The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-12-13
NATIONAL LEAGUE
FIELDING RECORD
MORE CHANCES HANDLED WITH
~ FEWER RECORDS.
AN INTERESTING ANALYSIS
New York Leads In Team Fielding
Miller is Best First 5aseman
and Fletcher Best Short
Stop-other Items.

New York, Dec. 1.-THE official
fielding records of the National league
for the season of 1917 show substan.
tial improvement in this department
by comparison with the 1916 ratings
The total fielding chances offered the
past season were 52,196, of which un,
usually large total all but 1875 were
clearly played. In the season of
1916 the total chances offered were
51,732, and the misplays 1889. The
Boston, Brooklyn and Cincinnati clubs
increased their respective error to-
tails over their 1916 figures, but these
lapses were more than Offset by the
improved defensive work of the five
other clubs.
The champions led the league in
fielding and were charged with the
lowest number of errors--208. The
New York catchers also marked ur
an unusually low record of passed
balls, with seven for the 1853 games
st. Louis had the greatest number
of fielding chances namely $3.50;
Pittsburgh the lowest, with 6,460.
New York played As errorless
games, Philadelphia 4S, St. Louis 81
Boston and Pittsburgh IS each, Gin
cinnati and Brooklyn "a each, and
Chicago SO.
Miller Leads First Basemen.
In individual play, John Miller led
the first basemen with an average
of 1898, with Holke credited with the
greatest number of chances offered
1924. Miller's record of one error
in 545 chances is noteworthy
The second basemen were led by
John Rawlings of Boston, new
conner, with 467 accepted chances out
of Ats offered in SO games. Dave
Shean had TIA chances-the top fig
ure-of which he missed 80. '
Henry Groh played 154 games al
third and headed all others in that
position with an average of .966, he
making but IS errors in more thar
half a thousand opportunities. Bairt
had most chances offered, $50, fol
lowed by Zimmerman with 525.
Fletcher Best Shortstop.
At shortstop, John Rawlings agar
appears in first place. The honors
however, belong to Arthur Fletcher
with Maranville following. The first
named had $50 chances offered, o.
which he accepted all but 80. Viii
liam KOpf, playing his first com
plete season, had S14 chances in 14S
games.
Charles Jackson of Pittsburgh
heads the outfelders, being charged
with but one error in So games
George Paskert, having played in 1876
contests, is entitled to the leadership
Max Carey had the unusually large
total of 478 chances, of which he &C
cepted all but 10. Charles StengeI
is first with 80 assists from the out
field, Carey following with %.
The catchers were led in fielding
by John Adams of Philadelphia, who
misplayed but one of the III chances
offeed. William Killifer and Ivey
Wingo each caught 120 games, the
former having greatest number Of
chances-765. Lew McCarty had but
one passed ball in 81 games; Hank
Gowdy, one in 40 games, and George
Gibson, one in 35 games.
Rixey and Demaree Tie.
The pitchers were led by Eppa
Rixey and AL Demaree, with perfect
fielding in SO games each, the left
handler being credited with the post
of honor by reason of his 108 chances
as against Demaree's 70. Alexander
had most chances (133), with one er
ror; followed by Barnes of Boston
with one misplay in lis chances.
Harry H. Myers of Brooklyn, Sc
cured records in four different posi-
tions-on field, and at first, second
and third base. Zeider of Chicago
is rated in the second and third base
and shortstop, Standings; and Fitzpat
and shortstop standings; and Fitzpat
outfielders, and second and third
basemen.
John (Honus) Wagner's 1917 rec
ord shows he played in AZ games at
first, where he accepted 445 out OF
402 chances. He also played in Is
games at third, where he made three
misplays in So chances.