The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-08-29
With Evers and Meanwhile in
Center. Braves Have Stone
wall Inner Defense
TWO MIDGETS WORK LIKE
WELL-OILED MACHINE
Schmidt at First and Smith at
Second Are Valuable Deal
May Be Called On
BY HUGH s. FULLERTON

The success of the Boston Braves u
due primarily to Stallings. and second
arily to the wonderful inner wall o
defense. Giving the pitchers all dus
credit the infield has stood betweeI
them and defeat day after day witt
the cleverest. most resourcefui ant
brilliant defense seen on modern
team.
Not since tire days Of Tenney. Lowe
Long and Collins has the Hub seen
such defensive play. such backing up
catching and steadying Of pitchers.
To q large extent this infield de-
tense has been due to the great inside
work of Johnny Evers, former Cub.
Evers Is an instructive player. q won
derful natural fielder, q born leader
and fighter and one Of the closest stu
dents OF the complicated inside game
that baseball ever has known.
Evers always has been q great stu
dent OF batters. q wonderful judge Of
the speed and bound Of balls. o great
man touching runners and fellow
who always IN making plays In his
head before q ball Is hit. was with
the team down south before the men
were acquainted with each other and
heard Evers and Meanwhile discussing
the way to work together around sec
0nd base. Overs was willing to play
II either way--but observe that Mar
awhile Is making throws to second
and taking them. covering the bag and
working in exactly the Evers way.
Meanwhile Is much like Evers,
small, bundle Of nerves and brain.
fast working and fast thinking.
First base was frightful problem
for Stallings this spring. He expected
to have Sweeney, who Is very fair
second basemaH, but aff even better
first baseman. The league saw At to
award Sweeney to Chicago and Stal
links was compelled to make q first
baseman to order. He tried out sew.
eral, found them wanting and finally
picked Schmidt.
Both Eyers and Meanwhile snap q
ball like o shot once II touches their
hands. Many times Schmidt is just
whiriing into position and Just has
time to get up his hands when the
ball arrives. But he grabs them
and that Is enough.
Smith Is the present third baseman.
When this fellow first broke In al
Brooklyn II looked as II the Dodgers
had at last found third baseman,
For one entire season he played bal
that stamped him az a coming wonder
Then he fell into the slipshod. care
less Indifferent style or the Brooklyn
team.
He became a second rater and final
ly was adjudsed not worth while car
rying. Boston grabbed him. FIRST be
cause Stallings knew him: second be
cause Ernie Deal was wearing out
under the strain.
The change of managers worked
wonders. He jumped right In and
commenced playing at the same gait
he showed In hts first year at Brook.
1yn. His fielding has been sensation.
al and his hitting timely
Deal. the reserve third baseman, ID
q Detroit CASTOR. He IL today the
best fielding third baseman ia Ameri
ca; possessed OF q marvellous pair
OF hands and 10 a corking thrower.
But he Is not strong. Physically he
cannot endure the strain OF a bruis-
ing race. n Smith should falter he
win be fresh for the finish and the
chances are he will be needed before
the ding dong down the stretch IL
finished.