Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-04-11
COmiSkey Greatest First Stacker
Griffith Ranks Him Above All

I II ne could club like Wagner he would
be the greatest shorstop of all time
Barry. Of the Athletics, also is
wonder. and Fletcher, OF the Giants,
is a mighty good man
"Of an the third basemen think
4 McGraw and Jimmy Collins, OF The
Boston Red Sox, were the best Nc
Graw was foXler than Collins and a
better hitter but Collins was the bot
ter de]der He was the most grace
/ rn fielding third basenan the game
, ever has seen. And this gives him
the coFe
Gardner. Of the Red SoS: Foster
OF the Washingtons, and Baker, Of
the Athletics, are the only third
basemen who can be compared T.
these two.
Baker is a poor fielder: he Is awk-
ward. But he is such a wonderful
after that II lifts him up 20 the ton
notch Foster is foxy fielder and
foxy batter-a great ail-round man.
Gardner is a wonder but not quite in
Fosters class
iris Speaker is the most remark
able outtielder that ever lived re
marks Griffith, after according places
in the Outfield Han OF Fame to more
than a score OF the past and present
gardening stars He is the best man
ON fly balls that | ever have seen,
His throws are deadly. Batters hit
The bail mile. Yet Speaker goes out
to the fence and gets them-gets
drives that other men would have to
let go for three base hits and home
runs.
cor course, IL Is hard 20 judge be-
! tween Speaker and Cobb as TO which
is the better man. Cobb is a better
| base runner and a better batter but
! Speaker stands out as fielder
jackson. of Cleveland. is a Won
/ derful thrower and batter, but he does
rot shine as base runner. Milan,
OF Washington. is a better ball play
! or than Jackson He is a splendid
4 fielder. splendid base runner and q
/ consistent 300 hitter Hc Us ooutin-
ually using his head.
UCOMPARING these stars with Biz
- Lange, OF the old generation,
/ shows that the Old generation SUI
/ fers Cobb and Speaker are Lange's
supporters. and think Milan is al
most Iange's equal. Among the other
D r.
present we're Willie Keller. Fred
| clarke. Fielder Jones. Jesse Burkett,
/ Elmer Flick. Hugh Duffy, Mike Don
! lin. Jimmy McAleer, Fogarty ani
4 Dicly Johnson.
I'm the catching line the stars OF
I the present day arc not as good as
/ those OF the other days. Buck Ewing
never has known AN equal as a
I catcher. / call him the hest ball
PLAYER the world ever has known
/ The only man who ever approached
him was Mike Kelly. OF the old Chi
/ cago White SoN. Kelly. too was a
wonder. but not quite equal TO Ewing
uXGTALTER JOHNSON is the great
! w est pitcher OF to-day but
wonderful as he liz. there were some
! d-timers that were wonders too
/ Clarksou and keefe were the best in
1 the period that ended in 1928. Then
came three wonders-Amos Rusie Cy
! Young and Kid Nichols. And Their
came Mathewson, Clarkson, keett
and Nichols were not quite as good
as Mattv and johnson are To-day hui
Young and Rusie, In their prime
We're right along with them.
ON making these comparisons, II
telling who ! think were the greatest
men that ever played the diheren'
positions on the diamond ] am only
swing my opinion. Some may dinei
with me but these conclusions are
drawn after watching closely the
thousands who have come and gone
since ! entered the big league games.