The Washington herald., 1915-01-17
Nap Lajoie and Hans Wagner,
of the Old Guard, Are on
Downward Grade.
MATTY IS STILL GOOD
Has About Three More Years Serv-
ice Left in Him for Big Cir
cult Games
By BILLY BAILEY.

Another five years and most Of the
present day diamond stars will be but
memories. Father Time has been lenient
with some, but there is a limit to
Rather Times patience, and certain IT is
that this patience will be exhausted in
many cases.
Lajoie and Wagner, the grand old
guard, are on the down-grade. 1t is pos
sible that both may stick it out through
1915. but it's beyond the hope of fandom
that they can go through 1916 in major
league company.
Mathewsor. the wonderful Giant PITCH
er. enters his fifteenth season in major
league company. Matty is still good
but Matty is slipping. Three years at
the most seems to be Matty's limit as
q regular worker on a big league mound.
Matty is only thirty-four years old now
but his arm isn't as good as it used
to be. 1t has lost much Of its old-time
cunning Last season it was rarely that
the opposition didn't belt him for from
seven to twelve hits per game. and when
the opposition can do that IT means that
AIatty is going.
Tommy Leach probably is good for two
more years in major league society
but no more.
TwirIers Near End.
Chief Bender and Eddie Plank, the
twtrlers who did so much to bring fame
and glory to Philadelphia, are near the
end of their careers. They may pitch
fine baseball for two or three years
Ionger-but no longer.
Ed Walsh, of the White Sox, may come
back in 1915. but If he does, he can
linger only a year or two longer. Age
has robbed the once mighty right arm
Of its power.
Another five years, and it is hardly
likely that more than three or four of
the present day New York Giants still
will be in the majors. MerkIe, Doyle,
Fletcher, Meyers, Snodgrass, Beecher
Murray and some OF the others have
turned the prime time of their baseball
lives. They are on the downgrade, and
soon they will slip into obscurity
Five Years for Speaker.
Iris Speaker is thirty-one years old.
He still is a wonderful ball player but
viii he be just as wonderful at the age
of thirty-six? Will he then be =, won
deTful enough to hold a job in the majo-
leagues? Maybe yes-and maybe no.
Miller Huggins of the Cardinals, still
ranks as a wonderful second bsseman.
But Miller is getting pretty well along
in years. Johnny Evers still is a Won
deTful player-but will Johnny be able
10 answer the major league roll call five
y
fUTty-year mark?
Rube OIdring and Jack Lapp, Of the
Athletics. are getting old. They soon
must fall by the wayside. Dick Hoblitzel
JsoW with the Red Sox. is a veteran. Sam
crawford. the old War horse of the De
'Ioit Tigers. hit like fiend last year and
'.'ldcd in wonderful style, He showed
nn signs Of age yet Sam has passed the
tUrninG point and il seems unlikely that
q nfagB
"" any thing else than major league
UrcUOry.
CRtchcrs Are Through
Jimmy Archer Cub catcher. and
Larry Mclean. the Giant catcher, are
ucarlN through. They are still good
hut they are skidding. Jake Daubert,
the great first sacker of the Brooklyn
dodgers. Is pretty well along in years,
aS ball players so.
Charles Doom. Hans Lobert. Grover
Alexander. Sherwood Magee, "Gabby"
Cravath. and 'Ludy' Luderus. who
made up the main strength of the
Phillies last year. are veterans. They
rank just now as among the best play
ers in the game. But how many do
lou think will be in the major league
rank five Years from now?
HeinIe Zimmerman, of the Cubs. may
last five years longer-and he may not.
Vic Safer, Of the Cubs, may last five
years-and he may not. Zach Wheat
Of the Dodgers, who ranks as a Won
derful outhelder. is nearing the turn.
'Dode'' Paskert, Of the Phillies, cannot
last much longer. Frank Schultz, of
the Cubs. is due for the minors in an
other year. Eddie Grant, of the Giants;
Josh Devore, of the Braves; Reulback,
Of the Dodgers; Ames, of Cincinnati,
and a score of other present-day stars
in the National League soon must
travel the trail to oblivion.
Terry Turner. of the Maps, ranking
nov as the greatest utility man in the
game, is near the end. So are George
Moriarity, of the Tigers, and Bill Carri-
gan. Of the Red SoX. In the American
League today. where the talent Is
somewhat younger than that Of the
National League. there are at least
Eeventy-five players who seem to be
in their prime. But five years hence
where will they he?