Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-08
Wagner and LajOie r cal
Veterans Of Big League

The furry Of dope which proclaims
the near retirement of Nap LajOie, the
Napland war-gun, recalls again the
parallel careers of the big French
man and the Flying Dutchman-the
two grea est landmarks OF swat. Larry
and Wagner still stand supreme across
Times trail with no one close, and
the nearness of their rival records is
one of the interesting by-products of
the pas inc.
Wagner was born in 1874, Lajoie in
1875. February "a will be Wagners
seth birthday. and September 5. Lar
rvs 3Sth.
Lajoie's big show engagement be-
gan with Philadelphia in 1896. Wag-
ner's with Louisville in 1897.
This gives Lajoie II years of major
league work and Wagner 16 seasons
beneath the big tent of he game.
In these II years Lajoie has batted
over 400 once, over $50 nine times
and over 800 10 of his II years.
Wagner has never hit over 400, but
has batted over $50 seven times and
over 300 through all 16 seasons.
Lajoie's total batting average for the
II years is .362, Wagner's for the 16
years is .344.
/ In 1907 and 1908 Lajoie fell below
300 and the same dope furry pro-
claimed that he was passing and
would sooh reach he end of his trail.
! Yet in the last four years his average
has been .324, .3S4, $50 and .36S-
which indicates that he is still fairly
proficient with the old ash furniture.
Wagner has led the National often
err than Lajoie has led the American,
but this in good part was due to the
fact that the Du'chman never hap
pened to have a certain athlete named
Ty Cobb to work against. AS Cobb
batted APO and 40 in The last two
seasons, the Frenchman was facing
q forlorn hope as batting leader OF
his clan
Wagner leads by a good margin
however, in stolen bases and in the
fact that he has worked in 125 games
or more every season, while injuries
have bumped the Cleveland premier
below the 100-game mark five seasons
TheNrand old win er league ha:
been releasing these two stars an
nually for some time, but whel spring
arrives each year a number of prom
ising young pitchers are always will
, ing to testify that both sill know how
to handle a bat and take healthy wal
-,
, within 1--WE fee Of the plate.
OF the players now in the bi
league baseball arena more veteran
, are to be found among the pitcher
: than II any other position. The pitch
or works a gooG deal harder than III
occupant CT any other position, blu
he doesn't play as often, and beside
there are more OF him. 1t isn't SUI
} prlsing that here are more vetera
D pitchers than anything else. consider
i ing that each club carries at leas
= half a dozen pitchers.
= 1t was q pitcher Cy Young. who b.
4 came We eran Of veterans. wherea
' such old-tlmers rs Powell, Mathew
q srn. Mullen and Plank are sin
c The same. Nor are Wiltae, Bende
a Moore, Pelsy, Hughes and White
!, the spring chicken class. Behind tn
& bat no such list OF veterans can b
y found doing du Y. Though Kling, Bre
} nahan and Doom have been attit
n good while Tho b1csE,Op positio
K has produced Laveral veterans VIII
8 were veterans iaG=cG such IS Nj
c CURE, Farrell, CFiger, Sullivan an
iu The old days, Flint. However sryiu
the position may b.. these men oC
"a uu under ii much longer than d
r.. general run Of players
d. WITH Harry DsviE, Tenney al
e Chance oul Of Ii. here are no riv
= Veterans playing hrst base. Look