The Washington times., 1916-10-02
Fullerton Compares
Third Base Players
Three Different Types In Sackers Who May Partici-
pate in Worlds Series Engagements
Appears Strongest Contender for Honors.
By HUGH S. FULLERTON.

II you stood Larry Gardner. Mike
Mowrey. and Milton stock on an auc-
ton block and called for bids on
them, half the teams in baseball
would be offering double for caro-,
nsr what they would Tor STOCK anu
more for Stock than Tor MoWrey,
Yet, when we come TO anaiyze .ne
backs and a cast OLIVE again are
compelled TO wonder at the incon-
sistencies OF baseball, and the freaks
you find in the dope. 4.
One cannot but award the palm 70
Gardner, for he outfigures his Nation
al League rivals by considerable
margin on his past performances
and more on his work this season
Yet Stock Is up close to him on COM
parative figures. and old Mike oon
You fans must know that you land
u at times go way off on our dope
on ball players, because sometimes
they change almost over night. l
have seen great ball players become
watched fellows, who never promised
to be anything much, come with
squirt and become really great play
ers.
In comparing the third basemen OF
we find three different types OF
players-and II makes pretty tough
work for anyone to figure out their
comparative worths.
Let US start with Milton stock. This
fellow looked good when he came to
the Giants. He stacked up a rather
heady, unpretentious sort of fellow
and dead In earnest about his work.
He did not make good. 1t Is current
opinion among the Giants that NC
Graw broke Stock as a ball player.
Some OF them declare he was not
game. Gameness 10 an odd quality.
They accuse him OF lacking gameness
because he could not stand II to be
spurred and ridden as McGraw spurs
fellow, rather high strung. high bred.
and a bit sensitive. One thing 10 GER
tain and that Is he could not play
ball we'll under McGraw, and he con-
stantly muddled plays and made him
McGraw is a great handler OF men
but even he, at times, makes blum
der. and II 10 evident now he made
one with Stock. He saw 1t and
traded Stock to Philadelphia.
Under Moran. Stock began to play
his real game and last year he had
his chance. Bobby Byrne, a grand
little Big Lacquer. suffered injury,
and stock was awarded the regular
never got It back again. He i'm
proved as the year went on, and in
the worlds series last fall looked
to be O neat and capable but not a
great ball player. This season his
Improvement has been as steady as
II was last year. and he has sudden
ly developed as q hitter. He has i'm
proved his batting wonderfully, and
while some Of the alleged sluggers
OF his team have been slumping, he
has hit the good pitching fairly we'll,
1 am surprised to find. and has busted
the left handlers with much effective
ness. His fielding Is steady, and he
plays the position intelligently, and.
at times. with flash OF brilliancy.
Gardner 10 an altogether different
type OF man--and OF player. Quiet,
Intelligent. q thinker and a worker.
OF the American Leaguers for years.
He was q second baseman, thrown
into the third base Job at q nome nt,s
notice, and, while rated only as a
fair second baseman, he at once he
came star third sacker. He IL a
cracking good hitter and always has
Last year. Gardner fell into the
slumps. He picked up weight. He
was iogy on the bases, and sluggish In
his fielding at third. He was slow
starting forward for hunts, and did not
cover. much ground. His friends were
AFRAID that weight and age were telling
on him.
This season Gardner came back TO life
with a squirt and began hitting at his
best gait. He has kept 1t up. He has
hit better. played the bag better, and