Evening star., 1915-02-28
BY ERNEST J. LANIGAN.

- 1As4SASA a. A&A4SAN4AAN'
Walter Maranville of the Braves
smashed two fielding records for the
shortstopping brigade last year, and
this season, If he wants to set up any
new marks, he will have to beat his
own best performances. The record
books bear testimony to the fact that
the Rabbit now has the distinction
of having accepted more chances at
short field during campaign than any
other major league performer. sS1, the
high-water mark previously having
been Bob Aliens 955, made as mem
her of the Phillies in 1892, which was
the first year the National League ope-
rated under twelve club membership.
The other record that Maranville
smashed last season he not only smash
ed, but annihilated, and probably set
mark that win hang up as long as
Charley Sweeney's nineteen strike-outs.
This record was in starting double
plays Data Of this kind for the major
leagues now have been kept for three
years, and prior to last year the great
est number of duplex killings inau-
gurated by any able athlete was forty
one. The diminutive Brave made the
first move last season in just fifty
eight two-ply retirements, doing plo-
neer work in double the number of dual
executions pulleo' off by any two Ma
tional League shortstops.
Humorist Franklin p. Adams, who in
troduced the double play into poetry.
when he wrote Base Balls SAD Lexi-
con-" should get busy and bring his
verse up to date, substituting Maran-
Vile to Evers to Schmidt, for Tinker,
to Evers to Chance.
Double Plays of Others.
The last year John ]. and ]. Faver-
sham worked together they inaugu-
rated seventy double plays, the En-
pire Slater starting thirty-three and
the Kansan thirty-seven. That same
season, which was 1872. Arthur Fletch-
sr and Larry Doyle of the Giants put
il on Evers and Tinker by putting
il motion seventy-siX double plays,
the shortstop making the first move
il, forty-one and the second baseman
IN thirty-five The F1etcher-Doyle
isures We're not broken In 1919 IN
| -lthcr major league. but last season
they Went by the board when Maran-
lie and his brainy side partner start
4 from their positions eighty-hve du-
u}e> niassacres. Jack Barry and Eddie
Collins of the Athletics, if it is desired
70 make Il comparison. started only
| ifty-tNo-
Only ten major leaguers last season
oot. the initiative in twenty-five or
tore double plays. These men were
| Maranviile of the Braves, who started
| ifty-eight at short: Bush of the Tigers.
S no started thirty-six at short; Nc
Bride of the Nationals. who started
| hirty-fipe at short; Barry OF the Ath-
cites, who started thirty-one at short;
. Doylc of the Giants, who started
itirty-oIe at second: Herzog of the
Reds who started twenty-nne at short:
t.vers OF the Braves. who started
iWenty-Seven at second; CutShaw of the
Superbas. who started twenty-seven at
second: Scott of the Red Sox, who
started twenty-six at short. and Wag-
per of the Pirates, who started twenty
i've at short.
Benz a Good Fielder.
Joe Benz OF the White Sox took the
lead among the pitchers in giving
iouble plays their impetus. He made
tl,e pioneer move in eight. The year be-
fore Eddie Cicotte started nine, which
Hilt stands as a mark for hurlerS.
among the catchers those most active
u putting double plays in motion were
schalk of the White Sox, ONeiI of the
laps and Henry of the Nationals.
Zach started nine. In 1913. Bill KILL
.-r of the Phillies inaugurated four
,een.
Jack McInnis of the Mackmen was in
class by himself in launching double
plays. He made the first move in six
teen of these run n-smothering exhibi-
slaughters he started he also finished,
playing a lone hand
At second the pace in starting
doubles was set by Larry Doyle of the
Giants, with thirty-one. In 1919 the
breezy citizen from Breese, H., start
ed thtrty-flre.
Foster Ties With Smith.
At third the athletes most adept at
showing the way in dual assassina-
tions were Eddie Foster of the Ma
tionals and J. Carlisle Smith of the
Braves. They tied at nineteen each. Nc
guardian of the hot corner previously
ever had put more than eighteen in
motion.
Maranvilles ffty-eight for the short
stops is a new record, not likely to be
equaled by anybody but himself.
In the suburbs Iris Speaker of the
Red Sox. Wilbur Good of the Cubs and
owen Wilson of the Cardinals each
started ten double plays, but by sc
doing set no new record. Speak
thirteen, made in 1919, is the high
water mark. Sir Tristram has a righ,
10 be peeved at the editor of the
Spalding Record Book, who says that
the greatest number of chances carec
for by an outfielder during a season
was Jimmy Slagle's 42A. The Bostoniar
cared for ASS last year.
-