El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-17

4 Pittsburg. and Hal Chase. Cincinnati
What a howl Chase would put. up II
| he knew anybody nominated him Tor
! last place in his circuit.
The American league first sackers
! rank about this way. Stuffy Jack Nc
lnnis Philadelphia; Dick Hoblitzen,
Boston; George Burns, Detroit: Walter
/ Plpps New York; Jacques Fourier,
1 Chicago; Chick Gandil. Cleveland, Joe
Judge, Washington, and Babe Borton,
st. Louis. The Browns are put at the
bottom here, but they wouldn't be il
Fielder Jones had George Sisler play
ing first instead Of in the outfield.
That boy would have to rank some
where up in the list.
Daubert Best First sacker.
Daubert In our opinion is the king
Of first sackers. A star at fielding
his position--nobOdy eUcels him. II in
the most valuable all around man of
the lot on offense. Jake has led the
league in hitting twice. He is a skilful
base runner with plenty Of speed. Best
OF all, he is a master bunter. Few per-
sons outside those actively engaged in
man who can lay down q well placed
bunt. A good bunt is the sure way
TO make a double play impossible. 1t
also is a dependable means Of bring
bert, also a good waiter, a fine Judge
OF ball or strike, gets on base a
good deal more than even his fine
batting average indicates.
Merkle. Safer and McInnis we re-
gard as Brooklyn Jake's chief rival for
the supremacy. The first Of these
three is a bit better base runner than
Daubert and close to him in every
thing else that applies to the mechani-
cal side Of the game. but his occa-
sional bad mental lapses during cru
cial moments Of important games form
sufficient reason for RELOCATING him
-. a.. Il
Daubert IN general efficiency. but IS not
so clever I'm working a pitcher nor
so agile on the base paths. Drawing
from the American league, We find
little Mclnnis as its foremost repre-
sentative. We place him above both
Aiarkle and SAFER.
McInnis Is a Marvel.
McInnis is a marvel. a worlds Won
der. Never in the games history has
there been a man so small as he that
could last through hard big league
campaigns and maintain ,his prestige
as a first baseman. II used to be
household saying that a first baseman
had to be tall McInnis is as small as
any player in the game with the eX-
ceptiOn Of its absolute midgets such
His remarkable ability TO leave his
feet going after high throws or hits
over him relegates TO some extent the
he suffers from being
tllEs lie IS almost the equal OF Dau-
bert IN anything the latter does and
superior TO him In a number Of things,
but he has to take second rank be-
cause OF the occasions when Daubert
can reach a throw that Is beyond him.
Even hurts to the side sometimes
bother MoInnis and draw him off the
bag, for he can't iunge as far with
lose short legs as his taller brethren.
Doubt II Chase Comes Back.
Taking the rest Of the first basemen
d the two leagues it Is much harder
70 rate them accurately Il Is doubt
N II Hal Chase win come back into /
his old glory with Cincinnati. Joe /
Judge Of Washington is a youngster |
'cgnning his first real season of big /
eague play He may be n star. as 1
lark Griffith says he is. or he may /
'e a flash in the pan.
Ranking the whole bunch. we would 1
lace them thus: Daubert. McInnis, 1
ierkle, Safer. Hoblitzell. Konetchy. /
Burns Pip, Fournier. Miller. Luderus, /
iandi Judge. Johnston and Borton I
enthusiasts don't think
heir Fred Buderus belongs It'll Most
e them think he deserves first place.
Ie is a heavy hitter no doubt, but IN
ractically everything else he is ap-
reciably worse than the average OF
he bunch playing this year