The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-03
FIRST BASE HARDEST POSITION
 TO FILL IN THE BIG LEAGUES
By MONTY

1 Of St. Louis are all splendid performers,
 and Philadelphia and Cincinnati are not badly fixed with Luderus and Hoblitzelie. respectively working at the corner.
 The American league has really only one man who can always be counted upon to | play that compares with the three Ma l tional league stars, and he is Hal Chase of New York, who can give them all a little handicap and then some. "Stuffy" Jack McInnes, who performed so bril- liantly for the Athletics in the successful 1911 campaign would seem on the strength of his showing to date to be classed among the best of them all. Without passing judgment on his ability 1t must
 be said that he has not yet been in the
 big arena long enough to justify an un- qualified declaration that he is sure to travel at equal speed with Merkle, Dau- bert, Konetchy and company. Del Gainer, who holds the fort at pillow number one for tho Detroit Tigers, figures up almost the same as McInnes. Germany Schaefer. the comical initial sack guardian of the Washington Senators, IS witnessing the decline of his star, but Clark Griffith will probably keep him on the same job during the coming season.
 Frank Chances retirement from the field of play makes the Chicago Cubs about the most undecided crew of all 80 far as the first baseman is concerned. The peerless leader experimented in variety of ways last season in order 10 turn up a worthy successor for himself. but without success. He was obliged even to step in himself and work in g games during the season because of the failure of the experimentees to deliver The trading of Johnny King to Boston put him In the necessity of having to abandon his plan of making a first base man out of Jimmy Archer. as the latter then became needed behind the bat. Artie Hoffman was brought in from the outheld for service in 35 of tho games, and the worlds greatest all round artist per- formed in better than passable style. But Hoffman was needed in the outfield and to the outfield he went. while the youngster Victor Safer. was put at duty on the ini- tial cushion. Safer was there for i3 games. but showed many palpable short comings and the indications are that he will not be a regular this year. Still he vets remains a possibility, as also does
 Hoffman, but some Chcagoans stake their predictions on the person of Heine Zm- merman, who held down second base dur ing the lions share of 1911. The Cubs in last analysis are the Chinese puzzle of the year in respect to, their first sacksr.
 The Pittsburg Pirates were up against 1t strictly on the first base proposition last year. and many venture the opinion that that was all that kept them from beating out both the Giants and Cubs and copping the pennant McKechnie and Hunter. two fedglings. worked at first most of the season. but they were found wanting and Hans Wagner had to be shifted over to the sack. thus breaking up the Pirates great combination in the other infeld positions. The Pirates have several recruits for the job this year, and Fred Clark will probably carry at least one of them to give him a fair trial: :: then there is alsd e stability that he may attempt to nNae1 a lfrst baseman out of Mike Donln. Alialu tie kirates se- cured from Boston feR Niracut Campbell The Chicago Wlite T were in a quan- sdary throughout la*s ifor er the inl.