Evening star., 1915-04-22

easy compared with that of the Mack
fielder.
On the other hand, is it not probable
that in the course of the full American
League season each center fielder
would have nearly the same amount of
work to do: that is, in relation to the
number of games he took part in?
that the second outf1elder in the Amer
ican League, in percentage of flies
caught per game, is Cree of the New
Yorks. with $50. He took part in only
seventy-six battles and captured 1870.
The third man is strunk. who nabbed
ESQ in 120 contests a percentage of 2.3S.
The fourth is Shotton. the speed mer-
chant of st. Louis Browns, who clutched
1853 in 152 games. an average OF 2.2S
All these leaders are center felders, by
the way-but more about that later on.
The leading f1y-chaser in the Nation
al League is George Dode Paskert, the
Phillies' sensational mid-gardener. In
rs engagements he had SO3 put,outs.
or an average of 2.37 game. He is
second to Speaker in the two big
leagues. Leach of Chicago, in 1876
games, closed his hands on 321 flies, for
a percentage of 2.36, and was second.
The third man was Bescher Of New York,
who was in 126 battles and grabbed 2sS
drives for an average of 2.36-he is
ranked below Leach because he was in
fewer games. j. H. Kelly of Pittsburgh
was the fourth man, and had percentage
oI ~, CdtCnlHB olS IN l33 gaines L ITO
quartet of National League leaders occupy
the center field.
Why Speaker Is Valuable Man.
Now, Mr.. Manager and Mr.. Fan. does
it not follow that Iris Speaker Is a most
valuable man to have in center field? OF
course, in a single game. the difference
between the 2.70 per game Of the Bos-
tonian and the 2.29 of Shotton does not
impress one. But think what that might
Imagine, if you will. how many drives
fell back Of second for a Texas league
single, or went whizzing to the wall for
a double, triple or homer. when Shotton
was the gardener; then picture how the
sensational Speaker shared a certain per-
centage of the same sort of wallops for
his club Is it not likely that the differ
ence IN safe hits and resultant runs would
represent some little difference in VIC
tories, with Boston the gamer? And that
same comparison may be used with every
other center felders in the league, some
more so than others.
Paskert and Leach and Bescher, by
the same line of reasoning, are exception
ally valuable to their respective National
League clubs. No matter what you may
have thought about them when you saw
them play, the trio did the business, and
figures prove it. And it does seem strange
that Leach has been released by the Cubs
and Bescher was sent to st. Louis by the
Giants, although Robert hasn't taken
kindly to the switch.
1t will be noticed in the tables which
accompany this article that center field
ers are the leaders in the fiy-chasing
game. This is true for at least two
reasons; first. more flies are hit into the
territory covered by the center fielder than
into the left and right gardens: second,
the midfielder has sort of rowing
commission. and races to the right
or the left for great distances.
and, in most parks, is able to go far
ther back than his companions.
1t also will be seen that the left field
ers, as a rule, are second in the rum
ber of flies nabbed. This probably is
because the majority of batsmen hit
right-handed, and it is natural for
them to send the ball over third base
or shortstop. Then, finally, the right
field in most parks is the "sun gar
den." and the occupant must wear