Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-07
By Rube Marquard.

"A FEW YORK, oct. 6.-After last
IN years worlds series between
the Giants and Red Sox, Ar
thur Fletcher came in for much dis
cussion among baseball critics all
over the country. Many OF them said
he would never wear a Giant uniform
again as a regular; others picked
him as a lemon, while some authori-
ties we're looking for McGraw to
release him.
To-day Fletcher stands out head
and shoulders over all the short
stops in the National League, In
Guiding the only Hans Wagner. And
1t IL my opinion that Fletcher will
be one of the big stars OF the coming
clash with the Athletics,
True, Fletcher played poor ball
against the Red Sox last season, and
l was one of the many that thought
he was far from the gamest ball
player on earth after II was all over
But Arthur has certainly vindicated
himself this season. His work has
been a great help in bringing the
1918 National League penlIant to New
York.
Six Errors In 1911.
In 1911 Fletcher hit 100 and made
six fielding errors, while Jack Barry
distinctly outclassed him in every
way: but this year the admirers OF
the Illinois grocer are confident that
it will be a different story. Fletcher
himself will probably enter this series
with more confidence than he ever
had before He has had good year,
and that ought to inspire him with
confidence.
Never was a ball player slower in
coming to hand than Fletcher. In
1911 he tore through the National
League with a batting average Of
.S16, only to fan off to .2s2 the fol-
lowing season. He stole 20 bases in
1911, and only 16 in 1912, and II
seemed that he had fallen away all
along the line At the beginning Of
the present season he was sitting on
the bench, while Artie Shafer tried
to take his shortfielding job away
from him.
There was a time when any man
watching Shafer play the territory
between second and third would have
taken oath that the young Califor-
MAN would develop into the greatest
shortflelder the National League had
seen in many years, but before the
season was very far along Title"
had merely developed into something
Of a bloomer so far as that particu-
larly district was concerned. He
seemed to unaccountably slow up
while playing short. and finally Nc
Graw put Fletcher back in his old
position, while he alternately used
Shafer at third and in the out1eld.
Immediately upon his return TO the
game Fletcher suddenly displayed a
wild burst of energy and ability. He
not only began a mad career Of field
ing and hitting, but he also perked
up in his speed on the base lines,
and from an ordinary base stealer
he developed into one Of the best on
the team. Up TO a week or so ago
he had stolen 27 bases, which is not
many for a member of the Giants,
but which is a mighty satisfactory
Improvement for Fletch.
Slow to Develop.
Fletcher has been a matter Of slow
development with McGraw from the
time he FIRST came into the big league,
but the fact that the Giant chief has
always chung TO him proves that Nc
Graw never lost confidence In the
young mans ability. After he re-
ported to the Giants Fletcher sat on
the bench couple Of years, under
going the usual course OF the Giant
recruit. and finally he got his cndnce