runs; mi. rso,,a, tina
| Collins hit steadily and timely through
| out the series, his batting being next tc
Bakers in value to the team.
| The series only again proves that Col
| Inns Is equal to the most severe tests
In the important game Of the season
| the game which is greatly needed b!
| the Mackmen, Collins is alwayN thu
| pacemaker. At least in a critical aerie.
j he is even q more dependable player
than Cobb. Records of the two players
| show II.
Collins batted 1865 last season. He II
| one of the few players in the game with
| out a weakness. He Is the undisputec
I monarch Of second base. No other key