The Detroit times., 1913-03-11
Not a One Has Retained Job at
Which He Started Play
ing Baseball
bush HAS STUCK IN ONE
PLACE LONGEST OF ANY
|Gainer Was All Over Except at
First Before Entering Pro-
fessiOnal League
6y RALPH L. YONkER.

BY RALPH L. YONkER.
GUEFPORT. Miss, March 1.-THE
Tigers infield has been assembled
rom a motley crew OF inner garden
srs. not one Of which Is now playing
he position at which he started.
Some OF the men have been shifted
wo or three times. Some have been
bhifted only from one job to another
BIN one side OF the iniield Others
have been shifted from one side oil
he inner garden to the opposite.
Judging from the men who consti.
ute the regular working iMfeld and
hose who are picked to make good
his season with the Tigers. the prop
pr way for mar 10 learn to play any
position Is TO ctart at the opposite
ide OF the diamond. To play first,
tart at third. Or, to play second,
TART at shortstop. go TO third and
hen to first.
The handicap OF changing from one
ide of the field doesn't seem 10
bother much according TO the dope
PRESENTED.
Del Gamer, the brilliant first sack
pr, never played first before In his
lie until he decided to 20 into pro-
essional baseball. He had caught
nd played all over the inilNl and in
he outfeld with teams in mis- home
own, Elkins, w. Va. Something put
ne idea into his head that he would
IKE 10 play first SO he wrot--ette
manager of the Grafton team In West
Virginia. saying that he wanted job
5 first baseInan.
When asked for some information
bout his ability to play that position.
Del replied that he had been a catch
T., a second baseman, shortstop. and
utfielder and therefore he felt quail
ed to play first. He made good
rom the start. was grabbed by De-
roit, tried out, sent to Fort Wayne
or some experience for year and
hen brought back TO the Tigers.
Bill Louden, the regular second
acker, who is meeting opposition for
is lob in the work Of Harry Stanley,
he man gained in the waiver ne,
rom the ST Louis Browns. was
brought TO the Tigers last year as a
bird baseman and he would have
made good at the hot corner had he
been a little steadier In his pegging.
As II was he looked so bad at the
rginning OF the past year that he
yould have been let go had not Jim
belahanty, second baseman. been
ound to be slipping. AS there was
10 one TO take Jim's place. In case he
vent back. I.ouden had to be held.
his was fortunate. for when tried out
I second he proved to be a star. He
eIded one whole series perfectly in
)etroit. II he can improve his hit
ing a little this year he will be one
IN the brightest second sackers In
he league. while last year he was q
tzzle on the other side Of the dia-
kteHa
DOME Bush, who was built to be a
hortstop, fell into his logical position
he most quickly OF any OF the Tiger
nfielders. Bush was third baseman
yhen he first broke INTO professional
baseball with the Saginaw team in
he South Michigan league. 1t was
MY a short time. however, before hr
oined South Bend and there became
shortstop. position that he has
occupied ever since.
Neither George Moriarty nor Char-
e Deal nor Oscar Wit, the avaiiaDie
bird basemen, started In playing IN
re position they are now deslrous OF
nhabiting.
Moriarty was an outfielder when
he Rrst began playing professional
baseball with the Springfield club in
he Three Eye league. He became a
bird baseman when he was sent to
Toledo and later played first base for
he New York Americans. alternating
between that position and the op-
rosite corner. With the Tigers he
,as played at third and at first also
although third Is his logical position.
Charlie Deal was second basemon
,ntil Just before he Joined the
kdrian club In the South Michigan
sague. Charlie never considered
ilmself anything but keystone man
,ntil n bush league club manager told
i'm he belonged at third base rather
han at second and ordered him to 20
hver and try It. Deal made sue
esq at the hot corner from the start
Oscar witt doesn't have tn go back
rs his career with the Tigers TO show
record for both infield and outfield
.ositions that few can equal In mum.
Der or variety.
Oscar started with the Tigers as q
II VOTtStOV. OefUe put IN '""' "O'~
when Bush failed to show mp for
! prine work laat season. He was en-
gaged as a thiid baseman but did SO
well at short that It was deemed ad
isable to keep him there until Bush
reported. When there appeared to
lie no place in the inAeld open to him
Oscar was sent to the outfield and
created q sensation there by his spec,
tacular work. Then 1t was found
that he was needed at second base
and he Inhabited that part OF the ter
ritory for q while. Now he is gen
orally considered as all around handy
man, both for the infield and for the
outfeld.
Stanley. the very promising inheld
sr who IL making his first stab at
Tiger job this spring and who seems
TO have that stab well placed In the
heart Of said Job, was touted as