Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1914-06-21
IS
FORH. WAGNER
AS PREMIER
Roger Bresnahan, Famous Cub
Catcher, Says the Pirate
Shortstop Is Greatest Player
U. S. Has Ever Seen at Work.
He Declares That HOnus Never
Has Been Known to Make Bad
Mistake; Pittsburg Would Fall
Without DutChman, He Says.

Who is the greatest ball player in
the game today? This question has
been asked thousands of times and
yet remains unsettled. Tt is almost
certain to remain undecided as eX-
perts, newspaper writer's and baseball
men are unable to agree. National
league men think that certain players
in their organization surpass those
in the American league, while men in
the latter body believe they possess
the best in the game.
Hans Wagner, Johnny Evers, Nor
decai Brown, Frank Chance, Ty Cobb,
Joe Jackson, iris Speaker Ed Walsh,
Eddie Collins and Hal Chase have
been referred to at some time or 9th
er as being the star of all ball players
Fans and men connected with the
game who admire one of these men
stin are of the opinion that he is the
leader of the lot. Wagner, Cobb,
Speaker. Collins and Jackson have
probably the strongest right to the
reputation owing TO their ability to
hit field and run bases Roger Bres-
nahan Of the Chicago Cubs, who is
regarded as one Of the smartest ball
players i'm the National league, paid
Hans Wagner a big compliment when
he declared that the Pittsburgh short
stop is the greatest ball player the
game ever had and ever viii have.
Bresnahan does not think baseball
ever had a man of Wagner's ability
and does not think there viii ever be
player who viii play the game as he
played it for seventeen years. The
Cub backstop is so strong in his be-
lief that he declared he would not
give Wagner for five Cobbs, Jacksons
OF Speakers.
81 have watched Wagner for seven
teen years and i'm that time have
never seen him make a mistake, and
no one else has. He started to play
| the same year I did, and because Of
his natural ability I took an interest
in him and watched his work closely
I must say in all truthfulness that I
| have never seen him do the wrong
thing That may be putting it rather
strong, but it is the truth. I have
talked with men who have been with
him for years and they have told me
the same Tommy Leach was on the
Louisville club with Wagner, and also
at Pittsburgh and he will confirm
what / say. Fred Clarke and Gibson
viii say the same They have yet to
see him blunder in a play
IF you viii notice Wagner you win
see that he makes all his plays in
stanty. He is a remarkably fast
| thinker He has all his plays figured
| out before they are made and he
makes an his throws to the right
place and at the right time and does
not throw at all when he sees there
/ is no chance to get a man. That is
why he never makes a mistake
Wagner is big, clumsy looking,
/ but there never has been a shortstop
who has covered more ground than
he has Mike Doolan is a wonderful
fielder and thrower, but he does not
surpass the German. AS a hitter 1
do not think there ever has been a
better one. Wagner has never
reached the high marks that Arson
/ did or Cobb has, but he has always
been over the 800 mark, which is
wonderful for a man who has been
| playing seventeen years.
1T is not so much Wagner's figures
that make him Incompatible al the
plate as it is his ability to place a hit
in any section of the field He is not
a one field batter, as most heavy hit
ters are He Is just as likely to slam
a ball TO right as he is to put it to
left, and he may slam &c over second
base too.
"He is a wonder IN running the
bases-that is. he was-and is stin
able to go around fast enough to hold
his own. He is clever in touching
men sliding into the bag and in hold
ing runners on second. He possesses
every qualification a ball player could
desire, and as he never makes a mis-
take, ] contend he is the greatest bail
| Continued On poue Vrurol