The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-12
~ WILLIAM n. HANNA.

ny " LILLIAN NJ HANNs
The college baseball field Of 1916 was
fairly rich in nat--Al Of potential worth
for the major leagues. One sign Of this
was the numerous offers received by
college players from big league clubs.
There was. In fact. much good timber
for the professional set in the seasons
college output. The teri. much" II.
however. comparative. Getting down to
hard facts. there never IL much ma
terial for the big leagues In any Of the
sources from which they draw their
material. but there . more than
usual in the colleges this year
Yet with all this promising material
It is scattered over . wide ground-thc
best standard Of college play 10 IN
siderably below the best professional
standard. fully &c per cent. below. To
the present capabilities Of the ool-
legians drafted for the professional
arena must be added in considering
their value in the major leagues what
Improvement they ere capable Of maxi
ing. From what the writer considers
the strongest college combination which
could be selected this year there could
be moulded a team which would. be-
aus of what It Is capable Of becoming
do fairly we'll In big league baseball,
not right away. hut with the experience
which IL one Of its chief needs.
The only way to get at the question
Of college players a. compared to pro-
f~essionals IL by concrete example. Here
is q college team which In the writer's
opinion IL Of the strongest tina,
could be recruited from the best indi.
vidual performer:
Yale; Sisler. Michigan: Deyo. Prince
ton: Regan. Cornell; Robinson. Am
herst; Croweli. Brown.
Catchers - Ksnney. N0tre Dame
Wanamaker. Dartmouth: Oliphant
inneld-MiMs. Notrs Dame. ns,
base: Watt. Columbia. second base
Legore, Yale. shortstop: Babbinston
Brown. third base Carroll. Fordham
extra infelder.
Outneld = Hardwick. Harvard. lef'
field Middlebrook. Yale. centre field
Wescott. Tufts. right field Frye. Har
ward. extra outfelder.
This 10 a complete cam. It carrie!
@nough men to weather q pennant cam
paign with tho players distributed as q
big league team distributes them. Yves
colt 10 q centre fielder. but could b
transposed to right. thus making room
in centre for Middiebrook. The latte
is not q strong batter. but that woult
not he a grave defect On . team will
30 many handy hitters. n he Is q fn'
defensive player and ono who ought Il
be in centre field by reason Of his ex
ceptional ability TO cover ground.
Seven Of these players batted owe
800. It u. therefore. a formidable
~ >ls~ AAa~ 10 usn
usually proficient and represents al
styles Of pitching. II has the neces
eary left handler in Sisler and a spi
bali pitcher In way-two twirlers o
fine ability. As to what big leagu
managers think Of several Of thes
players. II may he mentioned that Sis
Ter. Resan. Minis. Crowe,l. Kenne,
Wanamaker and Babbinston becam
professionals last summe and most o
the others have had offers from the hi
leagues.
To compare this team with the bes
which could be put together in the pro
fessional ranks would be unfair. TIL
difference would he too great. Let II
2, compare Il with a professional tear
composed Of former college players. q
: AZ many Of them can he found for tn
purpose. Such n team. al the nam"
I will bear witness. would be no weak
} ling IN the IaSteSt iieTe u II
Pitchers-Mathewson. Giants: Fishc'
Yankees Coombs. Brooklyns Conzc
1 man. Pirates Davis. Braves I.ear Gin
E cinnati, and Plank. ST. Louis Federals.
Catchers--Henry. Washingtons Me>
ers, Giants. and Snyder. Cardinals.
Inheld-Pipp. Yankees. first base
Collins. White Sox. second base Barr
= Red Sox, shortstop Grant. Giants. THU
= base. and Pratt. Browns. extra infelde
Outheld-Carey. Pirates. left field
williams. Cubs. centre field Robertson
Giants. right field. and Cree. Yankee
extra toutfelder,
The percentage OF difference Arr
n noted, %. not less thar 20 anywa
holds good here. This. however. Is d.
In part to the inexperience Of the co
lege men. They don't know the game 9
do the professionals. but there Is tn
, to be said
The professional team selected. "
think II will be conceded. would be alb
to give a worthy account or itself