The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-06-30
INFIELD STARS
ARE PLENTIFUL
National League Gan Boast of
Many Great Inner Men.
GOOD OUTFIELOERS SCARCE

Parent Baseball Organization Shy on
Suburban Pill Handlers, While the
American Is Well Fixed-Wasner, the
Veteran, Is Still a Wonder.
Clubs in the National league are shy
OF star outfelders. There are so few
real good ones that one can count them
on the fingers Of one hand. There are
no Ty Cobbs, Iris Speakers or Joe
Jacksons, and most of those who are
playing regularly are only slightly
above the average. The American
league has the edge in the Outtield de-
partment.
Where the National league shines is
on the intield positions. Take first base
and shortstop. At those places the
older major league has the class of
the game in Vic Safer Of the Cubs,
Jake Daubert of the Brooklyn Dodgers,
John Miller of the st. Louis Cardinals,
Art Fletcher of the Giants, Hans Wag-
ner of the Pirates, Walter Maranville
of the Braves, Oliver O'Mara of the
Dodgers, Buck Herzog of Cincinnati
and Howard Bancroft of the Phillies.
1t has been yenrs since the National
league has had such great shortstOps
as 1t possesses at present. The cOllec-
ton is wonderful and it is difficult to
pick the best one of the lot. In field
ing they are experts. Fans used to
think that Joe Tinker and Mike Doolau
were stars in covering ground and il
making sensational plays, but those
two veterans never had a thing on any
Of the shortstops on six of the eigh
clubs.
Hans Wagner of course, IS the vet
eran of the league, and from what h
has shown to date clearly indicate
that he Is far from "has been" TIL
National league has recently unearthe
more finds for the shortstop positio
than the American, the latest of whoI
are Bancroft of the Phillies and OMAR
of the Dodgers. This is Bancroft's frs
year as n major Lacquer, and he ha
already earned his spurs and place
himself in the class with the leader
There is not one thing he cannot do O
the field. He goes TO either side wit
equal alaclity, comes in like a flas
las strong arm and touches runne
cleverly-at- second. What is more, he
full of ambition.
O'Mara was a wonderful ground co
erer last year and can throw with al
infelder in the league, but this seasC
he is not living up to his 1914 perforr
nnce because Of a broken leg at Il
close Of last season. He has not I
gained his confidence. He favors t
leg little, with the result that he h
not been getting about as well, but
is expected he will be back to his tr
form before long. OMara and Ba
croft are not sluggers of the Wagn,
Fletcher or Tinker type, but they /
in the neighborhood of .24O, which
regarded as good enough with the
valuable assistance they give in t
field.
Maranville of the Braves has a rel
Triton. Fans on the National leag
circuit regard him as the star of t
bunch because of his inimitable st,
of playing. He does things differC
from the other shortstops. He plays
grounded and fly ball differently q
has a snapper throw to bases. Mar
Vile gets the sphere away from him
fast as any inhelder in the game.
has looked better since Johnny Ev
was stationed alongside Of him, 6
the pair have easily equaled the mi
talked of work Evers and Tinker u
to do for the Cubs. Meanwhile i:
dangerous man at the plate in a pin
for he has keen eye, chokes the
and drives the ball sharply.