The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-05-12
BALL PLAYER OF
TODAY NO FASTER
THAN Of OLD
Expert Farnbaker Digs Up Ghosts
Of Old Time Diamond
Stars
By NJ. J. Farnbaker.

make no prctCnsions to an exemp-
ion fran rules governing the
lay" I'll tumble into line ! have
cen requested to contribute an arti-
lie on baseball, telling how much,
= how little | know about it.
I'm going u specialize and asset
nat as a general rule the ball play
+ Of today IS not one whit faster
han h was years ago.
may be as lonely as Cache
'rGek Channel Catfish in making
he statement but | have an awful
trong "hunch" that the dope" is
lead right. In fact, I'll make the
tatem1nt stronger and more ex-
alvin, Bobby Matthews. Amos Ru-
+ has not made any advancement
he still plays by custom" This
talk of science" is pure rot There
Is no doubt a system when ap-
olied to the owners Of the many big
nbs-they're not in the game for
hei~ "health" but for big bust
lcss" reasons.
Supply Is Limited
The ball player has not advanced
IN playing ability because the sup
ply has not kept pace with the de-
nand--that's the reason why.
In making the statement that the
average ball tosser of today shows
10 Improvement in form over those
If long ago, ! will be found in good
ompany-Adrian c. Arson ana
'harles Comiskey.
There Is no Baseball Joshua that
has commanded the ballyard hero
o stand still" yet it is patent to
hose acquainted with the players
If past and present that the player
has not made any advancement
kept in the matter of salary and
'boneheadedness."
Disinter the Dead,
/ m now going to disinter from
he baseball graveyard many of the
bright lights of the past and flaunt
them in the face of those who claim
or assert that the ball player of to-
lay can show an improvement in
form over those of Eye olden times"
Where are the catchers of today
That can compare with Buck Ewing,
harley Bennett, Silver Flint, King
Kelly or Charley Cancel?
Where are the pitchers that can
hold a candle to Timothy J. Keefe
Mickey Welsh, Lady Bald
win, Tom Ramsey, Old Hoss Rad
bourne, Bobby Carruthers, Jimmy
Calvin, BODY Matthews, Amos Rusie
sic. Jouett Meekin. John G.. Clarkson
and our own Long John Healey.
Where are the first sackers that
AN play the position like Roger Con-
lor' Dan Brouthers, Ralph Orr or AL |
Where Is the Glass?
Show me the guardians of +ba
econd station who can class with |
'red Dunlap. Hardy Richardson |
red Fuller, Fred Pfeffer or Danny |
richardson?
And where are the third sackers
hat could get look-in with .Ierr,
Jenny, Dude Esterbrook, Ed VIII |
hanson or Arlie Latham?
came near overlooking the
stor-shorters. j" Jack Glassccrr was
he greatest The world has ever
cen. Wagner the Pittsburg "Flv-
ng Dutchman" comes nearer +, the
,anGard than any player ever seen
'nte GlasscocA's time.
Oh! You Curt Welch.
As for outer gardeners there
ises the shade of Curt Welch of theI
Id st. Louis Browns--four time
cnnant winners. WEIGH has Tv
Obj, Joe Jackson and TrlsN Sneaker
eat to a fragile" when it comes to
lifting, fielding and base running
here were other great feIders in
he past O'Neil, Seery, Dalrymple.
uinn, Browning, Gore, and then
lichael ]. Kelly alternated behind
ne bat and outfied.
As for hitting, sight me" the
ne batsmen of today that can
paste" the ball as hard and con-
silently as Conner, Brouthers.
thompson. Rowe, White, Danny
% Hardy Richardson, Orr, ONen,
lasscock, Dunlap, Welsh, Arson,
ely, Ewing Denny. Browning,
williamson Gore DaIrvmnIe ma