El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-04-24

JEW YORK. April 24-An argu-
! M ment occurred in the press box
at the Polo grounds among a
group OF New York baseball writer's
the other day on the subject Of star
i shortstops. Somebody launched If nv
! pointing out the great number of first
class men playing shOrtfield in the Ma
uonal league and opined that il was
the best bunch OF men in that position
, owned by any league at any period in
lLs history. Before the discussion sinh
! sided however, it was the consensus
I that the American league ranks lust
as high in shOrtstOps as the National
/ II not bit higher.
At the beginning Of the talk. these
National leaguers were named as being
among the very front rank: Walter
Maranville, Of the Boston Braves: AT.
thur FLETCHER, Of the New York Giants.
/ ollie O'Mara, Of the BROOKLYN Dodgers
4 4 Cnarley Herzog. of the Cincinnati,
heds- Bob Fisher, Of the Chicago Cubs.
who once played with Brooklyn. and
three tlashy youngsters, Rolla Gerber
Of the Pittsburg Pirates, were rated
close up.
The American leaguers cut in with
the names Of George Mcbride. of the
Washington Senators; Jack Berry. OF
the Philadelphia Athletics: DOME Bush
OF the Detroit Tigers; Roger PecI1in-
paugh, Of the New York Yankees: Buck
-.
Ray Chapman, Of the Cleveland club as
Iopllners, and also expressed respect
Tor Johnny Lavan, of the St Louis
Browns, and Everett Scott, OF the Bos-
ton Red Sox, both peppery young play
From this general summing up. the
American league seemed to have the
call on star shortshops By a score OF
. 70 q Inc scribes went farther along
IN their debate however. and finally
= n an a.
order in which the men should be
ranked, which presented the National
In a more favorable light
Meanwhile, the Rabbit, was placed
az me TOD. Barry was made second,
with Fletcher third, Herzog fourth. Nc.
Bride fifth, Bush sixth, Peckinpaugh
seventh, O'Mara eighth. Chapman ninth.
weaver 10th, Bancroft 18th Fisher
18th, Gerber 18th, Scott 18th, Daringer
18th and Lavan 18th Thus the Amer
lean leaguers, on this basis, would
have places number .. 5. s, = g. 10. II
and 16, and the National representa-
ives would be in nOtches J. 8 l. s. IL
i, 1S and IS. Scoring it like a cross
country run, the Americans total is
os and the Nationals 81, which gives
the National supremacy by two points.
ms grouping is as near TO the con-
census OF opinion as we could make II,
but II Is not exact, OF course. The play
ers were figured on all around value 10
their clubs, taking into consideration
fielding ability. their effect By steadi-
ness and aggressiFeness on the general
team morale, their work with the bat
and their base running.
Among those who participated in the
tmprOmptu debate were Damon Run
yon, Bozeman Bulger. Bill CroweI.
Grantland Rice, Charley Lovett. Jim
McBeth, Joe Villa, Harry Cross. Hey
wood Broun and yours truly. with Dick
kinsellas chief scout OF the Giants, hav-
ing his say here and there Their
opinion on such subjects may be &C
cused OF having a New York flavor,
since Fletcher was rateds third and
Peckinbaugh seventh. but it probably
is about as close to the correct rank
ing as could be-compiled by a like num-
Der OF men anywhere.
The Federal league finally was rung
into the conversation. but only two OF