The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-02-12
Says there Never Was a Quartet
that Could Compare
With Them
STOVALL AND LAJOIE;
BRADLEY AND TURNER
These Men are Not Surpassed
Even by the Athletics
Stars
BY RALPH l.. YoNKER.
stoyall-Lajoie. .Bradley-Turner.

BY RALPH L.. HONhER.
Stoyall-Lajoie.Brad
These four former aud present Maps
form the Ideal Inheld" chosen by
Robert L. Lowe, Tiger scout-in-chiet
formerly one OF the greatest second
basemen and shortstops in the game
With Stoyall at first base. Larry at
second. Bradley at third. and Turner
at shortstop, the Cleveland club had
IN infield that had never been eQualled
when IL was In It's prime and has neV-
er since been surpassed, according 10
Loves opinion.
A peculiar thing about this infeld
ia that there was not man on TX VINO
did not have superior at the time he
was playing, unless perhaps some ex-
ception might be made Tor Lajoie In
certain years. Yet the four men. TAX
cn collectively az q baseball machine,
stand as the games greatest.
Great as this infield was, 1t never
won a pennant, although 1t was often
touted to do so. Weakness in other
departments than in the inAeid, how
ever, always prevented the Maps from
coping.
This infleld played together for sew
en- years. IL was not ini0fi IN every
game during this perlcc the four
men ali appear in the -rds GATH
cred at the end or the seasons, from
1904 up TO 1911.
In 1911 Bradley was reported TO be
sick and he was let go after two years
Of very poor work at the bat. He went
TO Toronto and played excellent ball
there
Stovall. IL will be remembered, was
let go last year to st. Louis as man
ager.
LaJoie lust signed up contract for
a salary OF $4,000 for this years SER
vices. Notwithstanding the talk that
he was to be let so to Boston or New
York.
There was some dissatisfaction on
The part of Manager Harry Davis with
Turner last year and il was reported
hat he was to be let go. The Cleve-
iand club went so far as TO let him feel
the chilling breeze OF a wholesale
bunch OF waivers they asked upon
about half Of the team. let last year
no lead the league In fielding among
third basemen who participated In any
number OF games, and hit over 80.
The Athletics infeld, McInnis at
first, Eddie Collins at second, Baker
at third and Barry at shortstop is con-
sidered by Bob Lowe 10 be the best
inneld in baseball today
Yet,he doesn't think that this quar-
tet can be compared as a smoothly
working machine to the four Nap in-
helders
The Athletics would doubtless be
called q better combination nowadays
by those men who place much en-
phasis on the value OF hitting.
The Athletics are far and away
ahead OF the Nap Ideal lnfeld In
their ability with the bludgeon. 9itn
the exception of King Lajoie there IS
not a man on the quartet who Is
especially strong with the stick.
Lajoie's average for the seven
years is 1897. Stovall comes next with
.26S, while Turner follows with .2SO,
and Bradley trails with .24l. Braa-
ley's poor average must be blamed
largely upon his very poor showing oil
1909 and 1910, when he hit under .20o.
lie had one 800 year, 1904.
In the year 1904, when some OF the
four played only a few games, the
quartet had a batting average or .SOS'
A mark over 800 was made possible
joie, who failed for 1888.
This work hardly compares with
that OF the Mack four last year when
they averaged .321 for the years WORK
with the bat, Jack Barry, the weak
hitter OF the bunch, pulling down the
nigh average OF the other three by
kicking In with a measly pei. McIn
aes hit 1927; Collins, .348, and Baker
SAT.
But I'm fielding the ideal Inheld'
certainly did have II on the best We
have now. In the seven years. George
Stoyall equalled Stuffy McInnis' aver
lge of .984 OF last season.
Lajoie has a mark Of 1858 to show
ND against Collins 1856. Bradley car
point with pride TO his $50, while
Baker must accept 941. Turner has
956 while Barry has only .925.
And these figures do not tell The
whole tale, either. Figures are otter
poor story tellers In the case of field
ing. The men worked together so vel
that the results produced was fal
ahead Of what the digits would indi
cate.
Never again can this infield hope Il
get together again. butthey, have fur
nished q mark for the best of then
TO shoot at.
The holdout clubs membership II
diminished today. due to the, receip
yesterday Of the contract OF Hugh
High, OF st. Louis. the little outfieldel
who was with Hartford In the Con
necticut league last season. High, VIII,
is a plumber, had been threatening Il
Plumb rather than play baseball, bu
changed his mind. With Highs cen
tract came that OF Dauss, the pitcher
who was with St Paul last year.
orvie Overall Formally Admitted.
Orvie Overall, who will pitch will
the Cubs, has been formally rein
stated In organized baseball by the
National commission.